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Tuesday, February 26, 2008

"Spitfire" Women Honoured

It seems 2008 is the year in which women who served during the Second World War are being remembered.

The Telegraph has an article (dated 19th February 2008) in which the women (and men) who formed that Air Transport Auxiliary are being honoured by the British Government.

According to the article:
"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.

The ATA also contained ground engineers, crash rescue teams, nurses and doctors, administration staff and air cadets."

According to Britain's Prime Minister, Gordon Brown:
"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."


For More Information ~~~ British Airways Museum: ATA


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