Stark, Amy Gwendoline (1910-1994)

Field of activity
Aviator and Servicewoman
NLA Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-743060

Biographies

Gwen Stark gained her pilot's licence shortly before the outbreak of World War II and was one of the first women appointed to a position in the Women's Australian Auxiliary Air Force. She served in the first instance as assistant section officer and later as recruiting officer for New South Wales. Before the war, she was active in the Australian Women's Flying Club, which became the New South Wales branch of the Women's Air Training Corps, and was its commandant in 1940. After World War II she went to Europe and worked with the Berlin Air Lift at a Royal Air Force station in Germany for several months. In 1964 she became the federal president of the Australian Women's Pilots' Association and was appointed to the Order of the British Empire on 8 June 1968 for her services to aviation.

Gwen Stark, a kindergarten teacher who played 'A' grade hockey and basketball as well as being a member of the Girl Guide movement, obtained her pilots 'A' licence (No. 3132) on 10 July 1939 from the Royal Aero Club of New South Wales. A member of the Australian Women's Flying Club, Gwen was a commander of one of the squadrons and president from 1940 until 1941.

She volunteered to enlist in the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF) and was appointed as assistant section officer on probation from 10 March 1941.

Joyce Thomson writes in her book The WAAAF in Wartime Australia that after supervising the recruiting of the first airwomen enrolled in Sydney, Gwen was posted to WAAAF Training Depot to join the short administrative course given to the initial group of officers. She returned to Sydney as WAAAF staff officer, RAAF Headquarters, Central Area, Point Piper. Gwen was posted to various senior appointments, including staff officer, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Headquarters, North-Eastern Area, during Japanese air raids on Townsville.

Gwen Stark was discharged from the WAAAF on 8 August 1946 having obtained the rank of Wing Officer. In that year she helped establish the WAAAF branch of the RAAFA (NSW Division). She was the first president and from 1961 until her death in 1994 was patron of the branch.

On 8 June 1968, under the name Amy Gwendoline Caldwell, she was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Civil) for her services to aviation.

View the full record at Australian Women's Register

Related people and organisations

Australian Women's Register

Resources for Amy Gwendoline Stark

Selected resources (20)

