WOMAN RADIO OPERATOR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25456, 10 February 1944, Page 4

WOMAN RADIO OPERATOR

SEAGOING CERTIFICATE

CSpecial) WELLINGTON, Feb. 9. The 'distinction of being the first woman seagoing radio operator on a New Zealand ship belongs to Miss Gladys M, Yorke, Auckland, chief radio officer of the Union Steam Ship Company’s steamer Tamahine, on the Wellington-Picton run. Miss Yorke has just finished her first two months in the appointment. Miss Yorke is a trained nurse. She wanted to go overseas as an army nurse in the last war, but had just completed her training at the Auckland Hospital when the war ended. Later she took up private nursing, and in this capacity travelled extensively. After this war began she determined to become a radio operator. She obtained an amateur’s certificate, but illness intervened for two years. While, she was convalescent she continued her studies. Then she was able to get her second class operator’s certificate, and later her first class, issued by the Postmaster-general, whose department conducts the examination. The day after she obtained her certificate she secured her present appointment.