Antiques Roadshow guest’s eyes widen as she learns truth behind mother’s WW2 uniform

A GUEST was left overwhelmed as she finally learned the true value and importance of her mother’s precious WW2 items.

The lady appeared on the latest episode of the BBC show where the show expert was left equally as thrilled after admitting to being a fan of her mother.

It all began when the guest confirmed that she was the daughter of RAF Pilot Jackie Moggridge.

Jackie is notable for being one of the first female pilots to play a pivotal role in the Second World War.

Expert Siobhan Tyrrell confessed to knowing Jackie having recently read up on and studied her after being impressed and inspired by her story.

Siobhan said on the show: “So I read this lady’s autobiography about a year ago and she inspired me so much that I booked a flight in a Tiger Moth, which I know she trained in and was one of the many planes she flew for the air transport auxiliary. So who is she to you?”

Going into detail about her mother, the guest answered: “So she’s Jackie Moggridge, she’s my mother and she was born in South Africa and wanted to learn to fly to show off to her brothers.

“She not only got her private pilot’s licence but she was the first woman to do a parachute jump in South Africa. She couldn’t do commercial college at South Africa so she had to come to England.”

Jackie was the only woman on her flying course and begin flying professionally after landing in the UK in 1938 shortly before the war took hold.

Wanting to put her skills to good use, Jackie was determined to sign up for the RAF but was barred from doing so as she was a woman.

Instead, the guest revealed that she “joined the WAAF and became a radar operator,” as an alternative.

However, when there was later not enough male pilots in the RAF, Jackie took the chance to show what she could do and she was allowed to sign up, once and for all.

Commenting on the legacy, Siobhan said: “That was a great triumph for women to actually have the opportunity to fly for their country.”

Her daughter added: “She actually joined the RAF Volunteer Reserves which was working at weekends.

“While she was there, she was looking for jobs and eventually she got her Channel Airways job.

“She didn’t talk a lot about the war. But she used to say if you jumped into bed with her in the morning, she would say ‘Do you want to fly a Spitfire?’”

Assessing the items belonging to Jackie, including her full RAF uniform, Siobhan made a decision on how much it could likely bring in at auction.

Although the guest insisted she would not sell it, she was left utterly gobsmacked at learning the true value of her mother’s belongings.

Siobhan said: “It could easily make between £30,000 and £40,000.”