When Douglas Bader joined his friend Adolf Galland for a dinner in Munich post-war, he was taken aback to see the dining room filled with former Luftwaffe fighter pilots. “My word,” Bader exclaimed, “I hadn’t realized so many of you chaps survived!”
This was a different side of Douglas Bader compared to the stoic hero depicted in “Reach for the Sky”. Bader had only served as a commissioned pilot in the RAF for a brief one and a half years when the accident occurred, propelling him into wartime fame. Graduating from RAF Cranwell as a pilot officer in June 1930, it was at Woodley Airfield on December 14, 1931, that his cavalier approach to flight safety and disregard for regulations caught up with him.
An enthusiast for aerobatics, Bader was eager to showcase his aerial prowess, often disregarding the restrictions imposed on RAF officers. He paid little heed to the concerns of his superiors regarding perilous aerial maneuvers, a trait that would eventually lead to his downfall… albeit temporarily.
On that pivotal December day, Bader attempted a low-altitude roll while piloting his Bristol Bulldog near Woodley Airfield. His left wing clipped the ground, causing him to lose control and crash. Rushed to the Royal Berkshire Hospital, surgeons were forced to amputate both his legs, one above and one below the knee. “Crashed slow-rolled near ground. Bad show,” Bader noted in his logbook post-accident, employing quintessentially British understatement.
The path to recovery was arduous and agonizing for Bader, yet he remained resolute in his determination to swiftly regain full functionality. With the aid of morphine and sheer willpower, he mastered the use of artificial legs with a proficiency that surpassed many amputees of the era. By 1932, he was driving a specially adapted car, enjoying golf, and dancing. He even resumed flying and was deemed fit for active duty. Despite this, the RAF opted to retire him, much to Bader’s frustration. Consequently, he begrudgingly accepted a position with an oil company, far removed from his cherished Royal Air Force.
As storm clouds loomed over Europe in the late 1930s, Bader attempted multiple times to rejoin the service. Eventually, he secured a meeting with senior officers but was disappointed to learn that he was only offered ground duty. It was only through the intervention of his old friend from RAF Cranwell, Air Vice Marshal Frederick Halahan, that Bader regained his flying status.
After undergoing a refresher course on modern fighter aircraft, Bader flew solo again on November 27th, just under a month after Britain’s declaration of war on Germany. For several months, he and his RAF colleagues waited to see the Luftwaffe’s next move, which didn’t take long to materialize.
Bader’s first combat encounter occurred during the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force at Dunkirk in the final days of the Battle of France. Tasked with providing air cover for the Royal Navy, Bader and his squadron members took to the skies. On June 1st, Bader claimed his first kill, shooting down a Messerschmitt 109, and damaging a Messerschmitt 110 on the same day. In subsequent sorties, he damaged a Heinkel 111 and narrowly avoided collision with a Dornier 17 while attempting to attack its gunner. Following the successful evacuation, Bader’s squadron was relocated to RAF Kirton in Lincolnshire.
Bader himself assumed command of 242 Squadron on June 28th, which was stationed in Norfolk and comprised mainly of Canadian pilots still reeling from losses suffered during the Battle of France. Through his determination and leadership, Bader earned the respect of the Canadian pilots and transformed them into an effective fighting unit just in time for the Battle of Britain.
The Battle officially commenced on July 10th, 1940, and 242 Squadron was immediately engaged. On July 11th, flying solo, Bader pursued and attacked a Dornier 17 bomber along the Norfolk coast. Despite the bomber’s rear gunner returning fire, Bader managed to hit it twice before it disappeared into clouds and later crashed into the sea off Cromer, with no survivors. He repeated this feat the following month, bringing down another Dornier off the coast of Great Yarmouth, again with no survivors.
During the intense aerial conflicts over southern and eastern England, Bader and the Hurricanes of 242 Squadron were transferred to RAF Duxford in Cambridgeshire. Bader’s prowess persisted as he claimed two 109s, while his squadron, alongside other fighter units, brought down an additional eight enemy planes on August 30th.
