Silk stocking and Spitfires....

[Antipodean Andy]

Isn't there a new book out at present? Spitfire Ladies or something like that?

[Hugh]

Good to see mention of the many brave women who served - too little is written about them.

Regards
Hugh

[Kyt]

Originally Posted by Andy in West Oz

Isn't there a new book out at present? Spitfire Ladies or something like that?

Details in this thread:

Women Pilots at war - WW2

[Nostalgair]

Great post.

There are so many contingents that contributed to the war effort, but sometimes slip under history's radar.

Well done!

Cheers,

Owen

[Antipodean Andy]

Originally Posted by Kyt

Details in this thread:

Women Pilots at war - WW2

Thanks Kyt, I knew I'd seen it somewhere. I even commented on that thread!

[Kyt]

Call for forgotten women Spitfire pilots to be honoured - icWales

A WOMAN who flew a Spitfire during the Second World War may be honoured with a special badge after the roles of female wartime pilots was brought to the attention of Gordon Brown.

Margaret Frost, 87, of Bwlchllan, near Lampeter, who hated heights and was officially too small at just under 5ft 3in to become a Spitfire pilot, spent three years flying the aircraft, and welcomed the suggestion of a badge for her and her colleagues.

“I was 23 when I joined the ATA [Air Transport Auxiliary]. I was 5ft 2¾in when the minimum height requirement was 5ft 4in, but I got through.”

The women of the ATA may not have taken part in the Battle of Britain but Labour MP Nigel Griffiths has taken up the women’s cause, saying, “These are forgotten people and they deserve an honour.”

[spidge]

More of those forgotten people in the background.

[Antipodean Andy]

Amazon.co.uk: Lettice Curtis: Her Autobiography: Amazon.co.uk:: Lettice Curtis

[Kyt]

Unsung Spitfire women win honour at last - Times Online

[Adrian Roberts]

This piece of news finally made it into the Daily Telegraph:

The surviving men and women from the Air Transport Auxiliary of the Second World War are to be recognised with a new award, the Government announced yesterday.

Spitfire pilot Lettice Curtis during World War II

The ATA's pilots, which included female flyers known as Spitfire women, delivered more than 300,000 aircraft to frontline airfields.
The civilian unit, founded in 1938, had a remarkable record and very few planes were lost or damaged, although 173 pilots and eight flight engineers were killed, including Amy Johnson, the pioneering female aviator.
By 1945 the group had 650 pilots from 22 countries around the world including Chile, South Africa and the United States.
Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, said yesterday: "It is right we have recognition for those women who did so much to protect and defend the airports and other military services during the war, and we will go ahead with the proposal of an award for these women."
Ruth Kelly, the Transport Secretary, said: "This badge will be a fitting honour to commemorate the bravery of all the men and women of the ATA and to ensure that those who served are remembered and given the recognition they deserve."
The ATA also contained ground engineers, crash rescue teams, nurses and doctors, administration staff and air cadets.

But hang on ....The civilian unit, founded in 1938, had a remarkable record and very few planes were lost or damaged, although 173 pilots and eight flight engineers were killed, including Amy Johnson, the pioneering female aviator. ....someone needs some editing here - "very few planes lost or damaged"?? If 173 pilots were killed then at least 173 planes were lost or damaged!!

And like many such articles, it almost implies that all the ATA pilots were women, whereas in fact only about 10% of them were.