Home | Veterans | Joy Lofthouse
JoyLofthouse

A veteran interview with

Joy Lofthouse

Joy Lofthouse flew Spitfires with the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) during WWII. This short film [edited from her whole interview] is thanks to the support of  the Royal British Legion. Without them we would not see such wonderful B-roll footage from AP and British Pathe. Five minutes viewing,  well spent on VE Day.

Play video
Watch the interview

About Joy Lofthouse

In this interview, listen to Joy talk about her rare and exciting opportunity to fly with ATA in the famous spitfire plane. Born in Cirencester, Joy was raised in the countryside where she learned to be strong and independent, always striving to be the best she could possibly be. When her sister joined the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary), it was only a matter of time before Joy’s fierce competitive edge would cause her to follow in her sister’s footsteps and join up as well. Although Joy found her training quite difficult due to the tough weather conditions which made her experience more challenging; she soon found her rhythm and was accepted to fly possibly the most iconic plane from the WWII era: the spitfire. However, as the war progressed, there became less and less of a need for women pilots in the eyes of the military, so Joy’s original pool was disbanded. In the interview, Joy speaks on her experience of moving pools not once but twice! She also explains how the different ranks in the ATA work, as well as talk about an intense emergency landing that forced her to hitchhike back home, in additional to what made the American bases so much more exciting.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
Reviewed by:
Charlie Akhlaq

Transcripts:
Please note that transcripts and closed captions in the video player are automatically generated by Vimeo.

Copyright:
All video content, web site design, graphics, images (including submitted content), text, the selection and arrangement thereof, underlying source code, software and all other material on this Web site are the copyright of Legasee Educational Trust, and its affiliates, or their content and technology providers. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Any use of materials on this Web site – including reproduction for purposes other than those noted above, modification, distribution, or republication – without the prior written permission of Legasee Educational Trust is strictly prohibited.

Home | Veterans | Joy Lofthouse

A veteran interview with

Joy Lofthouse

JoyLofthouse

Joy Lofthouse flew Spitfires with the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) during WWII. This short film [edited from her whole interview] is thanks to the support of  the Royal British Legion. Without them we would not see such wonderful B-roll footage from AP and British Pathe. Five minutes viewing,  well spent on VE Day.

Related topics & talking points

Veteran gallery

Photos & memories

Keep on watching

More veteran stories...

Share this interview on:

https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/joy-lofthouse/

Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Lofthouse, Joy. A Veteran Interview with Joy Lofthouse. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, n.d. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/joy-lofthouse/. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.
APA Style:
Lofthouse, J. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Joy Lofthouse [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/joy-lofthouse/
Chicago Style:
Lofthouse, Joy. n.d.. A Veteran Interview with Joy Lofthouse. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/joy-lofthouse/
Harvard Style:
Lofthouse, J. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Joy Lofthouse. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/joy-lofthouse/ (Accessed: 21 July 2026)
Vancouver Style:
Lofthouse, J. A Veteran Interview with Joy Lofthouse [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; n.d. [cited 2026 Jul 21]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/joy-lofthouse/
An interview with

Tracy Burgess

Tracy Burgess' husband Alan served in both Gulf wars.

He struggled with his mental health and worried about the drugs that the military had given to those deployed in the gulf. One day Alan woke up told Tracy he didn’t love her anymore, leaving her and their children struggling with huge debts and a lack of understanding. Alan has never returned and Tracy has had to raise her children and rebuild her life alone. Watch as Tracy describes her battles to get Alan the help he needed before it was too late.
Service:
Project:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Daphne Park

Daphne Park, Baroness Park of Monmouth, was a distinguished British intelligence officer

Daphne Margaret Sybil Désirée Park, Baroness Park of Monmouth, joined the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) in 1943 and caught the attention of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) due to her cipher skills. Promoted to sergeant, she trained operatives for Operation Jedburgh, supporting the Resistance in Europe. Despite a demotion, Daphne served as a Briefing Officer, working with French soldiers before D-Day. Major-General Sir Colin McVean Gubbins ensured she became a commissioned officer. Post-war, she joined the Field Intelligence Agency Technical British Intelligence Objective Sub-Committee in Frankfurt and Berlin. Daphne recalls various incidents, including her time in a jail, using food for intelligence, and training challenges. She discusses the SOE hierarchy, the notable secret agent Dennis Rake, and colleagues like Leopold Marks and the Gamble sisters. Daphne's remarkable service continued with MI6. She passed away on March 24, 2010.
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martyn Cox