Women in War
The lifeblood of air warfare
Lord Beaverbrook, wartime Minister of Aircraft Production, averred that the pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) “were soldiers fighting in the struggle just as completely as if they had been engaged on the battlefront”. The ATA was given the crucial responsibility of ferrying aircraft from factories to front-line squadrons, repair facilities, and various bases. It’s been estimated that they flew 415,000 hours and delivered more than 309,000 aircraft of 147 different types, with bravery, skill and dedication. Full government recognition of their critical role did not come until September 2008 when all surviving veterans were awarded a special Veterans’ Badge at a ceremony at 10, Downing Street.
The “Legion of the Air”
The ATA was formed in 1939 as an offshoot of the airline BOAC, recruiting many pilots illegible for the RAF on grounds of disability, age – or gender. They came from countries around the world. Many ignored handicaps such as poor eyesight or missing limbs to volunteer for tasks that would free RAF pilots for frontline warfare. They included a wide range of characters, from a Siamese prince to a retired British admiral. Sir Freddie Laker, the pioneer of cheap air travel, was an ATA flight engineer. And ATA pilots flew long hours day after day – Lettice Curtis, immortalised in an IBCC silhouette as the first woman to fly a Lancaster, was said to have flown “thirteen days on, two days off” for 62 consecutive months.
The Air Transport Auxiliary
Enter the “ATA-girls”
Under the leadership of Pauline Gower, who before the war had earned her living giving joy rides at a circus, women pilots were admitted to the ATA at the beginning of 1940, At first confined to minor flying roles, they were soon flying everything from Spitfires to Lancasters on the same tasks as men. They made up more than 10 per cent of the strength of the ATA and eventually two ferry pools, at the Hamble and Cosford, were entirely staffed by women pilots. In recognition of their role, in 1943 the government broke with general practice and for the first time granted women equal pay with the men.
Civilian roles, military risks
Because the ATA was a civilian organisation, the planes were unarmed and so hugely vulnerable to attack. They often had to be flown damaged or lacking part of their equipment, such as radios and navigational aids, and claimed the lives of roughly 10 per cent of the pilots, including the pioneering female aviator Amy Johnson. Pilots frequently took off in aircraft they had never flown before, with minimal help from training booklets. The British weather was notoriously unpredictable, and the lack of modern navigation tools made each journey a test of nerve and skill. The ferry pools were naturally located close to aircraft production factories which made them prime Luftwaffe targets. Yet, despite all these challenges, ATA pilots maintained an impressive safety record.
Legacy and recognition
By the time the ATA was disbanded, ATA pilots had not only played an indispensable role in keeping the Royal Air Force equipped and operational; they had demonstrated gender equality in action in a dangerous and demanding field of action. Their story is a trailblazer along the path of social change, inspirational both in itself and in its implications for others.