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that had technical difficulties in a small field on 25 June 1944. She had one other forced landing, on 4 May 1945, in
Spitfire XIV TZ104, after a serious oil leak, landing on an unserviceable part of the airfield with only trivial damage as another aircraft was landing on the runway.
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137:(6 January 1916 - 26 May 1992) was a British female ATA pilot officer during the Second World War who was one of only two such women who received a commendation.
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Women were not permitted to fly or crew aircraft in combat, but could deliver aircraft from manufacturers to squadrons. Kerly had been a member of the
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149:, London to Ada and Frederick Gyles Kerly (d. 1920). She earned her pilot's licence (No. 16749) on 14 December 1938 flying a
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203:(ATA) on 23 August 1943. Her job was to deliver aircraft from various factories, including the major
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390:"England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995"
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as living with her widowed mother Ada and her older sister Joyce, a teacher, in Esher, Surrey.
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After leaving the ATA on 30 September 1945 she married
Charles William Storm Clark in 1947.
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253:. The helmet and goggles went on display in the Spitfire Gallery, which opened in 2015.
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Kerly was one of only two women to be commended as pilots during the war, for landing a
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and goggles to a fellow pilot, Alec
Matthews, who donated their joint memorabilia to
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She came to notice as a pilot who delivered aircraft in the civilian
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Ruth Helen Kerly, known as Helen, was born on 6 January 1916 in
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Military personnel from the London
Borough of Wandsworth
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at the London Air Park Flying Club, whilst a student.
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in 1938. She became the 130th pilot employed by the
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379:, A Fleeting Peace, retrieved 6 March 2015
350:"Women Pilots - Kerly, Ruth Helen (W.130)"
245:When she died on 26 May 1992 she left her
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251:Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum
214:Kerly's certificate of commendation
184:, with the rank of Third Officer.
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325:"Mystery of the Spitfire Heroine"
296:"1939 England and Wales Register"
205:Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory
207:, to airfields around Britain.
446:Air Transport Auxiliary pilots
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436:British women in World War II
124:Charles William Storm Clark
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191:Helen Kerly in ATA uniform
108:female commended ATA pilot
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354:Ferry Pilots of the ATA
329:Birmingham Evening Post
201:Air Transport Auxiliary
174:Air Transport Auxiliary
168:Air Transport Auxiliary
99:Air Transport Auxiliary
456:British women aviators
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247:leather flying helmet
240:leather flying helmet
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156:She was working as a
16:English pilot of WWII
160:and recorded in the
461:People from Putney
394:www.ancestry.co.uk
300:www.ancestry.co.uk
275:www.ancestry.co.uk
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466:People from Esher
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158:shorthand typist
135:Ruth Helen Clark
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105:Known for
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80:(aged 76)
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61:6 January 1916
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397:. Retrieved
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323:Cole, Paul.
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78:(1992-05-26)
76:May 26, 1992
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431:1992 deaths
426:1916 births
377:Helen Kerly
180:during the
131:Helen Kerly
85:Nationality
37:photo from
25:Helen Kerly
420:Categories
399:14 January
257:References
176:including
141:Early life
57:1916-01-06
178:Spitfires
67:, England
305:14 March
280:14 March
238:Kerly's
95:Employer
220:Mustang
89:British
41:in 1938
359:24 May
230:Legacy
147:Putney
121:Spouse
65:London
113:Title
401:2023
361:2023
307:2024
282:2024
73:Died
47:Born
133:or
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