Christmas with the Spitfire Girls
The presence of female pilots was unthinkable in World War One, but by the time the Second World War began, women were frequently flying aircraft that needed relocating between bases within the UK and on the continent. The Air Transport Auxiliary girls, or ATTA as they were fondly known, flew without radio communication and were expected to know the foibles of every type of serviceable aircraft from the limited information supplied. These young women risked their lives facing enemy fire, barrage balloons and associated hazards, much as those men who were flying fighter aircraft for the RAF.
At their base, fictitiously set in Rixley, Yorkshire, Viv, Mary and Bobbie are joined by an older crew member, Peggy, a replacement for their colleague, Anna, who was lost when her plane flew into the barrages over Southampton. Agreeing that they will try to befriend the new arrival seems a good plan, though Peggy is very distant. When Mary faces the prospect of her fiancé being posted elsewhere to join the bombing recces across the channel, Peggy forms an alliance with her, bolstering her spirits as well as confiding her own close kept secrets. Christmas 1944 approaches, and with everyone hoping for an end to the hostilities in Europe within the next 6 months, the ATTA girls plan a party at the Grange, where they are billeted.
The storyline as it develops is believable, with the characters following their anticipated pathways and the historical notes true to form. Holmes captures the drama of the challenges genuinely faced by individuals during this period and weaves it through the day-to-day activities of the girls.
