Despite his disability, Bader made a number of escape attempts and was eventually sent to the prisoner of war camp at Colditz Castle. Soon afterward, he met and was befriended by Adolf Galland, a prominent German fighter ace. In August 1941, Bader baled out over German-occupied France and was captured. He then took part in the Battle of Britain and became a friend and supporter of Air Vice Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory and his " Big Wing" experiments. He scored his first victories over Dunkirk during the Battle of France in 1940. Īfter the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, however, Douglas Bader returned to the RAF and was accepted as a pilot. Although there were no regulations applicable to his situation, he was retired against his will on medical grounds. Having been on the brink of death, he recovered, retook flight training, passed his check flights and then requested reactivation as a pilot. In December 1931, while attempting some aerobatics, he crashed and lost both his legs. īader joined the RAF in 1928, and was commissioned in 1930. He was credited with 22 aerial victories, four shared victories, six probables, one shared probable and 11 enemy aircraft damaged. Group Captain Sir Douglas Robert Steuart Bader, CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, DL, FRAeS ( / ˈ b ɑː d ər/ 21 February 1910 – 5 September 1982) was a Royal Air Force flying ace during the Second World War. Commander of the Order of the British Empire
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