On September 7th, the squadron once again entered combat, destroying two 110s with Bader accounting for two 109s. Two days later, he successfully downed another Dornier and made an attempt to incapacitate a Heinkel, only to realize he was out of ammunition. On the 15th of September, Bader inflicted damage on a Junkers 88 and a Dornier 17 during a significant aerial encounter, with another Dornier falling victim to his skill. His string of victories continued on the 18th with the destruction of a JU 88 and a Du 17, followed by another Messerschmitt 109 on the 27th.
By October, the failure of the Nazi high command to secure air superiority over England led to the abandonment of any invasion plans. The Battle of Britain concluded, with Douglas Bader and the 242 Squadron displaying remarkable determination and bravery.
In March 1941, Bader was promoted to active wing commander and stationed at RAF Tangmere in West Sussex, where he assumed command of three fighter squadrons. Tasked with harassing German defenses over the Channel and France, his units effectively diverted German resources away from the Eastern Front following Germany’s invasion of the USSR in June 1941. Flying Spitfires, Bader and his wing targeted Messerschmitt 109s, achieving considerable success between March 24th and August 9th. During this time, Bader’s wing encountered Adolf Galland twice, forming a lasting friendship.
On August 9th, while leading four Spitfires, Bader engaged a group of twelve 109s. A miscalculated dive resulted in a near collision, leaving him isolated from his squadron. Despite this setback, Bader managed to shoot down one 109 and damage another before being forced to retreat. In a dramatic turn of events, he collided with another 109 while attempting to escape, leading to the deployment of his parachute and subsequent capture by German soldiers.
After escaping from a hospital in Saint-Omer, despite his disability, Bader was invited by Adolf Galland to visit an airfield. Despite his missing leg, Galland treated him respectfully, even allowing him to sit in his personal 109. Bader humorously requested a chance to fly the plane, which Galland politely declined.
HE HAD VOWED TO BE A ‘PLAIN, BLOODY NUISANCE TO THE GERMANS’
Shortly after Bader’s visit to the airfield, an unusual operation unfolded. Galland approached the British authorities and proposed providing a replacement leg for Bader. Hermann Goering personally sanctioned the operation, reminiscing his own days as a World War I fighter ace. A squadron of Bristol Blenheims, escorted by fighters, was dispatched to a Luftwaffe base near Saint-Omer where the replacement leg was parachuted in. Despite the Germans’ dissatisfaction when the bombers veered off to target a nearby power station unsuccessfully, Bader now possessed two legs.
For the remainder of the war, Bader found himself in various prison camps where he attempted several escapes, true to his vow of being a thorn in the Germans’ side. Notably, during his time at Stalag Luft III B, he and three fellow prisoners fled, intending to reach the Polish border. However, a Luftwaffe officer’s visit to meet Bader led to their recapture upon discovering his absence.
Despite threats to amputate his legs failing to deter him, Bader was eventually transferred to the infamous Colditz castle in 1942, where he remained until its liberation by the First United States Army in 1945.
Post-war, Bader initially remained in the RAF but later found himself disinterested as he was relegated to an instructor role. He bid farewell to the RAF in 1946, joining the Shell Oil Company and continuing to fly, representing the company across Europe and North Africa.
The 1956 film “Reach for the Sky” immortalized Bader as the stoic character portrayed by Kenneth More, despite his actual persona being brash, outspoken, and politically conservative, with views now deemed offensive.
Bader’s final flight occurred on June 4th, 1979, after accumulating 5,744 hours of flying time. He passed away at the age of 72 on September 5th, 1982, succumbing to a heart attack while returning from an event honoring Arthur ‘Bomber’ Harris. His memorial service was attended by former comrades and adversaries, including Adolf Galland.
Bader’s enduring advice was to defy naysayers and never deem anything too difficult or impossible—an ethos he certainly lived by.
