Supermarine Spitfire Mk VIX
RAF Serial: NH695
Air Transport Auxiliary
Crew: F/O. Rosamund King Everard-Steenkamp (killed)
Date: 19th March 1946
Place: Wyre Forest, near Bewdley

Born into a wealthy South African family, Rosamund King Everard-Steenkamp excelled in both aviation and art. In 1935, she and her brother bought a Puss Moth aircraft, and, by 1937, she was touring Europe in a Hornet Moth. With only 100 hours of flying time, she crossed Mount Pilatus in the Alps, later qualifying for a commercial ‘B’ license and taking part in the Empire Air Display at Hendon.

By 1939, Rosamund held the South African ‘B’ license and Instructor’s III and IV, training pilots—including her future husband—and ferrying Lodestars between South Africa and Cairo.

Determined to take more direct action against the Nazis, she even attempted to join the Soviet Air Force, travelling as far as Tehran. After advice over lunch with the British Ambassador, she abandoned the idea and by 1944 was flying in Britain with the Air Transport Auxiliary.

With over 3,500 flying hours, her aircraft list was typically impressive of the ATA: Magister, Argus, Proctor, Harvard, Hurricane, Spitfire, Oxford, Barracuda, Dominie, Master, Mustang, Moths, Hudson, Albemarle, Anson, Auster, Beaufighter, Wellington, Whitley, Hellcat, Mosquito, Typhoon, Wildcat, Avenger, Dakota, Mitchell, Tempest, Monarch and Vengeance.

Her most notable type was the Meteor. Wing Commander H. Bird-Wilson asked Rosamund to fly the Meteor III to show that ‘even a woman could do it’. The flight took place on 3rd August 1945 at Molesworth and was in Meteor III, EE313. Her logbook records “370 mph. Wizard!”

On the 19th March 1946, Rosamund was ferrying combat-veteran Spitfire NH695 from Hamble to High Ercall when the aircraft struck treetops in the Wyre Forest near Bewdley, killing her instantly.

She was the last casualty of the ATA.

Rosamund Everard-Steenkamp is buried in Maidenhead, Berkshire. She is also commemorated by a trophy awarded by the Women’s Aviation Association of the Aero Club of South Africa for the most meritorious deed performed by a woman aviator. A half-size miniature of the trophy is on display at the SAAF Museum, Swartkop AFB.

The crash site was investigated during the 1970s, when a small-scale recovery uncovered fragments of Spitfire NH695, confirming the location in the Wyre Forest. As with many post-war ATA losses, little remained beyond scattered wreckage, but the finds marked the place of Rosamund Everard-Steenkamp’s final flight.

References from https://warriorsofthesky.co.za/rosamund-everard-steenkamp/.