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Janet-Brodie-Murphy

A veteran interview with

Janet Brodie-Murphy

Janet Brodie-Murphy worked in Welfare whilst she served in the WRAC

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About Janet Brodie-Murphy

Janet began her journey with the WRAC in the early 1970s and knew on arrival that it was the right career for her. Although she initially found life at Guildford a bit of shock, by the time she had finished her trade training with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, she felt like a soldier.

She describes her first posting to Rheindahlen where aside from working on classified clerical work, she embarked on many trips to surrounding cities and landscapes. Janet also recalls the rising threat of Eastern Germany, and her own exposure to the realities of the Cold War. After Germany she was posted to Beaconsfield, Krefeld and Deepcut where she became chief clerk of the WRAC company in 1976. Although this was a great achievement, Janet remembers still feeling outnumbered by men in the army and experiencing gender discrimination even at her rank.

The rest of the interview follows her journey to London, back to Rheindahlen, and finally becoming quartermaster at Aldershot where she campaigned for contraceptive machines in the women’s blocks. A fantastic interview and a true trailblazer, we thank Janet for her inspiring story of the frustrations, limitations and power of women in the army.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
Reviewed by:
Evie Painter
Transcribed by:
Dawn Walker

Transcripts:
Please note that transcripts and closed captions in the video player are automatically generated by Vimeo.

If you would like a version of the transcript that has been transcribed manually by Dawn Walker, please complete this form or email info@legasee.org.uk.

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Home | Veterans | Janet Brodie-Murphy

A veteran interview with

Janet Brodie-Murphy

Janet-Brodie-Murphy

Janet Brodie-Murphy worked in Welfare whilst she served in the WRAC

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Brodie-Murphy, Janet. A Veteran Interview with Janet Brodie-Murphy. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, 14 Feb. 2024 https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/janet-brodie-murphy/. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
APA Style:
Brodie-Murphy, J. (2024, February 14). A Veteran Interview with Janet Brodie-Murphy [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved June 13, 2026, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/janet-brodie-murphy/
Chicago Style:
Brodie-Murphy, Janet. 2024. A Veteran Interview with Janet Brodie-Murphy. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, February 14. Accessed June 13, 2026. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/janet-brodie-murphy/
Harvard Style:
Brodie-Murphy, J. (2024). A Veteran Interview with Janet Brodie-Murphy. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee, 14 February. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/janet-brodie-murphy/ (Accessed: 13 June 2026)
Vancouver Style:
Brodie-Murphy, J. A Veteran Interview with Janet Brodie-Murphy [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; 2024 Feb 14 [cited 2026 Jun 13]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/janet-brodie-murphy/
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An adventurous and extroverted young woman, Pauline joined the WRAC at seventeen years old after outperforming boys at her school in an army assault course. She knew in that moment that she would excel in a military career. Following her six weeks at Guildford she was posted to Blackdown to train as a supply clerk with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. She wanted to be a Physical Training Instructor but was advised to go into stores whilst placed in holding for an opening in physical trades. She remained in her first role as a store supplier before she was posted to Rheindahlen to supply local army bases. Being from Guyana Pauline describes the anxiety she felt in certain environments regarding racial prejudice but reflects fondly on her time in Rheindahlen due to her being surrounded by many women of different ethnicities. During her three years in Germany, as well as managing stores, she was also told to watch for Russian number plates or report suspicions of IRA or Cold War tensions. In this interview, Pauline recalls her upset at her forced leave due to her pregnancy and describes the many good soldiers the army lost due to this very reason. Like many other women, she felt she had more to give and these opportunities were taken away. Although Pauline speaks passionately about her time with the WRAC, her journey also highlights the issues with the treatment of women in the army.
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