- Registered under the 'ATA Wings' Scheme

  • 1945 - The 'ATA Wings' Scheme

     

    Winding Down - what to do next?

    Seventy-five ATA Ferry pilots, both experienced and relative newcomers, applied for Royal Aero Club Certificates in the last few months of 1945 under what was called the 'ATA Wings' Scheme, although it's not clear whether they actually did the (very basic) flying test, or simply recorded the number of hours on the highest aircraft 'class' on which they were qualified..

    For example:

     ata aimee de neve RAeC 1945  ata barbara Lankshear RAeC 1945  ata norman hayman RAeC 1945

            


    [The Royal Aero Club Certificate or 'Ticket' normally involved:

    • 2 distance flights of at least 5km each, including:
    • 1 altitude flight with a minimum height of 50 metres

    The rules declared that:

    • “The course should be marked out by two posts no more than 500 metres apart. After each turn round one of the posts, the pilot must change the direction of flight when going round the second post so the circuit is an uninterrupted series of figures of eight”

    figureof8.jpg

    “The method of alighting for each of the flights should be with the motor stopped at, or before, touching the ground. The aeroplane must come to rest within a distance of 50 metres from a point previously indicated by the candidate”


     

    For the relative newcomers, it was a chance to gain an 'A' Certificate which would allow them to fly for pleasure (or potentially, business) after the war, but Commanders and Senior Commanders like Marcus Hale or Peter Mursell who clearly had not gained a Royal Aero Club Certificate before the war - mostly because they learnt to fly in the RAF or Fleet Air Arm - applied too.

    Here is the list of those pilots:

    Date Name Surname ATA No RAeC Cert. No. Notes
    16-Apr-45 William Mockler M.1100 20407 Eire. Seconded from RAF
    05-Jul-45 Victor Richard Baxter-Jones M.585 20453 Cert. taken on "ATA Flying experience". Also Cert. 14303 (1936) & 22779 (1947)
    06-Jul-45 Maurice Gabriel Rolls M.871 20455 Australia
    09-Jul-45 Stephan Karpeles-Schenker M.250 20548 Austria
    09-Jul-45 Maurice Amedee Harle M.430 * 20549 France
    09-Jul-45 Audrey Joan Morgan W.140 20546

    RAeC Cert. missing

    23-Jul-45 Anthony Leonard   20476 Not listed as ATA pilot
    03-Aug-45 Raymond Eric Roberts M.674 * 20489  
    03-Aug-45 Edith Beaumont W.138 20490  
    03-Aug-45 Winfred Stokes W.153 20492  
    03-Aug-45 Marjorie June Farquhar (Cole) W.159 20491  
    03-Aug-45 Joan Henrietta Arthur W.166 20488  
    08-Aug-45 Katharine Mary Stanley Hirsch W.162 20497  
    14-Aug-45 Ernest Federick Shine M.730 20507 British (born abroad)
    21-Aug-45 William Gribble   20515 Not listed as ATA pilot
    22-Aug-45 Mary Elizabeth Anne Powys W.129 20516  
    24-Aug-45 Reginald John Woodburn Davidson M.918 20519 Canada
    24-Aug-45 John Ernest Ball M.920 20518 Canada
    24-Aug-45 Anthony Phillip Birdsall M.990 20520  
    29-Aug-45 David  George Sinclair Cotter M.439 20525  
    31-Aug-45 Yvonne Margaret Eveleigh W.156 20527  
    04-Sep-45 James Jamieson Davie M.1024 20532 Scotland
    04-Sep-45 Edward Roy Kershaw M.756 20531  
    07-Sep-45 John Leslie Bennett M.1049 20538 Seconded from RAF
    08-Sep-45 James Ian Ross M.1035 20539  
    09-Sep-45 Diana Barnato Walker W.59 20540 RAeC Cert. missing
    10-Sep-45 Francis Stanley Symondson M.932 20542  
    11-Sep-45 Aimee de Neve (Helen) W.168 20545 British (born abroad)
    17-Sep-45 Leon Hubert Jaugsch M.313 20560 Poland
    20-Sep-45 Gerard Burnett M.975 20568 USA
    20-Sep-45 Margaret Elspeth Russell W.134 20569 Canada
    20-Sep-45 Maureen Elizabeth Shiel W.137 20571 RAeC Cert. missing
    20-Sep-45 Maureen Adel Chase Dunlop W.81 20570 British (born abroad)
    26-Sep-45 Robert Hugh Bingham M.1012 20581  
    26-Sep-45 Barbara Lilian Lankshear W.160 20583  
    29-Sep-45 Martin Richard Nicholson M.1034 * 20590  
    29-Sep-45 John Churchill Farquhar M.1096 20589 British (born abroad)
    29-Sep-45 Joseph Stern M.672 20591 Czechoslovakia
    29-Sep-45 Alec John Matthews M.999 20587  
    29-Sep-45 Joyce Gough W.139 20586 RAeC Cert. missing
    29-Sep-45 Sylvia Mary Guthrie W.142 20588  
    29-Sep-45 Mary Monique Jacqueline Agazarian W.143 20584 RAeC Cert. missing
    29-Sep-45 Suzanne Palmer Chapman W.154 20592  
    29-Sep-45 Annette Mahon W.164 20582 RAeC Cert. missing
    03-Oct-45 John Frederick Wightman M.1011 20607  
    03-Oct-45 Thomas George Lamb Gale M.56 20609  
    03-Oct-45 James Robert Stavely M.960 * 20608 Canada
    03-Oct-45 Sylvia Isabel Edwards (Freshwater) W.131 20611  
    03-Oct-45 Rosemary Leslie Bonnett W.155 20610  
    04-Oct-45 Patricia Gladys Beverley W.93 20613  
    06-Oct-45 Gordon Rymer M.1032 20621  
    10-Oct-45 Marcus Samuel Hale M.405 20626  
    10-Oct-45 Herbert Thomas M.613 * 20625  
    10-Oct-45 Peter Mursell M.81 20624  
    12-Oct-45 Gerrard Charles Peat M.1001 * 20645  
    12-Oct-45 Zoe Elise Jenner W.133 20646  
    18-Oct-45 Walter Davies M.1038 20683  
    18-Oct-45 Charles David James M.1110 20684  
    18-Oct-45 Ian Heath Stuart Latter M.925 20685 New Zealand
    23-Oct-45 Norman Lambert Hayman M.475 20690  
    23-Oct-45 Peter John Frisby M.654 20691  
    30-Oct-45 John de Winton Tharp M.1003 20700  
    30-Oct-45 John Addison Williamson M.910 20699  
    30-Oct-45 Percy John Gilbert M.995 20701 Scotland
    06-Nov-45 George Ernest John Mustoe M.1044 20709  
    06-Nov-45 Arthur Ernest James Williams M.790 20710  
    22-Nov-45 Francis George Reynolds M.1036 20752  
    22-Nov-45 William Samuel Christopher Smith M.651 * 20748  
    22-Nov-45 Ian Archibald Forbes M.664 20754 Also USA. Also Cert. 15283 (1937)
    22-Nov-45 Leslie Harry Swain M.743 20749  
    22-Nov-45 Chistopher Thomas Declan Lonergan M.764 20750 Eire
    22-Nov-45 Irene Mary Ellis Wilson W.127 20751 RAeC Cert. missing
    22-Nov-45 Susan Mary Aurea Alexander W.163 20753 RAeC Cert. missing
    30-Nov-45 Pamela May Tulk-Hart W.135 20775  
    14-Dec-45 Rita Pauline Baines W.146 20790  

     

     ... but if the women had hopes of flying commercially after the ATA, most of them were, as we have seen, destined to be disappointed.

  • Alexander, Susan Mary Aurea (W.163)

     W.163  3rd Officer  Susan Mary Aurea Alexander
     flag england  b. 19 or 20 Apr 1920, Horncastle Lincs 8 May 1944 to 30 Sep 1945 

         1944

     

     

       

    ata_waafs_1944.jpg

    The Final 7 Women Pilots - Betty Keith-Jopp (W.167), Sue Alexander (W.163), Joan Arthur (W.166), Ruth Russell (W.165), Annette Mahon (W.164), Aimee de Neve (W.168), Katharine Stanley Smith (W.162)

       

     

    Father: Capt William James Alexander (a Company Director, Motor Trade, d. 1947), mother: Mary Jeanette [Rawnsley] (d. Jul 1941) of Raithby Hall, Spilsby:

      Raithby Hall, the home of the Rawnsley family

    Ed. Benenden, Kent (School Certificate)

    prev: WAAF

    Address in 1944: c/o L S Dodds Ltd, Spilsby, Lincs


    [Ab initio pilot]

    Postings: 4FPP

     

    One accident:

    - 31 Jan 1945, in Swordfish II LS215; she failed to keep the aircraft straight on take-off, and it swung, hit a snow ridge and turned over

     

    Gained her Royal Aero Club Pilot's Certificate (No 20753) as part of the ATA's 'Wings' scheme on 22 Nov 1945


    d. 9 Jul 2000 - Taunton, Somerset

     

     


    Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

  • Arthur, Joan Henrietta (W.166)

     W.166  3rd Officer Joan Henrietta Arthur 
     flag england b. 5 Aug 1919, Ealing  8 May-44 to Sep-45 

     joan arthur 1945  RAeC 1945

     

       

    The Final 7 Women Pilots - Betty Keith-Jopp (W.167), Sue Alexander (W.163), JoanArthur (W.166), Ruth Russell (W.165), Annette Mahon (W.164), Aimee de Neve (W.168), Katharine Stanley Smith (W.162)

     

    Father: George Arthur, a Civil Servant; mother Margaret, a nurse

    prev. an insurance clerk

    Address in 1945: 51 Hillfield Rd, W Hampstead, London NW6


     [Ab initio pilot]

    Gained her Royal Aero Club Pilot's Certificate (No 20488) as part of the ATA's 'Wings' scheme on 3 Aug 1945


    m. 1948 in Hampstead, Eric G Barton

     d. 5 Mar 1993 - Hatch End, Middx

  • Baines, Rita Pauline (W.146)

     W.146  3rd Officer Rita Pauline Baines 
     flag england  b. 13 Nov 1921, Stoke-on-Trent 28 Dec-43 to 30 Sep-45 

     rita baines 1945 

    RAeC 1945

         

     

    Ed. Felixstowe College

    prev: Rootes Securities Ltd, (a 'shadow' aircraft factory at Blythe Bridge, near Stoke-on-Trent); MAP from Nov 1942


    Ab initio pilot cadet

    Postings: 15FPP

    Later 'Star Girl No. 2', air hostess for British South American Airlines: (see also Mary Guthrie , who was 'Star Girl No. 1)

    ata rita baines mary guthrie 1946

     

    m. 1946 Captain David Colby, an ex-Pathfinder Squadron Leader

     ata rita baines marriage 1946The Tatler

    "SEQUEL TO AIR ROMANCE

    There was a sequel to an air romance at Trentham Parish Church on Saturday when a former transocean passenger air-liner hostess was married to a pilot in the employ of the British and South American Airways. The bride was Miss Rita P. Baines, the 25-years-old daughter of Mr. C J. Baines, head of Messrs C. J. Baines and Co. Ltd . colour manufacturers, of Stoke, and of Mrs, Baines. The Woodlands. Trentham. and the bridegroom. Mr. David Colby, the 26-years-old son of Mrs Colby. Oulton Broads. Norfolk, a former R.A F. squadron-leader and the holder oi the D.F.C.

