Grew up in India, and travelled back from there to the UK in 1928, age 17 Address in 1938: Northfield, Staverton, Stroud, Glos. Prev: Secretary and Saleswoman, Motor Cycle Trade (Leslie Paynter, of Cheltenham); WAAF Driver (501 Sqn, Gloucester) from 3 Sep 1939; Corporal from Sep 1940, Assistant Section Officer from 1st Sep 1941 but resigned to join ATA "An accomplished and daring motor-cyclist" prev. exp. 10 hrs (Civil Air Guard) She was "the first Air Guard member to go solo at the Cotswold Aero Club... She only waited a few minutes to receive the congratulations which always follow a first solo. She mounted her motor-cycle, and in a short time was back at business in a Cheltenham motor-cycle showroom. Miss Sharpe was one of the first applicants for Air Guard membership, and she commenced flying on September 29. Living at Staverton, she had made almost daily visits to the airport, and has flown on every occasion when weather permitted. Prior to her first tuition flight, she had only been in an aeroplane twice before for joy trips. Miss Sharpe is very well-known in Cheltenham, for she has ridden frequently at grass track meetings, scrambles and trials."
Address in 1941: (sister H M Sharpe), 21 Roland Gardens, London SW7 Postings: 5FPP, 15FPP 2 accidents, neither her fault: - 21 Sep 1942, a forced landing in Spitfire IX BS336 after intermittent loss of power - 7 Nov 1942, the tail wheel assembly of her Wellington III BJ714 broke following a normal landing at Sherburn.
"ferried about 1,030 aircraft before being posted to the Air Movements Flight, White Waltham ... her passengers included Russian VIPs, loads of horseshoes, sulphuric acid, and eggs," MBE in the 1946 New Year's Honours List Joined the staff of Control Commission in Germany, then test and development flying "near London" "After D-Day she carried supplies to the Continent. Recently she has had flying job as saleswoman and demonstrator, taking her all over Europe." - Dundee Evening Telegraph In January 1948, she was among the earliest recruits for the newly-formed WAAFVR. Others included ex-ATA pilots Margaret Frost, Freydis Leaf, Ruth Russell and Margot Gore. She competed in the King's Cup air race in 1949, flying a Miles Mercury (unplaced) and was due to fly a Spitfire Vb in 1950, "entered by her employer, W S Shackleton", hoping to beat Lettice Curtis' womens' speed record. ex-ATA women pilots Joan Jenkinson (by then Lady Sherborne) and Monique (Agazarian) Rendall also competed in 1950.
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RAeC 1938
1938 (Gloucestershire Echo)
ATAM
