Father: Maj. Olans/Olaus Charles William Johnsen DFC (1889 –1960), a WWI flying ace - see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olaus_Johnsen; Mother: Ethel 'May' [Bowater] (1896 - 1990) Pamela had 6 brothers and a sister. Grand-daughter of Sir Frank Bowater, Lord Mayor of London 1938-9, and Lady Bowater. Ed. Benenden School (as was Lettice Curtis, btw), and Munich
prev: Sub-Editor for a women's magazine; volunteer ambulance driver
She had this piece published in the 'Mid Sussex Times' in June1937: "FRAGMENTS OF TO-DAY. Forget The limp, wet bodies Of burnt, semi-nude humanity Sweating London’s grime on sunbaked sand ; Automata, fragments of suburbanity, Coming from months of toil on office stools !
Cocktails Drunk by painted lips of painted fools Who flee from life to bars, and bridge, and balls : From life. To whittle time away until Death calls.
But, O remember The straight young limbs Diving off rock in the moonlit bay— Cutting the crest of a foam-tipped wave. Thoughts thought from the depth of the uncut hay About Life and Death, space and infinity ; Sailing Before fresh, salt-laden breezes Which often rise to fierce and yelling gales.
Drifting Down to moorings with sunset in your sails. "
She was also quite an accomplished golfer, competing at the Hayward's Heath Ladies Autumn Meet in September 1937.
In 1939, she and her sister Sheilagh were two of the 10 maids of honour to "the new Lady Mayoress [of London], Lady Bowater"
Address in 1942: Gravetye Manor, East Grinstead, Sussex Started in Flight Operations until 23 Aug 1943 Ab initio pilot Postings: 15FPP 2 accidents, neither her fault: - 23 Oct 1943, a forced landing in Magister P6371, after partial engine failure - 23-Sep-44, during an emergency landing in Spitfire IX PV232 following a loss of oil pressure, the aircraft ground-looped and was damaged.
m. 11 Mar 1944 Flt-Lt Dr. Richard Braddyl Tulk-Hart, who was stationed at RAF Old Sarum, Wilts (d. 1996) Address in 1945: 'Tainters', Piltdown, nr. Uckfield, Sussex In 1948 she wrote, with Margaret Morrison, 'Paid to be safe', "A romantic novel of love and high adventure, told against the authentic background of the band of daring women who ferried the war planes." "Miss Morrison, who has a big following as a writer of romantic fiction, here enlists the aid of a woman pilot who served with Air Transport Auxiliary during the war. This ensures an authentic background for the story of a girl who comes back to England after the fall of Singapore and personal tragedy, to find new hope and an exciting career in the ranks of the A.T.A."
d. 24 Jun 2010 (age 91)
Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file): |
RAeC 1945
ATA
ATAM
Daily Mirror
Mid Sussex Times, 8 Nov 1938
The Sketch, 15 Mar 1939