    The couple met last January when Miss Baines travelled as air-hostess and made a call at the Gambia (British West Africa) station of the airways company. of which Mr. Colby was station manager." Staffordshire Advertiser - Saturday 30 November 1946

    [David d. 30 January 1948 (age 27) in the crash of British and South American Airlines' Avro Tudor IV G-AHNP 'Star Tiger', lost on a flight between the Azores and Bermuda. 6 crew and 25 passengers died.]

    m. 1949 Christopher Johnson, MD of Johnson Bros Ceramics

    "The marriage took place at the Priory Church of St. Bartholomew the Great. West Smithfield. London, on Monday, of Mr. Christopher Johnson. younger son of Mr and Mrs Frank Johnson. Kniveden Hall. Leek, and Mrs Rita Colby, daughter of and Mrs. C. J Baines. Woodlands. Trentham. and widow of Squadron-Leader David Colby. D.F.C. After the reception at the Dorchester Hotel. Mr and Mrs. Johnson left for their honeymoon, which is being spent in Italy." Staffordshire Advertiser - Saturday 20 August 1949

    d. 2007 - Newcastle Staffs

     


    Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

  • Baxter-Jones, Victor Richard

     M.585 First Officer   Victor Richard Baxter-Jones
     flag england b. 7 Jun 1918, Wells, Somerset  15 Jul 1941 to 31 Dec 1945 

     ata victor baxter jones 1936 1936

     ata victor baxter jones ICCL  ata victor baxter jones 1947 1947  

     

    Educated at Jordan Hill College School, Glasgow

    gertrude eklid 1939 Trudy's 1939 RAeC Cert photo

    m. 1940 Gertrude 'Trudy' [Eklid], 1 daughter

    RAFVR Mar-Nov 1937

    prev.  Ground Engineer for Bristol Aeroplane Co

    Address in 1941: 7 Market Hill, Calne, Wilts


    d. 31 Jan 2014, Gainesville GA

    "Mr. Baxter-Jones also became the senior concierge at Maxim's de Paris in Palm Springs, Calif. He was loved by all the hotel guests for his English appearance, accent and manners.

    When World War II ended Mr. Baxter-Jones worked for the De Havilland Aircraft Company. This career took him from England to the United States in 1957. He lived in Rockford, Ill., Plymouth, Mich., San Antonio, Texas, and Palm Springs, Calif., until moving to Georgia in 1992. He loved the friendly people and beauty of the state of Georgia especially the birds, the wildlife and the climate.

    He met the love of his life, Trudy at a flying club in England at the beginning of World War II. She had learned to fly and had made a solo flight before they married. He felt that it was too dangerous for a woman to fly during the war so she never flew again.

    Mr. Baxter-Jones wished to be cremated and his ashes returned to his birthplace, in Wells, Somerset, England. A memorial service will be performed at a later date in his beloved Wells Cathedral. 
    Mr. Baxter-Jones is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Sue and Steve McMillian, Gainesville; granddaughter and husband, Shea Jaworski, North Little Rock, Ark.; great-grandson and great-granddaughter, Vincent and Anna Jaworski; and his niece, Penelope Baxter-Jones, Hampshire, England. 

    See http://www.legacy.com/obituaries

      


    Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

  • Beaumont, Edith (W.138)

     W.138 3rd Officer  Edith 'Ditty' Beaumont 
     flag switzerland + flag germany ->flag UK  b. 24 Aug 1917, Berne, Switzerland  20 Sep-43 to Sep-45 

      ata edith beaumont

    via Michael Mackenzie

     edith beaumont 1945 RAeC 1945    

     

    Mother (Emily) and father both German.

    After Edith was born in Switzerland, she and her mother Emily moved back to Bavaria, then Emily married, in 1920, RAF Flying Officer (Later Air Commodore) Frank Beaumont (prev. RFC, PoW in WWI, 1935-38 Air Attaché, Prague, 1942-45 Director of Allied Air Co-operation and Foreign Liaison, 1945- Air Attaché, Belgrade)

    Ed. Heathfield School, Ascot

    British Nationality 1936

     prev. private secretary to the Prime Minister of Yugoslavia

     ata edith beaumont june cole 1945 

    with June Cole in 1945 (with thanks to Michael Mackenzie)

    Gave up flying in about 1947, after a leg problem.

    m. 1948 Dr. Charles Petri (divorced)

    m. 1953 James Young Mackenzie (2 sons)

    d. 1 Dec 1991

    Her son Michael kindly tells me that "Our mother told my brother that there was a fellow pilot in whom she was interested and on good terms with. One day, she went into the Mess and, while talking to somebody else, saw this man across the room and said, “Ah there is XXXX. I must go and say hello”, whereupon the person to whom she was talking said words to the effect of “But do you not know? He died in a crash.”

    "Our mother was not given to drama, indeed quite the contrary." 

      


     Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

  • Bennett, John Leslie

     M.1049 3rd Officer  John Leslie Bennett 
     flag england b. 17 Oct 1914, Manchester  29 Jan 1944 to Sep-45 

     

    ata john bennett 1945

         

     

    prev. Sales Mgr for BO Morris, Birmingham, then a Sergeant in the RAFVR Oct-39 to Apr-41

    His grandson kindly tells me that "Your website has prompted a conversation with my Mum (his daughter) regarding my Grandfather's life in the war - She informs me that that she thinks he had wanted to be a pilot in the RAF but had not passed the necessary exams, so instead became a rear gunner/bomber in Lancasters.  

    He spoke very little of his time in the RAF, but did regale a story of almost falling out of the gunning position in the Lancaster (through the floor), and of dropping bales of propaganda leaflets over Germany - they were supposed to cut the strings to let them flutter down, but instead just through them out in hope they would land on a German's head!  

    There is then a period of time that is unaccounted for, but my mum wonders if he had had some sort of breakdown from some comments he made very late in his life about spending some time in hospital.  Then he spent 18 months in the ATA - my Mum remembers him talking about flying with the instruction manual on his knees as he flew all sorts of different planes!"

      

    ...and here are some of the photographs his grandson sent me:

    John Leslie Bennett 1944 45 ATA A Magister   John Leslie Bennett 1944 45 ATA Spitfire2

     ata John Leslie Bennett   ata John Leslie Bennett 2

     

     


    Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

  • Beverley, Patricia Gladys (W.93)

     W.93  First Officer  Mrs Patricia Gladys Beverley
     flag england  b. 22 Aug 1910, Egham Surrey  29 Jul 1942 to 31 Oct 1945

     patricia beverley 1945  ATA

         

     

     nee Seemann

    Father: Norman Charles Seemann, mother Beatrice Maud [Grey, d. 1926]

    m. 1931 in Barnet, Robert Lewis Beverley, (original surname Baker, based in S. Rhodesia in 1942)

    Her brother, Norman Walter Keith Seeman, was killed age 25 in a car accident in 1934. Patricia was injured in the same accident and was "carried into court", which decided that former racing driver William Berkeley Scott was responsible for the accident due to "careless, reckless and dangerous driving."

     Address in 1942: Stone House Hotel, Hatfield


    Joined ATA originally as an MT Driver

    Postings: 1FPP, 5FPP

    Class 3 Pilot

    Reprimanded and fined 3 days salary in Feb 1943 for 'Neglect of Duty'

     

    4 accidents, 2 her fault:

    - 1 May 1943, a forced landing in a Hurricane after a hydraulic failure

    - 20 Jul 1943, while taxying 'without sufficient care', her Spitfire Vb hit a stationary Beaufighter [Severely reprimanded]

    - 29 Nov 1943, she landed her Proctor LZ651 crosswind on wet grass, disobeying airfield 'runways only' signals, skidded and hit an obstruction [Severely reprimanded and suspended without pay for three days]

    - 13 Apr 1945, a wheels-up forced landing in Mustang IV KM217 after the selector lever jammed

     


    d. 27 Feb 1948 in Miles M.65 Gemini 1a G-AJZI owned by St. Christopher Travel-Ways Ltd, which crashed at Ridge Park, Wallington shortly after take-off from Croydon airport.

    She was acting as co-pilot to Wing-Cmdr William Herbert Whetton; he and the 2 passengers were injured in the crash.

