Amy Johnson, Pioneering English Aviator....

Hello from The Attic on this sunny but chilly day. It's the kind of day I like to go for a walk to blow the cobwebs away, which I did. Nothing wakes you up more than a brisk walk....

With International Women's Day in mind I thought I would write about a unique woman who made history with her outstanding flying. She embraced the skies which were normally dominated by men and proved her worth amongst the elite...Amy V Johnson, a Pioneering English Aviator...

'They Flew Alone' 1942 starring Anna Neagle and Robert Newton

Amy V Johnson, CBE, was the daughter of John William and Amy Johnson and was born in Kingston upon Hull on July 1st 1903. She was a pioneering English Aviator and set numerous long-distance records during the 1930’s. A film about Amy’s life was made in 1942, a year after her death on January 5th 1941....

Amy Johnson and 'Jason' in Jhansi, India in 1930

Amy was educated at the Boulevard Secondary School (Later Kingston High School) and Sheffield University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics. She then moved to London where she worked as a secretary to solicitor William Charles Croker. Amy’s interest in flying began as a hobby but under the tutelage of Captain Valentine Baker at the London Aeroplane Club, she gained her pilot’s ‘’A’’ Licence, No. 1970 on July 6th 1929....

The Harmon Aviatrix Trophy

CBE

With the support of her father and Lord Wakefield Amy purchased G-AAAH, a second-hand de Havilland Gipsy Moth, which she named ‘’Jason’’. In 1930 she achieved worldwide recognition when she became the first woman to fly solo from Britain to Australia. After leaving Croydon on May 5th of that year Amy arrived in Darwin, Australia on May 24th after flying 11,000 miles. In recognition of this achievement she received the Harmon Aviatrix Trophy and a CBE. Amy was also honoured with the No. 1 civil pilot’s under Australia’s 1921 Air Navigation Regulations....

Amy Johnson at the Kalgoorlie War Memorial, July 1930.

Amy Johnson in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, July 1930.

Another achievement was accomplished in July 1931 when Amy and her co-pilot Jack Humphreys flew in a de Havilland Puss Moth to become the first pilots to fly from London to Moscow in one day. The distance travelled was 1,760 miles and took twenty-one hours. From Moscow they travelled across Siberia and on to Tokyo, setting a record time for flying from England to Japan....

de Havilland DH.80A Puss Moth G-ABLS first registered in 1931

Amy married Scottish pilot Jim Mollison on July 29th 1932. He had proposed during a flight together only eight hours after they had met. It was in the same year that Amy went on to set a solo record for the flight from London to Cape Town, South Africa, breaking her new husband’s record. In the following year, 1933, Amy and her husband flew as a duo in a G-ACCV ‘’Seafarer’’ non-stop from Pendine Sands, Wales, to the USA. However due to running out of fuel they crash-landed in Bridgeport, Connecticut, resulting in them both being injured. After their recovery the couple were taken to New York and received a parade down Wall Street....

On 29 July 1932, Amy Johnson and Jim Mollison married

Another flying record for the couple was in 1934 when they flew from Britain to England as part of the Britain to Australia MacRobertson Air Race. However due to engine trouble Amy and Jim had to retire from the race....

Captain James Allan (Jim) Mollison at Floyd Bennett Field, 23 October 1936 in front of his Bellanca Flash

Amy made her last record-breaking flight in May 1936, regaining her Britain to South Africa record. Amy divorced Jim Mollison in 1938 and soon afterwards she reverted to her maiden name....

Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA)

In 1940, during WW11, the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary) was formed. Their job was to transport RAF aircraft around the country. And so it was that Amy joined the ATA and rose to First Officer. It was on one such mission that Amy lost her life on January 5 1941. Flying an Airspeed Oxford she flew from Blackpool with her destination being RAF Kidlington near Oxford. Due to adverse weather conditions Amy went off course, reportedly due to no fuel. She bailed out into the Thames Estuary and although she was seen alive a rescue attempt failed and her body was never recovered. Her would-be rescuer, Lt. Cmdr Walter Fletcher of HMS Haslemere, died in the attempt to save her....

Amy Johnson

There has always been some mystery surrounding the accident with some suggesting that a third person was also involved and who also drowned....
However, in 1999 it was reported that Tom Mitchell, from Crowborough, Sussex, claimed to have shot the heroine down when she twice failed to give the correct identification code during the flight. Mr. Mitchell explained how the aircraft was sighted and contacted by radio. A request was made for the signal. She gave the wrong one twice. "Sixteen rounds of shells were fired and the plane dived into the Thames Estuary. We all thought it was an enemy plane until the next day when we read the papers and discovered it was Amy. The officers told us never to tell anyone what happened."...

St. Martin in the Fields, London

On January 14th 1941 a memorial service was held in the church of St. Martin in the Fields, London....

Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede, Surrey, England

Amy is remembered with honour on the Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede, Surrey, England....

JOHNSON, AMY V.
Rank: First Officer
Date of Death: 05/01/1941
Age: 37
Regiment/Service: Air Transport Auxiliary
Awards:C B E
Panel ReferencePanel 288.
Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

The KLM McDonnell Douglas MD-11named Amy Johnson

As with many people in history, there have been buildings, areas and suchlike named in honour of Amy Johnson. One which can be seen in the above picture....

Sewerby Hall, Sewerby, East Riding of Yorkshire

In 1958 a collection of Amy Johnson souvenirs and mementos was donated by her father to Sewerby Hall, East Riding of Yorkshire. The hall now houses a room dedicated to Amy Johnson in its museum....

We may never know what really happened to Amy Johnson on that fateful day in 1941. What is known is that she was a heroine of the skies and will be forever remembered....

Until next time, take care...Hugs Chrissy xx