Captain RE Steenkamp

The Dreaded Telegram

The “S.S. Bodegraven”, a small Dutch cargo ship sailed out of Cape Town on June 21st 1944 carrying 63 crew and 48 passengers. Sybil Starfield, one of the passengers, a founder member of the South African Women's Auxiliary Air Force had volunteered for secondment to the “Air Transport Auxiliary”. Rosamund Everard Steenkamp, another South African woman aviation pioneer, had joined in February as a ferry pilot delivering military aircraft from factories and maintenance facilities to UK based Squadrons. At that stage, women “Air Transport Auxiliary ’” pilots were enjoying unique equality having the same privileges and pay as their male colleagues.

SAAF Airmen in RAF Squadrons

In addition, the handful of SAAF women shuttle pilots played an important role including Captain Rosamund Everard Steenkamp, the first South African woman to hold a Navigator and Instructor’s licence. The former Technical College teacher and accomplished artist volunteered for secondment to the “Air Transport Auxiliary” after losing her SAAF pilot husband Nick Steenkamp and was a Ferry Pilot by early 1944. Her death in a 1946 flying accident while delivering a Spitfire, ended a remarkable 4 000-hour flying career. Her name is recorded on the SAAF Roll of Honour, among 35 women who lost their lives in service.