     


     Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

  • Bonnett, Rosemary Leslie (W.155 *)

     W.155 * 3rd Officer 

    Mrs Rosemary Leslie [or Lesley] Bonnett

    flag england  b. 1 Sep 1918, Bristol  21 Feb-44 to Sep-45 

      RAeC 1945

         

     

     née Bell

     father: Percy Harrison Bell (2nd Lt in WWI, who gained an RAeC Certificate No 5298, in October 1917) , mother Adele Helene [Gellatly, a midwife, d. 1967 in S. Africa]

    Grew up in South Africa (1924 - Jan 1936)

    prev. a Secretary, typist

    m. early 1942 Flt-Lt Dorian Dick Bonnett DFC

      (39 Sqn RAF, d. 24 Oct 1942 in Lancaster I W4306, which crashed in England on return from a daylight raid on Milan)


     [ab initio trainee]

    Postings: 15FPP, 7FPP

    2 accidents, both her fault:

    - 14 Oct 1944, when taxying on wet grass and in windy conditions, her Argus I EV792 collided with marker flags

    - 9 Aug 1945, taxying in Andon I AX319, she struck a motor sweeper and the aircraft was damaged.

     

     Gained her Royal Aero Club Pilot's Certificate (No 20610) as part of the ATA's 'Wings' scheme on 3 Oct 1945


    m. Oct 1946 in Surrey, Flight Captain Phillip Lambert Gibbs

    ata phillip gibbs 1935  (also an ex-ATA pilot)

     

    m. 1949 in Kensington, London, Richard C Towers

     Address in 1989: Garden Farm, Tufton, Haverfordwest

    d. 25 Jan 1989

  • Burnett, Gerard


     M.975  3rd Officer Gerard Burnett 
     flag usa  b. 3 Oct 1920, Racine, WI  31 May 1943 to 31 Oct 45

     ata gerard burnett 1945

         

     

     [ab initio]

    prev. an ATA Ground Engineer from 1942; an ab initio pupil who "took to flying easily, particularly in Class 1 and 2."


    Postings: 1FPP, 5FPP, 8FPP, 4FPP

    Certificate of Commendation "for displaying exceptional airmanship. On 15 Nov 44 he landed his aircraft in a small field after hydraulic failure had filled the cockpit and sprayed him with a large quantity of hydraulic fluid possessing powerful anaesthetic properties."

    "A keen pilot who has settled down to doing a very good job."

    2 accidents, one his fault.

     


     Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

  • Chapman, Suzanne Palmer (W.154)

     W.154 3rd Officer  Suzanne Palmer Chapman 
     flag wales b. 8 Dec 1918, Swansea  21 Feb 1944 to 30 Sep 1945 

    W154 Chapman Suzanne  ATA

    suzanne chapman 1945  RAeC 1945

    Suzanne Chapman 1952 0187 0023 c.1952

     

     

    mother: [Mills]

     


    Postings: 15FPP

      ATAM

    (r) with Flt-Capt Coltman

     

    One accident, not her fault:

    - 1 Oct 1944, she ground-looped in Argus I EV809, due to a faulty port wheel casting

     

    Gained her Royal Aero Club Pilot's Certificate (No 20592) as part of the ATA's 'Wings' scheme on 29 Sep 1945

    Address in 1945: Fernbank, Murton, Bishopstown, Swansea, S Wales


    In 1949, she was a staff pilot at Hereford airfield.

    m. 1951 in Hereford, John H Ashton

     

    In 1956, Veronica Volkersz wrote that Suzanne was one of only 7 women flying commercially: -  "Suzanne Ashton flies an Auster 'talking aeroplane' on advertising work"  - and concluded that "The tragedy is that for women, commercial aviation is now - except, possibly, in Russia - a closed field."

    [The others were Jackie Moggridge, Monique Rendall, Jean Bird, Zita Irwin, Diana Barnato-Walker and Freydis Leaf]

     

    m. 1961 in Swansea, Richard John Hart

    d. 5 Feb 2011 - Swansea

     


     Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

  • Cotter, David George Sinclair

     M.439  Flight Captain David George Sinclair Cotter MBE 

    flag england

     b. 18 May 1913, Leicester  16 May 1941 to Dec-45

     ata david cotter 1945

         

     Ed. St Paul's, London

    RAF Short Service Commission, terminated 1933 due to ill health

    Company Commander in the Home Guard May-40 to Jan-41

    prev. Aircraft Inspector for Fairey Aviation, Hayes.


    "A sound and smart officer who is a great asset to the ATA"

    He was awarded a Certificate of Commendation for his part in the rescue of the crew of a returning operational Halifax III of No. 420 Squadron, piloted by Flight Lieutenant R. A. Kalle which, having been damaged during a sortie over Normandy, overshot the runway and caught fire at White Waltham on the 30th July 1944.

    The full list of those commended was:

    - pilots David Cotter (M.439), Reginald Davidson (M.918), Marvin Dunlavy (M.408), Alan Murray (M.1053);

    - Fire Officer D Baldwin, 

    - Senior Flight Engineer Kenneth Payne, Engineer Second Officer Albert Gardner, Engineer Third Officer John Gulson, Engineer Second Officer Francis Lees, Engineer Third Officer Donald Soutter,  and

    - Mr J.J. Thompson.

    He was also awarded an MBE. The citation reads "An aircraft crashed on landing and burst into flames. Despite the fire and the bombs on board, which subsequently exploded, the crew, five of whom were seriously injured in the crash, were extricated... First Officer Cotter gave invaluable help in getting the Rear-Gunner out of his turret, which had become jammed. The man was unconscious, lying partly in the turret and partly in the rear of the fuselage. While others worked on the turret from the outside, Cotter, finding the turret could not be swung back, entered the fuselage, after forcing the normal entrance. The starboard wing was blazing fiercely and the heat was so intense that the starboard elevator burst into flames. It was then found necessary to remove the gunner’s flying equipment before those outside could extricate him safely... Cotter showed great courage without thought for his own safety."

     

    d. 2003, Surrey


     Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):

    download grey

  • de Neve, Aimee (W.168)

      W.168 3rd Officer  Mrs Aimee (or Aime) de Neve 
      b. 19 Aug 1919 Gampola, Ceylon  8 May 1944 to 30 Sep 1945 

     aimee de neve 1945   RAeC 1945

         

    The Final 7 Women Pilots - Betty Keith-Jopp (W.167), Sue Alexander (W.163), Joan Arthur (W.166), Ruth Russell (W.165), Annette Mahon (W.164), Aimee de Neve (W.168), Katharine Stanley Smith (W.162)

       

     

    nee Aime Gholdstein Jonklaas

    Father: Ernest Gholdstein Jonklaas, a proctor of Gampola, Mother: Amelia Beatrice Cecile 'May' [Daniel], from Sutton, Surrey

    Two brothers, Ernest and Cecil; one sister, Evelyn Ninette

    [Ernest attended Brasenose College, Oxford, played tennis at Wimbledon and represented Oxford University in a tournament in Newport, USA in 1925. He m. Alice Cox, from Woodmere, Long Island, USA in 1926]

    Ed. convent in South India

    She and her mother visited the UK in 1925, and Aimee moved to the UK c.1935

    Address in 1939: Hendon, London NW, described as a 'Commercial and Secretarial Student'

    prev: WAAF

    m. Oct 1940 in Marylebone, Rev. Tom Ryder, from New Chapel, Horwich, Lancs

    m. 25 Sep 1943 in London, F/O Gilles Peter Cornelia de Neve  322 (Dutch) Sqn, RAFVR (d. 16 Jan 1944 in Spitfire Vb AD428 in a training accident nr Hawkinge, Kent)


    Ab initio pilot:

    In 'WAAF with Wings', by Yvonne Eveleigh, Aimee described moving on to the Harvard as "Very exciting! The Harvard felt so powerful after all the light aircraft and Marks (her instructor) liked to give me quite frightening shocks to make sure I was awake!"... "My first Spitfire flight was unbelievable! This beautiful aircraft was actually all mine for a brief time. I was rather worried when I had to do several circuits, as a RAF aircraft had done a belly landing, and I had all the red flares, etc. thrown at me".

    Postings: 15FPP, 6FPP

     

    Gained her Royal Aero Club Certificate No 20545 on 11 Sep 1945, as part of the 'ATA Wings' Scheme.


    Address in 1945: 56 S. Molton St, London W1

    m. Oct 1945 iin London, Jan Mowinckel Helen, a Norwegian naval officer from Bergen (three children, Teeny, Erik and Jan Ernest, b. 1946, 1949 and 1953)

     

    m. 1996 in London, Mark G  Williams, whom she met in Sri Lanka

    Lived in Brighton, Sussex

     

    d. Jul 2000 - Spain

    Her ashes were interred in 'an English village' on 20 Jul 2000

    "Man, woman or child, Aimee made time for them, and if she met a person for the first time her enthusiasm for life left a stranger breathless. Intelligence, bounding energy, beauty and charm were Aime."

    see http://www.sundaytimes.lk/000820/plus5.html

  • Dunlop, Maureen Adela Chase (W.81)

     W.81 First Officer   Maureen Adele/Adel/Adela Chase Dunlop
    flag UK -     b. 26 Oct 1920, Quimes, Buenos Aires  15 Apr 1942 to 30 Nov 1945

     maureen dunlop 19452  RAeC 1945

      Yes, that picture, 1944  ATAM   

     

    Father: Eric Chase Dunlop, an Estate Manager; Mother Jessimin May [Williams]

    Ed. 'privately'


    Postings: 6FPP, 15FPP

    Class 3 pilot

    2 accidents, neither her fault:

    - 21 May 1943, the starboard wing of her Seafire brushed the ground during take-off, due to rough ground and failure of the throttle friction device

    - 10 Jan 1944, the starboard gun inspection panel of her Hurricane partially detached in flight.

