Changing Course: The Wartime Experiences of a Member of Women’s Royal Naval Service 1939 – 1945

In June 1940 following the Dunkirk evacuations, Britain stood alone. After witnessing the demoralized survivors first hand, Roxane Houston was determined to ‘do her bit’. She volunteered to join the WRNS.

From a comfortable background with a sheltered upbringing, she now began a remarkable, and sometimes difficult journey, set against six years of war. Starting in 1940 at the Royal Naval Air Station at St Merryn in south west England, under seemingly constant attack from the Luftwaffe, via the RNAS at Machrihanish in Scotland, preparing for Combined Operations at Largs and Greenock in the run-up to D-day, thence to Kandy and Colombo, in Ceylon, she did not return home until early 1946.

She met many varied characters, making some lifelong friends, experienced much excitement and great danger, happiness and personal tragedy, and received more than one proposal of marriage. Now, in her twilight years, she revisits those momentous days which tested her and her contemporaries to the full.

Her autobiography is a highly personal, often poignant account of her time as a Wren, which not only gives a fascinating insight into service life, but also reflects the reshaping of her own outlook and attitudes.

"'I wrote the foreword to this book because I think it is wonderful. It's a reminder of what the war did to ordinary people, the non-heroes and is very moving' Julian Fellowes 'Full of interest, convincing period details, atmosphere, social observation and well-developed characterisation.' Dr Peter Liddle, Director, The Second World War Experience Centre 'It is a delightfully written and very useful book that brilliantly captures the atmosphere of those tumultuous times.' Warship Magazine 'A fascinating glimpse of little-known history.' Royal Naval and Maritime Book Reviews 'Lively and atmospheric, a great social history memoir of the period, and just right for a TV series.' 'BACKCHAT' Friends of the National Maritime Museum"