Australian Women's Register

  1. STARK, AMY GWENDOLINEWorld War 2 Nominal Roll Department of Veterans' Affairs : STARK, AMY GWENDOLINE
    Deparment of Veterans' Affairs
    [2002]
    Series: http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/script/veteran.asp?ServiceID=R&VeteranID=1070254
  2. Faith, Hope and Charity Australian Women and Imperial Honours: 1901-1989
    Australian Women's Archives Project
    [2003]
    Published: Australian Women's Archives Project
    Series: http://www.womenaustralia.info/exhib/honours/honours.html
  3. The WAAAF in Wartime Australia
    Thomson, Joyce A
    [1992]
    Published: Melbourne University Press
  4. The girls were up there too; Australian women in aviation
    Mann, Sheila
    [1986]
    Published: Department of Aviation, Australian Government Publishing Service
  5. Australian War Memorial Research Centre: [Miss Gwen Stark's flying days Camden Aerodrome 1937-1938] (1937 - 1938)
    Camden, NSW circa late 1930s. Shows activities mainly at the Macquarie Grove Aerodrome which was established by Edward Macarthur-Onslow on his property. He started a flying and gliding school there in 1937 on the land that is now Camden Airport. In the late 1930s Miss Gwen Stark transferred her flying activities there and and photographed these scenes. Scenes include: "Doc" Heydon and his Slingsby Gull sailplane in flight. Other aircraft shown are an Aviar, a DH60, a Comper Swift and a Genairco. Various members of the flying fraternity swinging propellors, refuelling aircraft. taking off and landing. A silver RAAF Wirraway arrives at the airfield. Wirraway takes off and flys over airfield. a medium shot of 2 seater monoplane and crew - "Gordon Elliot Bowral" is stencilled below the second cockpit. Brief scene of the Minister for Aviation Mr Fairbairn speaking on a podium infront of the hangars at the airfiled. A wrecked Douglas DC-2 engines and wings missing. Men working around DC-2 digging and stacking sandbags to prop up the aircraft. [Colour section] Medium shot of fuel pump and aviators. Close up of Miss Gwen Stark adjusting flying helmet. Medium shot of Miss Stark climbing into biplane. [Adapted from information supplied by Mr Gordon Lasslett to donor]
    F04786
  6. Australian War Memorial Research Centre: The Women's [Australian] Flying Club (1940)
    Activities of the Women's Flying Club filmed by Miss Gwen Stark the camp commandant. Weekend camp at St Ives showground. Getting meals and doing chores. Nancy-Bird Walton arrives and inspects the girls. Squadrons marching off to different duties. Squadrons preparing for the parade. Meals prepared and cleaning up after mess. First aid training. Signallers practising Morse Code. Camp at Windsor, NSW. Girls swimming in the Hawkesbury River. March past with Air Commodore De La Pine taking the salute. Drum band. Lady Wakehurst inpects the girls. St Ives, bomb disposal and gas inspectors.
    F04677
  7. National Archives of Australia, National Office: Stark, Amy Gwendoline (1939 - 1948)
    STARK AMY GWENDOLINE : Service Number - 351010 : Date of birth - 03 Apr 1910 : Place of birth - Unknown : Place of enlistment - Unknown : Next of Kin - STARK WILLIAM
    2002/05090863
  8. Australian War Memorial Research Centre: Portrait of Wing Officer Gwen Stark (1945)
    Melbourne, Vic. C. 1945. Portrait of Wing Officer Gwen Stark, Staff Officer WAAAF at RAAF HQ.
    VIC0819
  9. National Library of Australia Newspaper Microcopy Reading Room: Biographical cuttings on Amy Starkie Caldwell, pioneer in the WAAAF
  10. Australian War Memorial Research Centre: Clare Stevenson and Gwen Stark (1944)
    WILLIAMSTOWN, SA. 1944-11. DIRECTOR OF WAAAF, CLARE STEVENSON (MIDDLE), AND WARRANT OFFICER GWEN "STARKIE" STARK (OBSCURED) ON INSPECTION OF NO. 5 OPERATIONAL TRAINING UNIT, RAAF. ALSO PRESENT ARE CORPORAL CLAIRE WEBB (FAR LEFT), AIRCRAFTWOMAN JEAN CURRY (2ND FROM RIGHT) AND BERYL LISTER (FAR RIGHT). (DONOR: C. SCHOMBERG)
    P00691.001
  11. Australian War Memorial Research Centre: Nancy Bird Walton and Gwen Stark (1940)
    WINDSOR, NSW.(Possibly) 1940. MISS NANCY BIRD, AVIATRIX (RIGHT), WITH FLIGHT LIEUTENANT MCKILLOP AND GWEN STARK. MISS BIRD WEARS UNIFORM OF THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S FLYING CLUB - FORERUNNER OF THE WOMEN'S AIR TRAINING CORPS (WATC) AND WAAAF.
    044462
  12. Australian War Memorial Research Centre: Nancy Bird Walton, Margaret Wakehurst and Gwen Stark (1940)
    WINDSOR, NSW. 1940. MRS NANCY BIRD-WALTON WITH LADY WAKEHURST, WIFE OF THE GOVERNOR OF NSW, IN FRONT OF SQUADRON LEADER F.C. MACKILLOP AND GWEN STARK ON AN INSPECTION OF AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S FLYING CLUB AND WOMEN'S AIR TRAINING CORPS (WATC) MEMBERS. (DONOR MRS NANCY BIRD-WALTON).
    044624
  13. Australian War Memorial Research Centre: Nancy Bird Walton, Margaret Wakehurst and Gwen Stark (1940)
    WINDSOR, NSW. 1940. MISS NANCY BIRD (LEFT), WEARING THE UNIFORM OF THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S FLYING CLUB, WITH SQUADRON LEADER F.C. MACKILLOP, GWEN STARK AND LADY WAKEHURST, WIFE OF THE GOVERNOR OF NSW. (DONOR MRS NANCY BIRD-WALTON).
    044627