     


    m. 1955 "retired Romanian diplomat" Serban (Şerban) Victor de Popp

    Moved to Diss, Norfolk, UK, breeding Arab horses

    d 29 May 2012 - Norfolk

     

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maureen_Dunlop_de_Popp

     


     Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

  • Edwards, Sylvia Isabel (W.131*)

     W.131 *  2nd Officer Mrs Sylvia Isabel Edwards 
     flag england b. 6 May 1919, London  9 Aug-43 to Sep-45 

     sylvia freshwater 1945   RAeC 1945

         

     

    née Namias

    Father: Lea Namias, a textile merchant, mother Hilda

    m. 1939 in London, Flt-Lt David Harold Edwards(from Vancouver BC, of 144 Sqn, Bomber Command, RAF. d. 21 Jul 1940 when his Hampden was hit by flak and ditched in the North Sea during a minelaying operation against the Tirpitz and Von Scheer)

    Address in 1939: 27 Woodfield Ave, Streatham

     prev. an ambulance driver for the LCC


    ab initio trainee

    Address in Oct 1945: 1 Hugo House, Sloane St., London SW1

    exp: 185.15 hrs as ferry pilot

     Gained her RAeC 'A' Certificate No 20611 as part of the ATA 'Wings' scheme on 3 Oct 1945


    m. 1945 in Westminster, Flt-Lt Richard Anson Freshwater, who had been a PoW in Stalag Luft III / Milag-Marlag Nord-Oflag L from 28 Aug 1942 after his Beaufighter was shot down

    They moved to 9 Pasture Lane, Hathern, Loughborough, Leics, where Sylvia was the Unit Commander for the Junior Air Corps formed in 1955:

     

    "Air-minded girls rolled up at the YWCA, Loughborough, last night to enrol in the newly-formed Junior Air Corps. The first recruit, Miss Ivy Whelden, signs on the dotted line for unit commander Mrs Sylvia Freshwater"

     

    but they later emigrated to New Zealand, living at 51 Toroa St, Aukland.

  • Eveleigh, Yvonne Margaret (W.156)

     W.156 3rd Officer  Mrs Yvonne Margaret 'Peggy' Eveleigh 
     flag england  b. 18 Aug 1917, London 21 Feb-44 to Sep-45 

    W157 Eveleigh Yvonne  ATA

     yvonne eveleigh 1945  RAeC 1945    

     

    née Lucas

    Father: Lieut. Albert James Lucas, R.F.C., (killed whilst flying in France in May 1917), mother Violet Cordelia [Chauncy] (m. 1932 Douglas G Shrubshall)

     

    m.1939 in Surrey, Derek Ernest Eveleigh, who d. 22 Apr 1940 in the crash of BOAC's Lockheed 14 G-AFKD at Binn Uird, near Loch Lomond, Dunbarton, en route from Perth to Heston


     Postings: 5TFP, 2FPP

    exp. in ATA: 178.35 hrs

     3 accidents, one her fault:

    - 14 Feb 1945, the starboard tyre of her Spitfire IX MA639 burst while taxying, and the aircraft swung off the perimeter track and nosed over

    - 20 Aug 1945, a forced landing in Oxford II T1258 after engine vibration caused by a bent propeller tip

    - 3 Sep 1945, she failed to control the landing swing of Spitfire III SP196, damaging the starboard wing tip

     

    Gained her RAeC 'A' Certificate No 20527 as part of the ATA 'Wings' scheme on 31 Aug 1945

     Address in 1945: King's Arms, Tedburn St Mary, nr Exeter, Devon


     

    m. Oct 1946 in Aylesbury, Roger G Grace

    m. Oct 1952 in Westminster, Maj. Charles E Kaiser

    m. Edouard Stamfer

    All three post-war marriages ended in divorce.

     

    Wrote 'WAAF with Wings' in 1992:

    "A very good book published in 1992 by Y M Lucas (Peggy) called ’WAAF with Wings’ tells the story of the ATA with contributions from the girls themselves. In it Peggy describes delivering a repaired Martinet to St Eval for target towing and collecting a damaged Spitfire from there to deliver to a Maintenance Unit.

    Peggy Lucas continued flying and at age 84 qualified as a helicopter pilot!

     1993

    Frankie Horsburgh, a Canadian, located 16 out of the 17 [ex-WAAF ATA pilots] for their first reunion."

    http://www.olivehouserock.co.uk/link/144/index_files/Page549.htm

     

    d. 8 Jan 2008 - buried St Nicholas Church in Remenham, Berkshire.

    She reverted to 'Eveleigh' as her surname:

     

    see http://www.oxfordhistory.org.uk/war/stfrideswide/lucas.html


     Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

  • Farquhar, Marjorie June (W.159)

     W.159  3rd Officer Miss Marjorie 'June' Farquhar 
     flag england b. 28 Jul 1921, London  21 Feb-44 to Sep-45 

     marjorie farquhar 1945  RAeC 1945

       (r) with Edith Beaumont    

     

    Rather: Capt. Arthur Farquhar, of Town Farm, Aldbury, nr Tring, Herts

    Ed. "Private and Finishing Schools", Francis Holland (London) and Chateau Mont Choisi, Lausanne

      With the Hertfordshire Hunt in 1940

    prev: VAD,; from Oct 1941 WAAF


    (c) with Edith Beaumont and Lettice Curtis

     

    One accident: 

    - 26 Aug 1944, she was commended for a forced landing in Magister L8054 after engine failure

     

    Gained her RAeC 'A' Certificate No 20491 as part of the ATA 'Wings' scheme on 3 Aug 1945

     Address in 1945: 49 Milverton Rd, London NW1


     Mrs Cole from 1946, as reported by the Bucks Herald on 14 June;

    "MARRIAGE OF MAJOR C. B. COLE AND MISS M. J. FARQUHAR

    The wedding took place between Major Charles Brian Cole and Miss Marjorie June Farquhar at the Church of St. John the Baptist, Aldbury, on Friday.

    The bride, younger daughter of Captain and Mrs Farquhar, of Town Farm, Aldbury, was given away by her father. The reception was held at “Hawkwell”, a Tring residence owned by the bride’s parents, and which is at present largely occupied by farm workers of the H.W.A.C. About 275 guests were present, and refreshments were served under a marquee, set up on the lawns of the house, the sunshine on the day making possible the use of the lovely garden. After the cake was cut, the health of the bride and groom was proposed by Mr. E. J. Gilbert, an old friend of the family. The best man, Capt. Michael Charlesworth, R.A., answered the bridegroom’s toast on behalf of the bridesmaids.

    Major and Mrs. Brian Cole later left by car for Marlow, where they spent the week end at the hotel where they first privately celebrated their engagement, five-and-a-half years ago.

    On returning from their honeymoon, they will live in London, at least until the bridegroom leaves the War Office, where he is at present employed.

    During the war the bride was in the W.A.A.F., doing radar work, but, later, became one of the twelve out of five thousand successful volunteer applicants for A.T.A. [I wonder where they got that from?]

    As a ferry pilot she flew all types of fighter and torpedo planes all over the British Isles. Her father and mother, both Canadians, liked and stayed in England after the Great War, in which Capt. Farquhar served in the R.F.C. They first came to Ivinghoe 18 years ago for weekend riding, and it was then that Capt. Farquhar became known as the 'fairy godfather' for the pennies he distributed to the children who presented themselves with clean faces. He came to live in Aldbury about 10 years ago.

    The bridegroom, third son of the late Mr. Charles Phillips Cole and Mrs. Cole, of Tring, was studying architecture with his father at the Berkhamsted office of Messrs, W. Brown and Co. when war broke out. He was then embodied with the Hertfordshire Regiment, and in 1941 he went to India, where, after attending Staff College, he served on the staff of an Indian Beach Group. He was mentioned in despatches, and at the cessation of hostilities with Japan was a Lt.-Col. on the Q. Staff of the 14th Army.

    It will be remembered that in April, 1945, the elder sister of the bride was married at Tring to the oldest brother of the bridegroom, Mr. Richard Cole."

     

    At an ATA Reunion c.2011

    d. 13 Sep 2017

    Her son kindly tells me that  "Whilst serving in the WAAF she was engaged then on secret work with radar, directing allied aircraft to targets deep in Germany. She always chuckled about leaving the WAAF to join the ATA. Apparently the only reason to be allowed to opt out was due to pregnancy, but my mother managed to wangle it (without pregnancy!) to join the ATA. I think her father's contacts helped pull strings, as he had been a Royal Naval Air Service Captain in the Great War.

     I have been looking at her Pilot Log Book, and give a summary of her flying service below. For the record it was signed off by EP Lane, Flt?Captain and Adjutant of No 1 Ferry Pool ATA.

    Summary of Aircraft Flown between 28.3.44 to 21.9.45

    Total hours 343.55

    Aircraft

    Dual

    Pilot

    Magister

    32.20

    72.05

    Tiger Moth

    1.40

    25.00

    Proctor

    26.20

    29.40

    Harvard

    11.15

    18.55

    Fairchild

    4.50

    75.45

    Spitfire

     

    14.35

    Swordfish

     

    5.30

    Firefly

     

    8.05

    Martinet

     

    2.45

    Master

     

    1.10

    Seafire

     

    .55

    Hurricane

     

    .30

    Barracuda

     

    3.00

    Tempest

     

    .55

    Auster

     

    9.40

     


     Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

  • Forbes, Ian Archibald

     M.664 First Officer  Ian Archibald Forbes 
     flag england +flag usa  b. 29 Nov 1919, Oxted, Surrey 30 Sep 1941 to 30 Nov 1945 

     ata ian forbes 1937 1937

     ata ian forbes ATA    

     

    Father: James Grant Forbes II (d. 1955) Mother: Margaret [Winthrop] (both American)

    Margaret was a descendant of John Winthrop, one of the leading figures in founding the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s,

    His mother inherited €100,000 from her aunt Ida Means Mason, who died in 1928 in Boston, Mass., and then €75,000 "and personal effects" from another aunt, Ida's sister Miss Ellen F Mason, who died in 1929 in Newport, RI. The remainder of Ellen's €5,000,000 went into a charitable trust, the money to be distributed within 21 years of the death of the last of Margaret's children. His father James Grant Forbes was named Trustee of a fund of €300,000 (€150,000 each from Ida and Ellen) for his children's education "and comfortable support".

    Ed. Eton, Trinity College Cambridge

    5ft 11in, brown hair

    Address in 1937: Little Plumyard, Seven Hills Rd, Cobham, Surrey

    prev. in 1939 a Student of Music (changed his mind) Economics in Kensington

    He traveled to the USA in June 1939 on the 'Queen Mary' and was listed as an American "by virtue of his father's citizenship."

