Article about Jean Batten's life and aviation achievements written by Alec Wignall for the 'Aerotime' website
Autobiography of aviatrix Jean Batten entitled 'My Life'
1938Autobiography of aviatrix Jean Batten entitled 'My Life', published by George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd. of London in 1938.
The book has green cloth covers, a foreward written by the Marquess of Londonderry and 31 illustrations.
Jean Batten (15 September 1909 – 22 November 1982) was a pioneering New Zealand aviatrix renowned for her daring solo flights in the 1930s.
After failing twice, she successfully completed the first solo flight by a woman from England to Australia in her Gipsy Moth biplane in 1934, setting a new women's record. She flew the same aircraft back to England, becoming the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia and back.
In 1935, she became the first woman to fly solo across the South Atlantic, flying from England to Brazil and breaking James Mollison's records for the route. Pioneer Scottish aviator Jim Mollison was the husband of another famous aviatrix, Amy Johnson.
In 1936, she made history with the first solo flight from England to New Zealand, a record that stood for 44 years. She set a new solo record for the Australia to England flight in 1937, simultaneously holding records for both directions of the route.
She retired from long-distance flying after her 1937 flight.
She was a celebrated international hero, but after World War Two, she withdrew from public life and died in relative obscurity in Spain.
An article describing Jean Batten's record breaking flights is attached as a supplementary link.
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Other items from Recollections of War
- Photograph of Jean Batten in the Royal Aero Club of N.S.W. 1970
- Photograph of Jean Batten taken at R.A.F. Fairford in Gloucestershire, August 1970
- Leslie Horton Partridge self portrait
- Leslie Horton Partridge pencil drawing of tigers
- Leslie Horton Partridge watercolour - Boesinghe, 1 September 1917
- Leslie Horton Partridge watercolour - Herzeele, 10 September 1917
- Leslie Horton Partridge watercolour - Murat Farm, 28 September 1917
- Leslie Horton Partridge watercolour - Watten, 19 October 1917
- Leslie Horton Partridge watercolour - Les Brebis, Lens, 19 October 1917
- Leslie Horton Partridge watercolour - Cite St. Pierre, 25 October 1917
- Leslie Horton Partridge watercolour - Mess St. Pierre, 1 November 1917
- Leslie Horton Partridge watercolour - St. Pierre, November 1917
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