The remarkable history of the Seawomen of the Marinecraft Unit, and the first BOAC Stewardesses at Poole.

A Heritage Lottery funded community research project.

Poole Flying Boats Celebration (PFBC)

Parkstone Library Buildings

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Poole BH14 8AZ

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Celebrating the Seawomen of the Marinecraft Unit, and the first BOAC Stewardesses at Poole.

Kappa (10)

Seawomen to the Fore: Boeings, RAF Transport Command and All

EXCERPT:

When the strictures of wartime began to ease somewhat for the Flying Boat Ops at Poole and for the Censor, the Media showed an interest in the role and challenging work of the BOAC Marinecraft Unit’s Seawomen!

There followed a series of reports/articles in newsletters and in magazines about them, and in particular their association with the magnificent trio of BOAC’s US-built Boeings, the largest Flying Boats operating at Poole. Initially these had been routed to West Africa from Foynes (Eire), before proceeding across the Atlantic for essential maintenance at Baltimore, with a Winter Route via Africa and Brazil, and in Summer via Botwood etc.

As the war entered its final stages, the Boeing 314A also took in Poole on an increasingly more regular bases.

The reasons why this magnificent Flying Boat (together with two sister aircraft) came to be in service with Airways (Atlantic Limited), a subsidiary of BOAC, is part of a fascinating story, which is explained as follows …

Please download the pdf (right) for the full story…

Seawomen to the Fore: Boeings, RAF Transport Command and All

Download the pdf (5Mb)

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About the AYE MA'AM Project Community Focus Promoting the AYE MA'AM project & Recruiting volunteers, 2013

About the Research Volunteer Training, March 2014 Volunteer Training - Oral Recording, November 2014 Project Research Flow Diagram

Selected photos & our video Public Display at Parkstone Library, April 2014 Libbie Escolme-Schmidt & Bournemouth Air Festival, July-August 2014 Blue Plaque at Salterns Marina, October 2013

The AYE MA'AM Story - Archive Index Setting the Scene - New Horizons 1.1 Ahoy There - Women Seamen of BOAC's Marine School at Poole 1.2 Marine School of BOAC at Poole with a Syllabus for the Seawomen 2.1 Sky High - BOAC Shuttle Services between Poole and Foynes, Eire 2.2 US Stewardesses on the Flying Boats of PanAm, AEA and Avalon 3.1 Tour de Force - Women with the Military when based at Poole 3.2 Wrens with RN Poole, and also at HMS Turtle (Combined Ops) 5 BOAC's Marinecraft Unit Seawomen at Poole: Making Waves 6.2 The Remarkable Mrs Louie Dingwall (nee Louisa / Louie Foott) 7 The Focus of Other Women - Within the Local Workforce at Poole 10 Seawomen to the Fore: Boeings, RAF Transport Control and All 18 Customs by Taxi - BOAC Hurn and integral relationship with Poole Summation: Time for Reflections