    Address in 1941: (Mother's address) 43 Swan Court, Manor St, Chelsea, London

     m. Oct 1941 Phoebe V Thomas in Marylebone, Middlesex

     Off sick from 21 Feb to 21 Mar 1943 

    1 accident, not his fault:

    - 4 Aug 1944, during the take-off run in a Hudson at White Waltham, the port tyre burst. He "completed the take-off, noticed that the tyre was apparently loose and wobbling, and therefore decided to execute a belly landing."

    Address in 1947: Friary Lodge, Old Windsor, Berks

     His mother Margaret died in 1970 aged 91, at her home in St Briac, France, leaving 11 children (including his sister Rosemary, the mother of John Forbes Kerry (68th US Secretary of State and Democratic Nominee for President, 2004) and Mme Alain Lalonde), 30 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

    John F Kerry visited the Forbes' family estate at Les Essarts, near St-Briac-sur-Mer, on several occasions:

    "In his youth, Kerry joined the family gatherings while his father, a U.S. diplomat, was posted in Europe. Young Kerry also attended a Swiss boarding school and brought a touch of America to this corner of northwestern France.

    "He introduced us to games like capture the flag. We still play something called kick the can," said [John's cousin] Brice Lalonde, who at 58 is two years Kerry's junior.

    Walking along a beach where Kerry and his cousins once played, Lalonde talked about their summers of swimming, cycling and tennis.

    "We would take boats and go to islands and have a picnic. We'd go shrimping and have them cooked up in the kitchen," he said.

    It was in Saint Briac, or nearby, that Kerry's parents met, when his father, Richard Kerry, was traveling in Europe before World War II.

    During the war, the Nazis occupied Les Essarts and then destroyed it when they left. A family reunion was held last summer [2003] to mark the 50th anniversary of the home's reconstruction, but Kerry didn't attend.

    Kerry told The New Yorker magazine that seeing the aftermath of the war in Europe kindled his interest in politics.

    "My very first memory — I was 3 years old — is holding my mother's hand and she was crying... as we walked through the broken glass and rubble of her childhood house in France, which the Germans had used as a headquarters and then bombed and burned as they left," Kerry was quoted as saying." - Fox News, 29 Mar 2004

    Ian Forbes lived at the rebuilt Les Essarts in 2004.

     d. 2015

     


     Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

  • Gale, Thomas George Lamb

     M.56 Commander   Thomas George Lamb Gale OBE

    flag england

      b. 11 Nov 1910, Stoke Hammond, Bucks 19 Nov 1940 to 30 Nov 1945 

     ata thomas gale 1945 RAeC 1945      

     

    Ed. at Berkhampstead School

    RAF [originally an appentice at Cranwell, eventually Sqn Ldr] 1927-1940; winner of the Sir Charles Wakefield Scholarship in 1930; Indian General Service Medal

    Married 1935 Helen [Cragg], 2 children

    Address in 1940: The Cottage, Wicks Lane, Shurlock, nr Reading


    Postings: 1FPP, 6FPP, AFTS

     Officer Commanding, ATA's Advanced Flying Training School (AFTS) from Aug-42

    "The AFTS has given excellent results for which the credit goes to Cmdr Gale. As an individual, if he were to unbend occasionally, he might get even better results from his staff and pupils." G d'Erlanger

     

    d. Dec 1956 - Colchester, Essex 


     Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

     

  • Gough, Joyce (W.149)

     W.149  3rd Officer Joyce 'Joy' Gough 
     flag england b. 14 Feb 1923, Cirencester, Glos 28 Dec 1943 to 30 Sep 1945 

     joy gough ATA  ATA

         

     

    [see also Yvonne Wheatley, her elder sister, also an ATA pilot]


    Father: Arthur Victor Gough, a professional footballer turned hairdresser, mother Doris Irene Alexandra (Herbert]

    Ed. Stratton School, Cirencester Grammar School

    prev: Cashier, Lloyds Bank, Cirencester

    Address in 1943: Galba Villas, Prospect Place, Cirencester


    Postings: 5TFPP, 15FPP, 12FPP, 7FPP

    Ab initio Trainee

     One accident: 

    - 3 Feb 1945, forced landing after she discovered that the hood of her Spitfire Vb EP661 had "been blown away", reason unknown

     Class III pilot

     Gained her Royal Aero Club Pilot's Certificate (No 20586) as part of the ATA's 'Wings' scheme on 29 Sep 1945


    m. 1945 in London, F/O Jiri HartmanDFCformerly Cmdr, 'A' Flight, 310 (Czech) Sqn, RAF

    Joy and Jiri moved to Prague, but had to flee back to the UK in 1948 after the coup d'etat.

     

    m.  Jun 1971 in Warwickshire, Charles James Lofthouse, who had been an RAF Lancaster pilot and PoW in WWII (d. 2002)

    She became a Special Needs Teacher

     

    Joy (2nd from right) at the unveiling of the ATA Memorial in Hamble-le-Rice, 2010

    d. 15 Nov  2017

     


     Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

    interviewed here: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80009633

  • Gribble, William John

     M.  Captain William John Gribble 

    flag england

     b. 3 Feb 1905, Cowfold, Sussex  1 Jan 1940 to 31 Apr 1945 


      ata william gribble 1945      

     

    prev. LAC in RAF 1923 - 1929, including 2 years in Iraq

    m. 1933 Cecilia Edith Mary [Gyatt]

    In 1936, an aero engineer for Lockheed


    Mary du Bunsen refers to him in Mount up with Wings: "Our instructor, a man called Gribble, was great fun and taught well but he had a sharp tongue. Luckily it was a man he picked on as a target for his witticisms, a little man with an enormous handlebar moustache, [presumably Victor Baxter-Jones, who joined two weeks before Mary] who apologised to the class, quite unnecessarily, for having let Gribble get him in such a lather that he didn't know what ten per cent of a hundred was."...

    "But the women did not escape unscathed, though we had our little triumphs. one day he handed the class an awkward calculation about fuel consumption, saying 'This is where the women usually break down', and I produced a slide-rule, which I had been storing up for some such moment, and got it right first go."

    Address in 1945: 24 Boyn Hill, Maidenhead


     

     

  • Guthrie, Sylvia Mary (W.142)

     W.142  3rd Officer Sylvia 'Mary' Guthrie 
     flag england  b. 9 Jun 1921, Thornton Heath Surrey 18 Oct 1943 to 30 Sep 1945 

    sylvia guthrie ATA  ATA

       ATAM

     

       

     

    Father d. 1925 having been gassed in WWI

    Stepfather Mr Grapel, d. 1944

    One sister; brother James died in WWII

    Ed. Montrose College, Cliftonville; RADA

    prev: Blind School Hospital, Leatherhead; Mobile VAD (voluntary Aid Detachment) nurse, attached to various RAF Hospitals, from Feb 1941 to Jul 1943 (where she worked with Monique Agazarian, and played tennis with Dan Maskell)

    Applied after seeing an advertisement, interviewed at White Waltham.

     


     ab initio pilot cadet [because "I thought it would be glamorous"]

     Postings: 5FPP, 15FPP

    3rd Officer from 11 Aug 1944 - Class 3 pilot

     One accident, not her fault:

    - 31 May 1945, the hood blew off her Spitfire XVI TD134 and damaged the fin and rudder

     

     Gained her RAeC 'A' Certificate No 20588 as part of the ATA 'Wings' scheme on 29 Sep 1945, and later a Commercial 'B' Licence:

    sylvia guthrie 1945  RAeC 1945


    Address in 1945:17 Basil Mansions, Basil St, London SW3

     ata mary guthrie 1946

    From January 1946, 'Star Girl No. 1', Britain's first post-war air hostess, for British South American Airlines: (see also Rita Baines, who was 'Star Girl No. 2).

    Her first BSAA flight was in a Lancastrian from the newly-opened 'Heath Row Airport' with ex-Pathfinder chief Don Bennett, the MD of BSAA, on board.

     Flew Spitfires and Hurricanes for Skyways to the Portuguese Air Force, until she crashed a Spitfire

     

    m. Jan 1952 in Kensington, Cyril John Cunningham

    daughter Deborah b. 1955?

     

     


    Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

    IWM interview (1987) here: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80009976

  • Hale, Marcus Samuel

     M.405  Commander Marcus Samuel 'Mark' Hale OBE 

    flag england

     b. 20 Jan 1900, Manchester

    but grew up in London; went to school in Fulham and Putney.

    15 May 1941 to Sep-45 

     

    ata marcus hale

    RAeC 1945

      via Marcus J Hale    

     prev exp 'over 500 hrs' on D.H.9a - he joined the RFC as a cadet in Nov 1917. However, his time in the RAF was short; he moved to 137 Squadron in June 1918, and graduated with good marks in October 1918, but he was moved to the unemployed list in May 1919.

     After a year out, he was given a short service commission in July 1920, but this did not go well:

    - He was reprimanded for 'failing to take proper precautions...of secret despatches' in October 1920;

    - He went 'absent without leave' from the 5th to the 11th December 1920. (Actually, on the 20th he married Gertrude Maude Mickle at Lambeth Registry Office), and was again reprimanded;

    - Finally, he was court-martialled for 'disobeying a lawful command given by a senior officer' and was dismissed His Majesty's service in May 1921.

    He then married Dorothy Mary () and they lived in Sevenoaks, Kent. He worked in the leisure industry, then when WWII came along, in the Hurricane Repairs Section of Gloster Aircraft Co.

    Marc Joan 1942 pvw

    Joan and Mark 1942

    He met Joan Durham Witherby (q.v.) when she joined the ATA in 1942, and they had a son together in November 1945, who remembers his mother telling him that "she was still flying missions with the ATA whilst pregnant".

    During his time in the ATA, he flew 35 different types of aircraft. He was initially assessed as an "above average pilot who, although somewhat out of flying practice proved himself a safe and steady pilot, possessing good judgement."

