THE name Molly Rose, one of the Spitfire Women of the Second World War, will be remembered forever more through a trophy competed for by the armed forces.

The Bampton woman delivered battle-ready planes to Second World War pilots, after joining the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) in 1942.

Mrs Rose, who died in 2016 aged 95, delivered 486 aircrafts of 38 different types including Spitfires, Hurricanes and Wellington bombers.

Her name will now be remembered year on year through the Molly Rose Trophy, which will be awarded to the winner of the women’s inter-services rugby match.

The RAF women will take on the Royal Navy Women at Twickenham Stoop a week today when one will become the trophy’s first winner.

Her son Graham Rose said the family were thrilled and that she would have been very proud.

He said: “We are absolutely delighted and she would be chuffed by it - her name will live on in perpetuity.

“While she wasn’t in the habit of beating the gender equality drum, she was always quietly working in the background, encouraging women to achieve their maximum potential.”

Her three sons Graham, Gregory and Nigel accepted the RAF’s proposal and Nigel will present the trophy to the winners.

After learning to fly a Tiger Moth through her father’s aerospace company in Cambridge, Mrs Rose earned her pilot’s licence aged 17 and was invited to join the Air Transport Auxiliary in 1942.

She settled in Bampton with her husband Bernard after the war, rarely spoke about her experiences until several TV appearances in her latter years.

Mr Rose, 71, said: “Like a lot of people of that generation she didn’t really talk about it.

“But she always used to say ‘we had our backs to the wall and anything I could do to help I was very pleased to do.’

“And she loved flying.”

“What the Spitfire Women did was quite remarkable.”

Mr Rose said his granddaughter, thirteen-year-old Minna Rose was an RAF cadet in Hereford and hoped she would one day present the trophy on the family’s behalf.

Air Commodore Steve Lushington, chairman of RAF Rugby Union, approached the family due to Mrs Rose’s strong connections with Brize Norton over the years and her inspiration to women in the RAF.

He said: “The RAF is delighted the family agreed with the proposal to name this trophy “The Molly Rose Trophy” which will be presented to the winner of the women’s inter-services rugby final.

“After the War ended, Molly never flew again as a pilot, but she remained a good friend of the Royal Air Force and was a frequent visitor to RAF Brize Norton.”

The final will kick off at 3.15pm on Friday, April 20.