• Entry type: Resource
  • Entry ID: AWH000876

Margaret Curtis-Otter, Acting First Officer, Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service, interviewed by Dr Ruth Thompson for The Keith Murdoch Sound Archive of Australia in the War of 1939-45

  • Repository Australian War Memorial, Research Centre
  • Reference S00597
  • Date Range 15-Jun-89 - 15-Jun-89
  • Description

    1 hr 55 min. Oral history. Discussing pre-war employment as journalist; going to Hong Kong to join husband at outbreak of war; working as part-time cypher assistant with the British Navy and as public relations assistant with the British Far Eastern Ministry of Information; security provisions of cypher’s job; move to England to join husband; resuming work with Ministry of Information as lecturer and as news writer for Far Eastern Ministry of Information; returning to Australia in 1941 and job with Office of Theatre Censorship; USAFIA; decision to join WRANS and selection interview; training at Flinders Naval Depot; attitude of RANS to women joining Naval Service; accommodation during training; appointment to Office of The Naval Control Service, Brisbane; appointment to Naval Information Service, Melbourne in 1943 and description of job; promotion; leisure; rate of marriage and motherhood of ex-WRANS in post-war period; pride in service with WRANS.

  • Formats Cassette
  • Access Onsite use only

Related entries


  • Primary Subject
    • Curtis-Otter, Margaret Catherine (1910 - 1992)
  • Primary
    • Women's Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS) (1941 - 1984)