Navy women in charge — HMNZS PHILOMEL

The newly promoted CAPT Maxine Lawes (daughter of WORS Bevan Lawes), formerly Executive Officer of the Devonport Naval Base shore establishment HMNZS PHILOMEL, assumed command of the establishment this morning from CAPT Corina Bruce in a formal ceremony on Gambia Square. Both have been trail-blazers for women in the Navy, with CAPT Bruce being the first woman CO of PHILOMEL and CAPT Lawes being one of the first Navy women to go to sea in the Women at Sea Pilot Study.in the 1980s. CAPT Lawes joined the Navy as an Ordinary Writer in 1985 and commissioned from the ranks in 1990. CAPT Bruce joined in 1983 as a SLT specialising in computer science. BZ both of you!