About Josephine Carr
Lived 1899 – 1918 (aged 18–19). Josephine Carr was a military personnel.
Josephine Carr ( – 10 October 1918) was an Irish woman who became the first Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS) woman to die on active service when the RMS Leinster was torpedoed and sank off the coast of Ireland.
Born in Cork, Ireland to Samuel and Kathleen Carr, Josephine enlisted in the WRNS on 17 September 1917 and worked as a shorthand typist.
On 10 October 1918, Carr and two fellow Wrens, Lilian Barry and Maureen Waters, boarded the RMS Leinster and were on their way to Holyhead to report for duty when, 10 minutes into the voyage, the German submarine UB-123 torpedoed the ship twice. Carr was last seen in the reading room before the first torpedo struck the ship. While Barry and Waters survived and were pulled from the lifeboats, Carr's body was never found. Aged 19, she became the only Wren to die as a result of enemy action in World War I.
Carr is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
Frequently asked questions
Who was Josephine Carr?
Irish woman
When was Josephine Carr born?
Josephine Carr was born in 1899.
When did Josephine Carr die?
Josephine Carr died in 1918.
What was Josephine Carr's occupation?
Josephine Carr was a military personnel.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Josephine Carr. https://biography.guide/josephine-carr/
MLA: "Josephine Carr." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/josephine-carr/.
Chicago: "Josephine Carr." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/josephine-carr/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:30 UTC