Reginald ‘Rex’ Warneford was the first naval aviator awarded a VC after becoming the first airman to take down a German airship in mid-air. Born in Darjeeling, India on 15 October 1891, Warneford moved to England as a child, where he lived with his grandfather following the separation of his...
Hardit Malik, or the ‘Flying Sikh’ as he became known, was the first Indian pilot to join the RFC. Born on 23 November 1894 in Rawalpindi in India, he was sent to England at the age of 14 to complete his education. Here, he attended Eastbourne College and went on...
James E. ‘Johnnie’ Johnson was Britain’s highest scoring fighter ace during the Second World War. Born on 9 March 1915 in Barrow-upon-Soar in Leicestershire, Johnson completed a degree in civil engineering at the University of Nottingham in 1937. Initially, he failed to join the air force, with both the Auxiliary...
Pauline Gower was a keen pilot, who developed a passion for aviation as a teenager after taking her first flight with Sir Alan Cobham. She established the women’s branch of the Air Transport Auxiliary [ATA], becoming its first Commander in December 1939. Born on 22 July 1910 in Tunbridge Wells,...
Joy Lofthouse was a pilot who flew bombers and fighter aircraft for the ATA during the Second World War.
Born on 14 February 1923 in South Cerney in Gloucestershire, Lofthouse was educated at Cirencester Grammar School. She was working as a cashier at Lloyds Bank when the Second World War...
Lilian Bader (née Bailey) was a Leading Aircraftwoman with the WAAF during the Second World War, and one of the first black women to join the RAF. Born 18 February 1917 in Liverpool, Bader’s father was originally from Barbados and had served in the Royal Navy during the First World...
Patricia Clark (née Robins) was a former WAAF who worked as a Filterer during the Second World War. Born 1 February 1921 in Hove in Sussex, Clark was the second of three daughters born to the well-known novelist Denise Robins. She enjoyed a privileged childhood, attending schools in Switzerland and...
Douglas Bader was one of the RAF’s most famous fighter pilots during the Second World War. His story proved inspirational to countless people, both during and after the war. Born 21 February 1910 in London, Bader was awarded a scholarship to St Edward’s School in Oxford. This was followed by...
Clifford Percival Rudland was a fighter pilot during the Second World War, flying in the Battle of Britain. Born in 1915 in London, he joined the RAFVR in March 1938. Entering as an Airman u/t (under training) Pilot, he started his elementary training at Hamble.
With the outbreak of the...
Kenneth Wilkinson was a Spitfire pilot during the Battle of Britain. Born 29 June 1918 in Barrow-in-Furness and educated at Cheltenham Grammar School, Wilkinson joined the RAFVR in March 1939 as an Airman u/t (under training) Pilot.
On 1 September 1939, with the outbreak of the Second World War, he...