    In Feb 1943 he was appointed as Officer Commanding, No 5 FPP, then O.C. the Training Pool from Aug-43, and finally O.C. No 1 FPP from Nov-44. He performed his duties in "an eminently satisfactory manner" and also managed to do a fair number of ferry flights himself, including a few on Halifaxes.

    Marc S 1945

    Mark in 1945

    In 1946 he was one of the 13 members of the ATA to receive the OBE for his services during WWII. 

    Apparently, he referred to his OBE, as for Other Bugger’s Efforts.

    d. Sep 1981, Chichester


     Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):

    download grey

  • Harlé, Maurice Amédée

     M.430 *  Flight Captain  Maurice Amédée Harlé 
     flag france   b. 26 Dec 1899, La Fere, Aisne, France 22 Apr 1941 to 24 Jul 1945 

     ata maurice harle HB

     ata maurice harle 1945 1945    

     

     


     

    Certificate of Commendation, 1943: "On the 28th December 1943, immediately after take-off, First Officer M. Harlé's port engine partially failed. He retracted the undercarriage and managed to gain a safe height, circuited the airfield, lowered the undercariage, feathered the propeller and executed a single engine landing without damage."


     

     

     

  • Hayman, Norman Lambert

     M.475  Flight Captain  Norman Lambert Hayman

    flag england

      b. 8 May 1916, Cranleigh, Surrey 4 Jun 1941 to 30 Nov 1945 

    ata norman hayman 1945 RAeC 1945      

     

    Father: Gordon Victor Hayman

    Educated at Cranleigh School

    prev. Lieut. in RNVR Feb-39 to Feb-41

    Next of Kin: (mother) Winifred Agnes Hayman, Caryll House, Okehurst, Cranleigh

    m. 1943  Beatrice Glanley 'Betty' Grant also of the ATA, although they appear to have separated sometime before 1947.


    Postings: 6FPP, AFTS (as Instructor), 1FPP, 7FPP

    Demoted to First Officer in Mar 1943 for flying a Halifax without authority; he ferried it "without full uniform, money, travel vouchers, identity card or correct kit" and then had to stay overnight at an RAF station.

    "A most willing, conscientious and sound pilot who has flown a great numbers of hours for this Unit."

     Posted to Air Movements Flight in Mar 1944 - "it is felt that, due to his overkeeness, he would be more suited to the Air Movements Flight... as it would leave him more to his own initiative." "His manner is courteous and pleasant."


     

    Post-WWII, Norman entered the 1947 Manx Air Races and Rally, flying G-AHIZ, a Beechcraft Traveller belongning to Sidney Rubin of Hindhead.

    He also took a round-trip by ship to Madeira in January 1949, giving his occupation as a 'Company Director' and his address the Royal Aero Club, Pall Mall.

    [In September 1949, his wife Betty and her mother sailed to South Africa, apparently intending to settle there, but they returned in July 1950.]

    d. 3 Jul 1951 - Cranleigh

    Probate £8,624 18s 2d for "Norman Lambert otherwise George Norman Hayman"


     Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):

    download grey

  • Jaugsch, Leon Hubert

     M.313  First Officer  Leon Hubert Jaugsch
     flag poland   b. 30 Dec 1914, Torun, Poland 17 Apr 1943 to 31 Oct 1945 

       France, 1940 with thanks to Andrzej Schmidt

         

     

    Father: Artur Jaugsch (dec'd), mother: Stanisława [Dolatowska]

    Ed. High School, Torun, Poland

    prev Polish Air Force (2nd-Lieut) from 1 Sep 1936. Fled Poland 18 Sep 1939. Interned in Rumania from 18 Sep to 7 Oct 1939, then resident in the UK from 12 July 1940.

    RAF (306 Sqn) from 12 Jul 1940 to 27 Mar 1943, based at Northolt.

    An article written in 1977 by P/O William R 'Bill' Dunn of 71 (Eagle) Squadron RAF describes an encounter with Leon: "On 6 Jul 1941, I saw a Hurricane from No 306 (Polish) Squadron beating up an Me109E that refused to go down. I gave the Polish pilot a hand with a couple of good bursts from about fifty yards and, with heavy black smoke pouring from it, the Me 109 rolled over, headed for the deck, and went in just west of Mardyck [nr Dunkirk, France]. The Polish pilot, P'O Leon Jaugsch, and I shared this victory. Jaugsch now lives in Los Alamitos, Calif., and we correspond regularly." - via Andrzej Schmidt

    prev exp 550 hrs in Poland, France and England.


    Postings: 5TFFP, 16FPP, 8FPP, 3FPP

    Two accidents, both his fault:

    - 14 Jun 1944, in Spitfire IX MK913, he mistook a 'dummy' road for the start of the runway, and damaged a wing whilst landing.

    - 30 Mar 1945, he bailed out of a perfectly good Mosquito - a Mk VI, RF847 - when he thought his starboard engine was on fire. Subsequent technical examinations of the wreckage found nothing wrong, so they thought he must have mistaken either static electricity or exhaust flames for an engine fire.

     ata leon jaugsch  1945

     He was demoted to Third Officer in March 1945 for 6 months, when he "deliberately flew above cloud on a ferry flight from Edzell to White Waltham. As a result the pilot became lost and found himself over unknown country... which proved to be France."

    "He has shown exceptional keenness and willingness throughout his training"... "A good officer but is inclined to be a little excitable. Discipline - excellent"

    m. 6 Dec 1944 in Carlisle, Florence E I [Mundy] Daniels

     


    Moved to the USA after WWII. Naturalised 1963:

    d. 8 April 1984 - Orange Co., CA, USA

     


    Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

  • Jenner, Zoe Elise (W.133)

     W.133  3rd Officer Zoe Elise Jenner 
     flag england   b. 10 Jul 1922, Ealing  6 Sep 1943 to 30 Sep 1945

     zoe jenner 1945  RAeC 1945

         

     

    Father: Ronald Vivian Jenner (1894-1970), Mother: Winifred May Louisa Powe (1893-1963)

    Ed. St Michael's, Bognor Regis

    Address in 1939: Davenport Rd, Bognor Regis

    prev: MTC Company Cadet Officer from 28 Oct 1939

     

    "An interesting cricket match was held this club last Saturday, Women v. Men, and attracted a good audience. The men were handicapped by batting left handed and catching with only one hand.

    I found it difficult at a distance to distinguish some of these lissome ladies from the men, as both wore white trousers and shirts and had short hair. I don't know much about cricket, but I did learn that in bowling the women at the start gave the men some advantage with " wides," but MISS PALMER and MISS ZOE JENNER soon put a stop to that. I am afraid the men won easily in spite of their handicap but it was an amusing afternoon which was all that mattered. " - Bognor Regis Observer - Saturday 24 August 1940

     

     Address in 1943: Paddy's Land, Beach Estate, Felpham, Sussex


    ab initio trainee

    Postings: 15FPP

     1 accident:

    - 11 Jul 1945, when taxying her Defiant I DR966, it weathercocked, the starboard wheel "fell into a trench" and the aircraft nosed over. Partial brake failure was suspected.

     

    engaged to a Mr. Thompson in 1944, but does not seem to have married him.

    Gained her Royal Aero Club Pilot's Certificate (No 20646) as part of the ATA's 'Wings' scheme on 12 Oct 1945


     

    d. 15 Aug 2013 (age 91) - Bosham, Chichester, West Sussex 


    Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

  • Karpeles-Schenker, Stephan

     M.250  First Officer Stephan Karpeles-Schenker 
    flag austria  b. 18 Jan 1901, Vienna Austria 15 Feb 1941 to Nov-45 

     ata stephan karpeles schenker 1938 1938

     ata stephan karpeles schenker BG    

     Vice President, International Federation of Forwarding Organisations in 1929

    Arrived in the UK from France in Jun 1938, and immediately sold his D.H. Hornet Moth OE-DKS in London

    Director of Rosenberg Loewe & Co, shipping and forwarding agents, Aug-38 to May-40

    He was interned on the Isle of Man under the 'Defence of the Realm Act' from 15 Jul 1940 to 12 Dec 1940. His release was facilitated by Leslie Runciman, Margie Fairweather's brother and MD of BOAC at the time.

    Address in 1941: 64 Queensborough Terrace, London W2

    "A loyal and likeable officer. Efficient, hardworking and reliable."

     ata karpeles schenker steynor

    with Martyn Steynor in a 'taxi' Anson (ELC)

    m. Margit V Rupp in 1949 in London (d. 1978)

    d. 30 Dec 1990 - London SW1


     Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

     

    Listen to an interview with Stephan here: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80009816

     

  • Lankshear, Barbara Lilian (W.160 *)

     W.160 *  3rd Officer Barbara Lilian Lankshear 
     flag england b. 13 Oct 1917, Rusholme, Lancs  21 Feb 1944 to 30 Sep 1945

     babara lankshear 1945  RAeC 1945

         

     

    Father: Frederick Russell Lankshear, a Chemical Manufacturer; Mother: Lilian [Rhind]

    Address in 1939: Claremont Rd, Bristol

    prev. Secondary School Teacher


    Ab initio pilot

    Gained her Royal Aero Club Pilot's Certificate (No 20583) as part of the ATA's 'Wings' scheme on 26 Sep 1945


    "3420 SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 22 JULY, 1947
    WOMEN'S AUXILIARY AIR FORCE - METEOROLOGICAL BRANCH
    Commission resigned - Section Officer B L LANKSHEAR (4208) retaining her rank 7th July 1947"

    Her son Michael wrote: "She worked on computers after the war and spent a life working on Main Frame sytems before computers became universal."

