Douglas Bader , of its complete name Douglas Robert Steuart Bader , was a British aviator , born the February 10th 1910, dead the September 5th 1982, remained famous as a “ace” of RAF, having gained about thirty victories including 22 confirmed in only 15 month of operation, in aerial combats with the top of the Manche at the time of the Second world war.

Few men become a legend of their alive, Douglas Bader, him, became the alive personification of the heroism of Royal Air Force: the ace legless cripple.

Its youth

Left in England by his/her parents until the two years age, following the change of his/her father, civil engineer in India, those fearing that the climate is not too hard for a baby. Finally all the three join England in 1913. Little time afterwards, the First World War bursts and his/her father, Frederick, are sent in France to fight with the British army. It will be the last time that he will see it, it will die of the continuations of a wound of Shrapnel and will be buried close to Saint-Omer. By an ironic destiny, Douglas will be imprisoned in the vicinity during the following world war. Thereafter his/her mother, Jessie, will be remariera with a Clergyman, William Hobbs.

At the time of its studies, Douglas, a spirit of independence and nonconformity will show. Achieved athlete, it shines in the sports of team and becomes captain of the team of Rugby, letting appear his qualities of leader. In 1923, it lives with his/her aunt Hazel and especially her husband, the Flight Lieutenant Cyril Burge, pilot at the flying school of RAF of Cranwell. From there its love will come from the Aviation, which will not leave it any more.

Beginnings with the RAF

In 1927, it decides to make career in the RAF and integrates the flying school of Cranwell in September 1928. It appears an average pupil, but with provisions for the flight, in the middle of its training of two year old pilot, it is 18th on a promotion of 21 pilot pupils. The commander of the school, the defect Marshall of the air Halahan, prevents it: “You are young, I can include/understand your problems, but RAF not, it wants men here, not schoolboys. ” Bader will be deeply marked by the tirade of the commander, and will be invested completely as from this moment. It will miss the sword of honor (which rewards the major for promotion) only of one small nothing.

After having been graduate in 1930, Douglas Bader is affected with the 23e Squadron on the aerodrome of Kenley, which is then equipped with biplanes Gloster Gamecock. A little later they are re-equipped of Bristol Bulldog faster, but less handy at low speed and altitude.

Monday December 14th 1931, Douglas Bader makes a flight between the aerodromes of Kenley and pilot Woodley with two others. At the time of the stopover with Woodley, Douglas discusses aerobaticss with young pilots, it was already known like a very good pilot of acrobatics. Those ask for to him a demonstration of flight at low altitude. Douglas answers them that it has only one weak experience of the lifting flight on Bulldog. Nevertheless just after having taken off, it starts a barrel and crosses all the ground in inverted flight, but it is too low and especially too slow. When he wants to be restored, its left wing hangs the ground and he is crushed, his plane transforming himself into sheet cluster. The two legs of Douglas Bader are crushed, the left under its seat and the right foot under the swing bar.

The Douglas young person quickly left sheets and transported to the royal hospital of Berkshire, where it is given between the hands of the doctor Leonard Joyce, undoubtedly the best surgeon of the time in England. Immediately, this one cuts down the right leg above the knee and, a few days later, it must also cut down the left leg 15 centimetres in lower part by the knee. Following that, the state of Douglas empire and one regards it even as lost, but it was without counting on its will.

Against any waiting, he survives. In 1932, after long and painful convalescence during which it becomes depend on the Morphine, it is transferred to the hospital from RAF to Uxbridge. There, it binds with the Dessoutter brothers. Marcel Dessoutter former engineer aeronautical, had also lost to him a leg in an air crash, after which it had created a company manufacturing of the prostheses of legs in Aluminum, big first at the time. Douglas Bader is the first customer requiring a prosthesis for each leg. Despite everything the physical nuisances and without never sparing its efforts, Douglas Bader is harnessed with the heavy task to be rebuilt physically and mentally.

Its goal is of remarcher without canes, and although everyone says that impossible, it reaches it. Very quickly, it renews a car, modified to adapt to its prostheses. It is put at the Golf, and invites young girls to dance. At the time of a weekend with the under-secretary of the air, Sir Phillip Sasson, in June 1932, its fever to fly reached such a top that its host, who lives close to the aerodrome of Lympe, arranges himself so that it can make a flight in a Avro 504 of drive, during which it controls perfectly. A medical visit declares it suited for restricted activities of vol. But a little later in April 1933, it is informed that it is definitively withdrawn from the active service. What leaves it completely shocked and engourdi. A few weeks later, it leaves RAF with a total disablement pension.

During the six years which follow, Douglas Bader works in an office for the Asiatic Petroleum Company, which will be more known later on under the name of Shell. In 1935, it makes a happy marriage with Thelma Edwards, which will be to him all devoted during 37 years.

In spite of its new life, he always dreams to fly. With the beginning of the war, it uses an old knowledge with the ministry for the air and, with the support of its former commander de Cranwell, it obtains its rehabilitation in RAF, dependant on a test of flight at the central school of flight to Upavon.

