Joy Muntz Davison died in ATA service 8 July 1940. The first woman pilot to die in Second World War
On 8 July 1940 Joy Muntz Davison became the first female Air Transport Auxiliary pilot to die in service.
Elsie Joy Muntz
She was a long time friend of Amy Johnson. Amy is sometimes mistakenly believed to have been the first woman pilot to die in the Second World War. Sadly, that fate fell to Joy. It is also sometimes disputed that Joy had actually started working in the ATA. This confusion is caused because her death occurred whilst on a conversion course for another aircraft. Evidence proves that Joy had in fact already been on active service under the command of her good friend ATA Commandant Pauline Gower. Joy’s death was the first of other ATA women who followed her fate, including Amy herself. Joy was associated with the Solent area through several family connections. As a child she grew up in Winchester. She lived and worked in the Portsmouth area as a pilot during 1938 and 1939, the latter year being spent with Amy flying between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight for P.S.I.O.W.A., on Monospars. Joy’s life story will be added to this website in the coming months.
Lest we forget.
solentaviatrix 
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