  • Mahon, Annette Elizabeth (W.164)

     W.164 3rd Officer  Annette Elizabeth Mahon 
     flag eire    b. 21 Oct 1918, Dublin 8 May-44 to Sep-45 

        

     

    The Final 7 Women Pilots - Betty Keith-Jopp (W.167), Sue Alexander (W.163), Joan Arthur (W.166),

    Ruth Russell (W.165), Annette Mahon (W.164), Aimee de Neve (W.168), Katharine Stanley Smith (W.162)

       

     

     


     ‘Annette was posted to Prestwick as a Class II pilot to ferry mostly Fleet Air Arm aircraft to the Isles and the north of Scotland. She became known as “Queen of the Barracudas” – and a one woman PR campaign for the capabilities of this high-wing torpedo/dive bomber monoplane.’ RAF Museum


    m. 18 Jan 1947, Dr Samuel 'Maurice' B Hill

    "After the war Hill followed her husband, who as a medical officer with the UK Atomic Energy Authority was posted to Cumbria, and then Caithness, where their three daughters were born. They moved south to Hampshire, and while he rose to become the UKAEA's Chief Medical Officer, she returned to her love of aircraft in 1973 by joining, as a volunteer, the team that ran what would become the annual Royal International Air Tattoo at Fairford in Gloucestershire.

    The Hills' daughter Elizabeth died in 1966, and in 1980 Dr Hill had a stroke, after which Annette Hill cared for him until his death in 1996."  The Independent

     1993

    Annette (3rd from left) at the unveiling of the ATA Memorial in Hamble-le-Rice, 2010

    d. 7 Oct 2013 - Basingstoke

  • Mockler, William

     M.1136 * 3rd Officer   William Mockler
     flag eire b. 7 Feb 1923, Dublin  11 Jul 1944 to 15 Apr 1945 

     ata william mockler 1945 1945

         

     Address in 1945: 47 Upper Rathmines, Dublin

    He carried on as a ferry pilot after WWII; in July 1951 the 'Belfast Whig' reported:

    "Sydenham plane crash: Belfast pilot injured

    A naval aircraft, a Sturgeon target towing plane, manufactured by Short and Harland, Ltd., overshot the runway when It was coming In to land at Sydenham airport yesterday and crashed Into the sea. William Mockler (27). a ferry pilot. Holland Gardens, Belfast was the only person on board. He was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital, where he was detained. He is stated to be seriously ill, suffering from head injurles. The plane, which was not seriously damaged, was a new one for delivery to the Naval authorities at Malta."

     ... and later a pilot for BEA. In 1968: "An airliner carrying 139 passengers made an emergency landing yesterday after an anonymous phone caller claimed that a bomb had been planted on board. Police received the call ten minutes after the plane, a BEA Vanguard, had taken off from Turnhouse Airport, Edinburgh, for London. The news was immediately radioed to the captain, 45-year-old William Mockler, and he returned to Turnhouse.

    Police, ambulancemen and the fire brigade stood by as passengers escaped by the plane's emergency chute. Army bomb disposal men, police and air line officials then began searching the plane and baggage. No bomb was found." Daily Mirror

  • Morgan, Audrey Joan (W.140*)

     W.140 * 3rd Officer  Audrey Joan Morgan 
     flag england b. 17 Oct 1920, Wolverhampton  6 Sep-43 to Sep-45 

     audrey morgan in 1946  1946

         

     

    Father: George B Morgan, a solicitor and Company Director; Mother: Constance A [Garrett]

    prev: Shop Assistant, Secretary, draughtswoman

     Address in 1939: Arleigh Grove, Cuckfield, Sussex


    Postings: 12FPP

    3 accidents, 1 her fault:

    - 21 Nov 1944, a forced landing in Barracuda III MD970 after a serious oil leak into the cockpit

    - 18 Dec 1944, she over-ran the end of the runway at Cosford in Spitfire VIII NH630, due to landing too far along it

    - 5 Jan 1945, her Spitfire Vb W3834 nosed over after she taxied it off the hard standing. An airman, who she thought had told her to taxy off the concrete, was held to blame.

     She gained her Royal Aero Club Certificate No 20546 on 9 July 1945, as part of the 'ATA Wings' programme (although the record has been lost)


    Co-pilot to ex-ATA Ferry pilot Geoffrey Wikner (q.v.) on his flight to Australia in 1946 in "Waltzing Matilda", a war-surplus Halifax, with 20 passengers and crew on board:

     ata geoffrey wikner reaching australia 1946 no caption

    L to R: Val Wikner (9), Audrey, Capt. Wikner, Chrisabel Wikner (5 1/2) and Mrs Trudy Wikner.

    She flew back on TWA from Cairo to New York in September 1946

    m. 1952 in Westminster, (Richard?) John Fifield

    d. 11 Dec 2005 - High Wycombe, Bucks

  • Mursell, Peter

     M.81  Senior Commander - Chief Instructor Sir Peter Mursell MBE, DL 

    flag england

     b. 20 Jan 1913, Kettering 

    23 May 1940 to 26 Jan 1943 (as pilot)

    to 30 Sep 1945 


    ata peter mursell 1942 1942

    ata peter mursell 1945RAeC 1945

       

     

    Ed. Bedales School (Head Boy) and Downing College Cambridge (1st in Agriculture)

    "Peter started flying in 1933.  In 1936 he flew a Short Scion to India where he tried to interest the Maharaja's in the plane.  He also took part in an air race from Madras to Delhi and flew over the Himalayas saying they would try to see how high they could fly before passing out!  His first date with Cicely involved flying upside down in a small private plane - but she got her own back in her beloved Herbert - an Austin 7 which is still in working order!" nickimason

    ata peter mursell marriage 19382

    m. 1938 Cecily 'Dil' [North],  2 daughters

    prev. a Fruit Grower

    Address in 1940: 'Farthings', Kirdford, Sussex


    Postings: 1FPP, 2FPP, 3FPP, 6FPP, AFTS

    Within a few weeks of joining the ATA, he was told to deliver a Fairey Batle to the BEF in France; "I was still in civilian clothes, but someone produced a uniform three sizes too small for me which was better than nothing, as even in those days it was considered a bit risky to go to France looking like a farmer... Early on 13th June three of us went to Andover to collect our aircraft. We were told we could get maps from there, but when we arrived we found that they could only produce one set between us. Belville got the map, and Robin Hood and I followed on behind." Brief Glory

    Having got there, they were stuck until the RAF offered them three unserviceable Hurricanes; "Belville and Hood had flown Hurricanes before, but I had not even seen the cockpit of one."

    They later heard that the Germans had occupied the airfield less than 12 hours after they left.

    "As second-in-command of 1FPP and later as O.C. of 6FPP, Cmdr Mursell proved outstanding as a pilot and officer & as a leader. This officer is first-class in every respect; both as subordinate and executive, he has proved himself entirely reliable and efficient. " G d'Erlanger


    Member of the Royal Commission on Local Government in England, 1966

    "After the war, his passion became boats and he and his wife had a 50 foot narrow boat named after his mother Fanny Grace, which they kept for 23 years."

    "Kirdford Cricket Club originated in 1889 playing at the present football ground.  After the War cricket was played on the Recreation Ground (which was donated to the village by Sir Peter Mursell)."

    29th October 1974 "The Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of Sir Peter Mursell, M.B.E., to be Vice Lord-Lieutenant for the County of West Sussex to act for Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant during his absence from the county, sickness or other inability to act."

    d. 23 Aug 2008, Sussex

    Lots more photos at https://www.flickr.com/photos/phoebebright/sets/72157607166972073/

    and stories at http://petermursell.blogspot.com/

     


     Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

    IWM interview here: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80009781

     

  • Nicholson, Martin Richard

     M.1034 *  3rd Officer  Martin Richard Nicholson
     flag england   b. 14 Dec 1924, Leeds 29 Jan 1944 to 30 Sep 1945 

     ata martin nicholson 1945 1945

         

     Address in 1945: 4 Welburn Ave, West Park, Leeds 6

  • Peat, Gerrard Charles

     M.1001 *  3rd Officer  Sir Gerrard Charles Peat KCVO
     flag england   b. 14 Jun 1920, Bushey Heath 26 Jul 1943 to 30 Sep 1945 

     ata gerrard peat 1943 1943

     ata gerrard peat 1945 1945    

     

    prev. an Articled Clerk and Chartered Accountant; his grandfather Sir William Barclay Peat was founder of Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. (now KPMG)

    Address in 1945: Wycliffe Hall, Barnard Castle, Co. Durham

    Later (from 1991) Director of Johnson Wax Ltd, and several other companies.

    ata gerrard peat 2018 in 2018

    Sir Gerrard kindly allowed us to look at his ATA Log Book - see here for a transcript, detailing his flying career with the ATA.

     

    d. 10 Oct 2021

  • Powys, Mary Elizabeth Anne (W.129)

     W.129  3rd Officer  Mary Elizabeth 'Anne' Powys
     flag england  b. 12 Nov 1921, London 1 Jun 1943 to 13 Aug 1945 

     mary powys 1945  RAeC 1945

         

     

    Father: Atherton Richard Norman Powys, LLB (a solicitor, c/o Pollock & Co, 50 Pall Mall, London W1), Mother: Elsie Dyus [Mattingley]

    Ed. Wycombe Abbey School

    prev. ATA aircraft electrician from 9 Jun 1942

    Address in 1943: 56 Curzon St, London W1


     ab initio trainee

    Postings: 12FPP, 15FPP

     Off sick from 22 Jun to 27 Jul 1943 with a burnt leg

    3 Accidents, 1 her fault:

    - 20 Aug 1943, a forced landing in Magister P6373 after engine failure on an attempted go-round

     - 8 Nov 1944, she overshot the landing in Spitfire Va X4922, partly due to a defective ASI

    - 26 Jun 1945, another forced landing, this time in Seafire III NN192, after the port wing gun panel became detached

     

    Gained her Royal Aero Club Certificate No 20516 on 22 Aug 1945, under the ATA's 'Wings' Scheme, having amassed 310 hrs


     

     d. 3 Jan 1995 - Fakenham, Norfolk

     


    Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

  • Russell, Margaret Elspeth (W.134)

     W.134 2nd Officer  Margaret 'Elspeth' Russell 
     flag canada   b. 14 Jul 1922, Montreal, Canada 25 Sep 1943 to 31 Oct 1945 

     

    margaret russell 1945  RAeC 1945

     ata elspeth russell ATA    

     Father: William Russell

    Ed. King's Hill, Compton, Quebec; McGill University

    prev. exp. 150 hrs

    Address in 1943: 'Hillcrest', Matane, Quebec


    Arrived in Liverpool from Nova Scotia on 19 Oct 1943


     m. 1945 in Hendon, London, Gerald Burnett (q.v.), a fellow ex-ATA pilot

    They settled in Matane, Quebec, and formed their own airline: Matane Air Services.

