My Friend Joan

I first met Joan Edwards (nee Henderson) when I was drafted from Writer Pay training at HMS RALEIGH to HMS SULTAN in June 1984.  Joan was an ex-wren who had joined the Civil Service after being discharged from the Wrens on marriage in 1965.  She was working in SULTAN Pay Office calculating the pay of the young MEMs (Marine Engineering Mechanics, AKA “Stokers”) who were doing their training there.  She was affectionately known by them as “Aunty Joan”.  I was the only junior rate in the Pay Office alongside other Civil Servants and Joan, despite being 20 years my senior, “had my back” and we immediately bonded.  I like to imagine she saw a bit of herself in me and would always take an interest in my nights out at the SULTAN bop!

Throughout my future drafts when I worked in the new UPOs, we always kept in touch and when Joan eventually moved to CENTURION we often spoke on the phone with pay-related queries.  She would always go out of her way to help me resolve pay problems even if it wasn’t within her department.

I was not drafted to the Portsmouth area again after 1988 but whenever I was visiting the Gosport and Portsmouth area I would arrange to meet up with her for a coffee or lunch.  Joan was always very generous with her time.  We would also catch up at Wrens and Dauntless Association meetings that she was able to attend.

I finally settled in Cornwall when I left the Wrens/RN in 2006 but Joan and I still had our annual Christmas get-togethers when I would visit Gosport.  Joan moved into the RNBT’s Admiral Jellicoe Care Home in Portsmouth where I visited her several times.  We kept in touch by phone and would discuss what was in The Wren magazine when we had them delivered.  Joan always asked after my family and my Wren friends.  She was a very proud mother and grand-mother and loved to speak of her two grand-daughters who live in Jersey with her daughter and husband.

Sadly, I was informed by Joan’s daughter, Alison, that she passed away on Sunday 1st September 2024.  I will miss my dear friend.  May she rest in peace.