Stearman Fly-in to the neighbours. Peg & Colin Kelman are on the left, with Maie and Dick Casey (later Lord & Lady Casey) right.
The British Empire changed to the British Commonwealth of Nations after WW2 (I believe there were 53 countries); it is suggested that the difference is not to be confused. But the sky remained the same – the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, India.
Early women pilots flying from England to Australia used the reliable Collins School Atlas, owned by every Australian school kid; there was not much more offering for navigation. I bought one recently at a rare books market, to remind myself of the British Empire’s extent. What an amazing navigational feat? *Lores Bonney first Australian woman to fly solo Brisbane to London 1933 in her open cockpit aircraft; Freda Thompson first Australian woman to fly solo England to Australia 1934 in her Gipsy Moth Major. In 1930, English pilot Amy Johnson set the solo record for a woman pilot, England to Australia in 19days 11hrs. Six women pilots flew out to meet Amy, arriving in Sydney. Then in 1934, New Zealander Jean Batten set the solo record for a woman, England to Australia in 14days 23hrs in a DH60 Moth.
Meg Skelton, Bobby Terry, Evelyn Follett, Mary Upfold, Phyllis Arnott, Freda Deaton (Courtesy Gibson Collection)
Peggy McKillop after marrying Colin Kelman in England flew their Monospar to their property in Moree NSW, in 1937. Peggy admitted “we followed the pink bits in the Atlas” – being the British Empire countries of 1937. Fly-ins to adjoining properties was the social thing to do, see photo. (Peg & Colin Kelman, left; Maie & Dick Casey, right)
• 1915: Australia sent their first airmen to the Middle East to fight in WW1. There were 4 pilots and 18 mechanics, who had not worked on aircraft engines.
• 1918: At the end of WW1 approximately 600 pilots returned to Australia along with now-trained mechanics and these were the beginning of the Australian aviation industry.
• 1916: Sister Hilda McMaugh aged 32, volunteered to serve in WW1, leaving her home in Armidale NSW to nurse the wounded in Egypt at a Gaza Field Hospital.
Pilot Hilda McMaugh
• 1919: Hilda waited a month to catch a boat back home, so took flying lessons at the Central Aircraft Company’s flying school, Northolt Airfield. She attained her Pilot Licence No.7818. At the Wings Presentation Party there were 400 new male pilots and only Hilda, who was told there were three other women in England but she never found who and where they were. Back in Australia Hilda was refused an Australian Licence.
• 1910-1927: Women pilots were actively flying in 17 countries such as the UK, USA and Europe before 1927 when Australia had its “first”, Millicent Bryant, who attained Pilot’s Licence No.71. The flying club made Millicent wait a year before making the decision to allow females to fly. However women were not allowed to attend the Presentation Dinners so their trophies were accepted by males who handed them over outside. Freda Thompson won as many as 47 trophies and the male pilots asked that she not be allowed to compete so that they could have the chance of winning.
Pilot Hilda McMaugh and her licence
• 1925: Australian Gladys Sandford became the first woman pilot in New Zealand with NZ Licence No.18. Her flying lessons were given as a sign of respect for her war effort, by NZ Government at a NZ Airforce Base. Gladys had paid her own passage to work as a Voluntary Aid with the Red Cross, serving in WW1 driving ambulances at the frontline; she was the only woman to carry a Regimental Number of the NZ Expeditionary Forces. Back in Australia Gladys was refused an Australian Licence.
*• 1931: Lores Bonney set the long distant solo record of 1,524km in one flying day, 14.5hrs Brisbane to Wangaratta.
• 1932: Lores Bonney was the first Australian woman to fly solo around Australia, 12,800km in 95hrs 27mins.
• 1937: Lores Bonney was the first PILOT to fly solo, Australia to Capetown South Africa, more than 29,000km in 210hrs 45mins.
Interesting, eh? There’s more in my “First Females Above Australia” book.
British Empire – Commonwealth of Nations – aviation folk everywhere, LOVE AIR!
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To purchase my book FIRST FEMALES ABOVE AUSTRALIA please contact me at...
Email: RandD [at] longestblinddate [dot] com
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