Second world war

The November 27th 1939, eight years after its accident, Bader is found again in solo with the orders of the plane Avro Tudor K-324. Very quickly, Bader is found on board a Fairey Battle, bomber of single-engined aircraft day, then of a Miles Master, last stage for a pilot of the RAF before the Spitfire and Hurricane. In February 1940, Bader joined 19th Squadron with Duxford, being, at 29 years, considerably older than all the pilots surrounding it. Two months later, it is named ordering flotilla 222, another flotilla of Duxford, which was replacing its old men Blenheim by of Spitfire.

Right before its catch of command, it tries to make take off its Spitfire with the propeller regulated on great step and, fatally is crushed on takeoff. The only thing amusing in this crash landing being that, if he had not already been amputee, he would have lost his legs in the accident. There, it is just enough to rectify the twisted prostheses. Shocked by the silly thing of the fault of beginner whom it had made, it recognizes it fully. Fortunately for him, the Minister for the air, Trafford Leigh-Mallory, considers that the lesson had carried and that the fault would never reproduce and thus confirms it in its command.

In June 1940, Bader is sent, with its flotilla 222, to cover the retirement of Dunkirk. It is during one of these exits that Douglas Bader gains its first air victory against a Messerschmitt 109. Always in June 1940, it is named ordering flotilla 242, a Canadian unit which had been touched hard during the Bataille of France, and whose moral one was very low. This one hardly improves when, on the aerodrome of Coltishall, he see unloading a commander legless cripple. Bader early made dissipate their fears, in their offering a demonstration of 30 minutes aerobatics which impresses them largely. After being itself discussed with problems of provisioning, Bader can quickly declare its flotilla of 18 Hurricane suited to the combat. It was time, the Bataille of England is about to start.

During this one, Bader takes part in the development of the strategy of the Big Wing, which consists in making leave several escadrilles hunters to face the waves of German bombers together, so as to cut down some as much as possible to make fall through the bombardments before they take place. When the Bataille of England ends, Douglas Bader receives the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and becomes the Wing Commander aerodrome of Duxford.

In March 1941, it leaves the 242 and becomes Wing to order aerodrome of Tangmere, fascinating under its command three escadrilles of Spitfire (145,610 and 666), as well as a flotilla of Beaufighter. It is during its command that it develops the formation in “4 fingers” which will be then used by all the air forces of the world, to make steal together a patrol of 4 planes. Douglas Bader, during this period, fact proof of a tactical spirit out of the commun run, by working of close coordination with its during on the ground, controller A.G. Woodhall. For its brilliance leadership, it receives a bar with its DSO.

The déplumé angel

Bader seems invincible but, the August 9th 1941, after having gained two new air victories, it strikes in flight third Messerschmitt 109 and is obliged to jump in parachute. During the extraction of the cockpit, it loses its prostheses. It is then made prisoner, and sent in a hospital close to Saint-Omer, near the place where is it fall from his/her father. At this point in time is organized by the British and the Germans, one of the unknown operations most incredible of the second war. He agree to leave the free passage to a plane so that he parachute of new prostheses for Douglas Bader. Undoubtedly the only time where a British plane was authorized to fly over the France occupied by the Germans. The operation is a success and Bader receives its new legs.

Thanks to its new prostheses and with the inflexible will which characterizes it, very quickly, it makes the first of its many escape bids. Envoy then of camp in camp and escape of escape, it finds himself captive in famous the fortress of Colditz, where the Germans, wearied but admiring of this officer out of the commun run, confiscate finally its prostheses to him, after it refused to promise to escape more.

In spring 1945 as of its release by the first American army which has just taken Colditz, it precipitates with Paris to require Spitfire and to turn over to fight before the end of the war. But the permission is refused to him, it forms part of the history right now, and the high command does not want to lose a man of this scale. It is then promoted Group Captain and takes commandemant it of the school of command of the hunters with Tangmere, then is named ordering Essex sector with the 11th Group of North Weald. The September 15th 1945, it personally carries out the air procession of the victory, including/understanding 300 planes, above London.

Post-war period

The RAF then proposes the rank and the seniority to him to which it would have right without its captivity, but Shell proposes she to him also a station in her air department with its private aircraft. After having reflected for 4 months, and to have thought well that the RAF in times of peace would be very different from its experiment in time of war, he resigns for the last time of the RAF. After having left the RAF in February 1946, it steals all around the world for Shell, often with his Thelma wife.

In 1976, it is made knight by the queen Elisabeth, for the whole of its action towards the amputees. After the death of Thelma, he marries Joan Murray, which shares its interest to come to assistance of stripped. Its workload would have put on the knees any person. But was achieved by a man without legs and with a worsening heart. Its steel will supports it until in August 1982, where it is victim of a soft heart attack, after a tournament of golf with Ayrshire. Three weeks later, the September 5th 1982, after a dinner for the 90 years of Marshall of the air Sir Arthur " Bomber" Harris, it dies of an heart attack, at the 72 years age. The London Times writes then: “It became a legend by personifying the heroism of the RAF lasting the Second world war. ”

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