    Later, a flight instructor

    "In 2002 Elspeth was inducted posthumously into the Quebec Aviation Hall of Fame."


     Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

  • Shiel, Maureen Elizabeth (W.137)

     W.137  3rd Officer Maureen Elizabeth Shiel 
     flag england  b. 14 Mar 1920, London  20 Sep 1943 to Aug 1945

     maureen shiel ATA   ATA

         

     

    Father: George Gerard Shiel, Mother: Marjorie [Melladew]

    prev: Stenographer with ATA


     Postings: 1FPP, 7FPP

    3 Accidents, all in the same month, and none her fault:

    - 1 Feb 1945, the bracing strut of the starboard undercarriage leg collapsed after a normal landing in Hurricane IIc LF422

    - 24 Feb 1945, she received a Certificate of Commendation for her skill during a forced landing in Mustang I AG362, after engine failure

    - 28 Feb 1945, the hood of her Spitfire XIV RN203 blew off after take-off and she had to land back at the airfield.

     

    Gained her Royal Aero Club Certificate No. 20571 on the 20 Sep 1945, as part of the 'ATA Wings' Scheme (RAeC Certificate missing)

    [Certificate of Commendation, 1945]


     m.  Apr 1950 in Maidenhead, Richard William Hilary Elsden

     2 daughters, Mandy and Su

     

    d. 2 Oct 1999 - Newbury, Berks

    Her diary up to Jul 1944 can be viewed here: https://archive.atamuseum.org/diaries.php


    Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

  • Smith, Katharine Mary Stanley (W.162)

     W.162  3rd Officer Katharine Mary Stanley 'Katie' Smith 
     flag england b. 1 Sep 1919, Croydon  8 May-44 to Sep-45 

     W162 Smith Katharine  ATA

     katherine hirsh 1945  RAeC 1945    

    The Final 7 Women Pilots - Betty Keith-Jopp (W.167), Sue Alexander (W.163), Joan Arthur (W.166), Ruth Russell (W.165), Annette Mahon (W.164), Aimee de Neve (W.168), Katharine Stanley Smith (W.162)

     

     

    Father: Alfred Ernest Stanley Smith MC, a solicitor (d. 1947); Mother: Jennie Drayton [Pitts] (d. 1967)

    Ed.  St. John's School, Bexhill-on-Sea

    Prev. Costume staff of the Westminster Theatre, London; 

    Womens Land Army 12 Apr to 6 Oct 1941 ("looking after pigs and chickens in a Mental Institute at Teddington");

    WAAF from Dec 1941, Meteorological Officer stationed at Aldergrove, N. Ireland

     

    Address in 1941: 45 Normanton Rd, South Croydon, Surrey

    Her elder brother Edward was a fighter pilot, serving in the Battle of Britain and ending WWII as a Wing Commander:

    see https://bbm.org.uk/airmen/SmithES.htm


    Ab initio pilot

    Postings: 5TFPP, 15FPP, 7FPP

    3 accidents:

    - 15 Oct 1944, her Tiger Moth T5368 was blown onto its nose by a "heavy" aircraft taxying ahead of her

    - 28 Feb 1945, the port tyre of her Swordfish III NS133 burst on landing, cause unknown.

    - Jul 1945, a heavy forced landing in Fairchild KK477 after engine failure, breaking the undercarriage and tipping the aircraft onto its nose

    Of the last accident, she wrote "The pay-off was that later that same day HQ phoned Ratcliffe and asked them to send in Fairchild 477, it was due to be broken up. Our operations cheerfully told them not to worry, we'd already broken it up for them!"

     

    m. 5 Jun 1945 in Croydon,  USAF Sgt. Arthur Zachary Hirsch Jr, from Woodbury, Connecticut, USA (They had met at Aldergrove, where he was with the US Weather Office)

    Gained her Royal Aero Club Pilot's Certificate (No 20497) as part of the ATA's 'Wings' scheme on 8 Aug 1945


     "Katie and her husband became involved with theatrical work, thus reviving their original interests" - WAAF with Wings

    d. 16 May 2010 - Rose Lane Adult Care Home, Prescott, AZ, USA

    " On April 1, 1946 she and Zach arrived in the U.S. and she obtained her U.S. Citizenship in 1951 in Worcester, Mass. Kay worked for Dennisons Stationery Store in New York from 1946-47. From 1965-73 she was on the costume staff at Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, MN. In the off season, costume staff at the Minnesota Opera Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, Minnesota Opera, Minnesota Children's Theatre. From 1973-79 she was on the costume staff McCarter Theatre, Princeton, NJ. From 1979-84 costume staff at the Dallas Ballet, Dallas Opera, Dallas Shakespeare-in-the-Park, SMU, Six Flags Over Texas.

    In 1984 Kay and Zach moved to Prescott where she was the Resident Costumer at the Prescott Fine Arts Associations Community Theatre until 2008. During this time Kay designed and made costumes for over 110 Theatre productions. Kay was involved in the Girl Scouts serving as a Brownie Leader for 6 years, Girl Scout Troop Leader for 6 years, Senior Girl Scout Leader for 4 years and was the Girl Scout Coordinator in the Elementary School. She was involved in the Cub Scouts as a Den Leader for 4 years and her Den was selected by Howard Sanden, Brown & Bigelow Calender-printer artist to be painted on the annual Cub Scout Calender. Kay was an Executive Board Member of the Yavapai Humane Society for 10 years and originated the Santa Paws, Dog Show, and PR slide promotion programs. She was also a member of the British War Brides Association and 99's (Women's Pilots Association)." - https://www.ruffnerwakelin.com/obituaries/KatharineKay-Mary-Stanley-Smith-Hirsch?obId=487953

    Arthur d. 2015


     Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

  • Stokes, Winifred (W.153)

     W.153 *  3rd Officer  Winifred 'Pooh' Stokes
     flag england b. 27 Sep 1918, Benwick Cambs  21 Feb 1944 to 30 Sep 1945 

       ATA

     winifred stokes 1945   RAeC 1945    

     

    Father: Herbert Stokes, a garage proprietor, Mother: [Smith]

     prev. Bank Clerk; Ambulance Driver; WAAF

     Address in 1939: London Rd, Peterborough


    Ab initio pilot

    ata di faunthorpe and pooh stokes with (l) Di Faunthorpe

     

     She gained her Royal Aero Club Certificate No 20942 on 3 Aug 1945, as part of the 'ATA Wings' programme


     Address in 1945: New Rd, Benwick, Cambs

    m. 12 Nov 1946 in Ash Shatibi, Al Iskandariyah, Egypt, F/O (later Sqn-Ldr) Peter George Pudney Henson RAF

      1951

    from Wellingborough, Northants

    Winifred and 4-month old daughter Pamela sailed back from Egypt to the UK in September 1948; she and Peter then sailed to the USA in 1954 with daughters Pamela (age 6) and Christine (b. 1950 in York)

    Peter d. 1956 missing presumed killed as a result of a flying accident in Florida;  flying a F-84 Thunderjet, he parachuted into the water 3 miles offshore but bad weather prevented a rescue.

    "His wife and two small daughters live at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida" - The Montgomery Advertiser, 2 Feb 1956

     

     Address 1969-83: Lansdowne Rd, Bedford

     

    d. 1 Apr 2002 - Bedford

  • Symondson, Francis Stanley

     M.932  First Officer  Francis Stanley Symondson
     flag england  b. 27 Mar 1897 Sutton, Surrey 21 Jun 1943 to Oct-45 

     ATA Francis Symondson 1930

     ata francis symondson 1945 ATA

    1945

       

     

    Address in 1943:  The Haven, Fowey, Cornwall

    WWI ace (12 victories) - went to Italy flying Camels with 66 Sqn, and was shot down once in Belgium and twice in Italy.

    Competed in the King's Cup in 1930 and 1931.

    Despite being over 40 when WWII broke out, Francis joined the RAF as a Flt-Lt in Apr-39 and then in June 1943 joined the ATA.

    He was certainly experienced (1,500 hours, although mostly on light types), and keen - in fact, "his keenness to do a job may lead him to ask for more than he can safely cope with". He went on to complete a very large number of successful aircraft deliveries on 24 different aircraft, mostly Spitfires, in "an eminently satisfactory manner".

    Although he did have one senior moment, in January 1944, when he landed a Hurricane with the wheels up. He had "failed to carry out his cockpit drill".

    By 1945 though, even the ATA noticed that he was perhaps getting on a bit to be a ferry pilot; "This pilot was very nervous and under-confident at the beginning of the course but eventually settled down and reached an average standard. I would suggest however that owing to his age he has reached the limits of his ability and should not be considered for further progress".

    He was nevertheless "an extremely enthusiastic and hard working pilot who has been of great value".


    d. 1975

     


     Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

  • Wilson, Irene Mary Ellis (W.127)

     W.127 2nd Officer   Mrs Irene Mary Ellis Wilson
     flag UK b. 22 May 1919, Madras India   1 Jun 1943 to 31 Oct 1945

       1940

      ATAM    

     

     née Jones

    Father: Lt. William Ellis Jones, RNVR, Mother: Nan, of 'Isfryn', Eddisbury Rd, W. Kirby, Wirral, Cheshire, and Bombay

    Travelled to the UK in 1923

    Ed. Howells School, Denbigh. N Wales

    m. 14 Feb 1940 in Hoylake, Cheshire, 2nd-Lt Denis Vivian Ellis Wilson RHA (d. 26 Nov 1941 on war service)

    prev. Bank Secretary; MT Driver with ATA from 16 Mar 1942


     [ab initio pilot]

     


     


     Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):download grey

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