  14. Australian War Memorial Research Centre: Assistant Section Officer Gwen Stark (centre) giving last minute instructions to Miss Clarice Taylor (left) and Miss Monica Bullen (right) (20 March 1941)
    Sydney, NSW.(?) 20 March 1941. Assistant Section Officer Gwen Stark (centre) giving last minute instructions to Miss Clarice Taylor (left) and Miss Monica Bullen (right), both members of the Australian Women's Flying Club, prior to leaving for Melbourne to undertake training. They were two of the first NSW women to be accepted into the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF), as wireless telegraphists. The other three women were Olive Board and Lenore White, both from the Women's Emergency Signalling Corps, and Mrs Dorothy Sanders, a cub leader. (Donor M. Bullen)
    P03224.001
  15. Australian War Memorial Research Centre: Wing Officer Margaret Blackwood (at rear); Director WAAAF; Wing Officer Dorothy Hawthorn (front); Wing Officer Mary Rawlins; Wing Officer Gwen Stark (1945)
    Melbourne, Vic. C. 1945-04. Group portrait of four "original" WAAAF officers with the Director WAAAF Group Officer Clare Stevenson after a WAAAF Staff Officers conference at Air Force Headquarters, Victoria Barracks. Left to right: Wing Officer Margaret Blackwood (at rear); Director WAAAF; Wing Officer Dorothy Hawthorn (front); Wing Officer Mary Rawlins; Wing Officer Gwen Stark.
    VIC0933
  16. Australian War Memorial Research Centre: Air Commodore F. W. Lukes (centre), Director WAAAF, Group Officer Clare Stevenson (standing, third from left). Seated on the left Squadron Officer Gwen Stark (1942)
    Melbourne, Vic. 1942-08-03. Group portrait of a number of WAAAF officers who attended the first annual conference of WAAAF staff officers held at No. 1 Training Group HQ, Grimwale House, Merton Hall, South Yarra. The conference was opened by the Air Member for Personnel, Air Commodore F. W. Lukes (centre) and presided over by the Director WAAAF, Group Officer Clare Stevenson (standing, third from left). Seated on the left (in drab uniform) is Squadron Officer Gwen Stark who had travelled from Townsville for the conference.
    VIC1353
  17. Australian War Memorial Research Centre: Lady Gowrie, Honorary Air Commodore, WAAAF, inspects photographs on the wall at St Anne's Barrack (1943)
    Townsville, Qld. C. 1943-10. Her Excellency Lady Gowrie, Honorary Air Commodore, WAAAF, inspects photographs on the wall at St Anne's Barracks, covering the WAAAF Second Anniversary Sports Day on 1943-03-20. With her is Squadron Officer Gwen Stark, Staff Officer for WAAAF in North East Area.
    NEA0179
  18. Australian War Memorial Research Centre: Portrait of Squadron Officer Gwen Stark (1943)
    Townsville, Qld. 1943-09-18. Portrait of Squadron Officer Gwen Stark, WAAAF, Staff Officer, North-Eastern Area Headquarters RAAF.
    VIC0785
  19. Australian War Memorial Research Centre: Formal group portrait of officers of the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (c. 1943)
    Brisbane, Qld.(?) c. 1943. Formal group portrait of officers of the Women's Auxiliary Australian Air Force (WAAAF) on the steps of a building, possibly while attending a training course. In the the front row are Squadron Officer Gwen Stark (left) and Lady Zara Gowrie, wife of the Governor-General and Honorary Air Commandant of the WAAAF. Amongst the signatures at the bottom of the photograph are M. Keeler, M. Mackenzie, Patricia Voller, Pat Dearden, ? Butts, Caroline Francis, Mary Houston, Sara Cox, Patricia Barnes, Dorothy Smith, E. Sheen, K. Atherton, M. Yabsley, I. Hawkins, R. Sutherland, B. Hotchkin, Lilah T. Smith, B. E. Muir, J. Wallman, J. Dallace, M. Allan, E. Combe. (Donor G. Caldwell)
    P02390.005
  20. Australian War Memorial Research Centre: Nancy Bird Walton, Margaret Wakehurst and Gwen Stark (1940)
    WINDSOR, 1940. LADY WAKEHURST, WIFE OF THE GOVERNOR OF NSW, SQUADRON LEADER F.C. MACKILLOP AND GWEN STARK MAKING AN INSPECTION OF THE WOMEN'S AIR TRAINING CORPS (WATC). (DONOR MRS NANCY BIRD-WALTON).
    044626

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  1. Stark, Amy Gwendoline (1910-1994)
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  1. Papers
    Stark, Amy Gwendoline OBE (Wing Officer, b.1910)
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    The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Saturday 4 November 1922 p 15 Article
    ... (Park Col lego) Lucy P Crano (Ailsa Akhurst Ashfield) Caro line M P Garrood (Aliss T V Stark Hand ... Macelonnell Sydney) George Crothers (St Clares Convent Waverley), Amy V Hngin (St Jo fept s Rockdale) Jean G Herron (I ark College) Olga Hughes (Miss E A Stark) Charles T Keller (Miss A L Skyring I T O L ... 802 words
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  3. Family Notices
    The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956) Saturday 26 June 1943 p 10 Family Notices
    ... The Strand, North Williamstown. HALL-WHELAN. - Gwendoline Lesley, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. ... of Mr. and Mrs. J. Finn, 53 Ryley street, Wangaratta. STARK-HENNESSY. - Alice, younger daughter of Mrs. W. Stark, Blink Bonnie, Casterton, and the late Mr. Wallace Stark, to Patrick John, younger son ... 972 words
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