Doreen Patterson Reitsma

Who was Doreen Patterson Reitsma?

Doreen Patterson Reitsma was the first woman from British Columbia to enter Canada's newly created Postwar Women's Division of the Royal Canadian Navy. She began her basic training on October 2, 1951, at HMCS Cornwallis in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia. She was trained as an elite radio intelligence operator for the wireless communications base at HMC NRS Coverdale. Coverdale was located near the city of Moncton, New Brunswick and was part of the Canada-USA Atlantic High Frequency Direction Finding Network responsible for the collection of military intelligence. Ms. Patterson was chosen to serve a term at the Naval Radio Station at Churchill, Manitoba in 1953-54. Here, she was part of a special force of eleven Wrens trained to live and work in extreme weather conditions. These Wrens are recognized as the only women in the Royal Canadian Navy's history to have ever served at the base in Churchill.

On January 26, 1955, Doreen Patterson helped inspire Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent and his cabinet to create a permanent and fully integrated regular force for women in the Royal Canadian Navy.