Douglas Bader (1910-1982)

Group Captain Sir Douglas Robert Steuart Bader, CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, FRAeS, DL (21st February 1910 - 5th September 1982) was a Royal Air Force flying ace during the Second World War. He was credited with 22 aerial victories, four shared victories, six probables, one shared probable and 11 enemy aircraft damaged.

[@andrewfrancis7272]

I read Paul Brickhill's book about Bader when I was a kid and became an instant fan. I idolised Bader. Brickhill merely hinted at Bader's difficult nature. This documentary brings it into full light. He was beyond difficult, he was a nightmare to many .. BUT the very same things that made him so irascible also made him so essential - the fearlessness, bloody-mindedness, even the lack of imagination, is what Britain needed to carry it through the war years.

[@paul-we2gf]

He was an inspiration to a lot of people who were physically challenged. OK he was not a perfect man but that's just being human. His determination to walk again then return to flying is awesome.

[@MarkHarrison733]

He was a far right racist.

[@howardgem]

Thank you for uploading I had forgotten how good TV used to be.

[@NigelCopy]

As the commentary said he was a complex man. But cometh the hour, etc etc. A glory seeker he may have been, but no-one can deny his talent and capacity to get things done.

[@alexh426]

In early 1982 my Mum suggested I read Douglas Bader's biography, the book was in French. This was awesome, but the story was obviously very gentle, very kind. This documentary is simply brilliant, hiding nothing, the real character of a complex man, his excesses, his weaknesses. He was ultimately very human ... even a little better.

[@zzebowa]

I had Asterix the Gual in French as a kid. Couldnt understand a word of it!

[@peterreeves4184]

He was an absolute prick and second rate pilot, in other words.

[@Martin-lp4yg]

lol aye...total tosser

[@mbabist01]

When I injured my back in a work-related accident in 1993 (I was auditing at the time), a chiropractor wanted to put me on disability. I remembered what I'd read in "Reach for the Sky," and decided that, no, I could still sit down, think, and work at a computer; so to *heck* with this "disabled" jazz! I take care of my back, and even though I am semi-retired now, I am not sorry about my decision. Thank you, Doug Bader!

[@RandomTorok]

I was in grade seven when I discovered the book Reach for the Sky in the school library. I was a struggling student barely making passing grades. After reading the book I was inspired. I figured if Bader could overcome the loss of his legs then I could do anything I wanted. And I have. Went on to university and studied computer science, a very difficult field and I've created a very nice life for myself. I can't imagine what my life would have been without Douglas Bader's inspiration. Sounds to me like he may have had Asperger's syndrome.

[@JimWalsh-rl5dj]

Biggles was a Gentleman, Bader most certainly was not!

[@anridapu]

Don’t forget to thank the author, Paul Brickhill.

[@bwfvc7770]

Good observation on the Asperger's, I was thinking the same.

[@paulrummery6905]

Sounds a good call mate.

[@maValentine1604]

God Bless 😊

[@williamwilson2270]

I always looked at Douglas Bader as a hero figure. Born in 1954, I became 80%paraplegic at 5 weeks old and while I had both my legs, I learned to walk on full length Callipers, and I have walked for 64 years in such a way. I hope that I continue to be able to walk for the remainder of my life. Bader was a great fighter Ace, one of the best and he was outraged by the enemy fighters and their black spidery markings.

[@PFNel]

When I was in primary school, I think it was 1965, Douglas Bader was one of my heroes. All our playground games were based on WWII, because my dad had been in the SAAF, and my friend Johan's dad had been a Korean War pilot. We loved to mimic the way Dougie walked (based on Kenneth More's portrayal of him), and one day Johan stayed "in character" in class. He had to explain his bizarre gait to the teacher, who had no idea who Douglas Bader was!

[@beachboy13600]

Me neither, who is he?

[@PFNel]

@@beachboy13600 He was a British WWII pilot who lost both his legs in an accident before the war, but still flew in combat with artificial legs. The book and movie Reach for the Sky are based on his life.

[@dandy193]

I met him when I was 11 back in the 70s, I found to be witty and kind, giving me time to talk about Spits and Hurricanes which give me a life long love of the Aircraft. People who have a remarkable quality about them are often flawed, complex people and Douglas Bader was no different

[@garyhiggins8258]

Ever since I was very young, my greatest hero was Douglas Bader. I must have watched the film about a million times, and when I lost my leg just over a year ago, his inspiration enabled me to overcome the loss and walk again. And I don't give a damn what the critics say, if it was not for his bloody minded ego, he would never have gotten out of his wheelchair !

[@anthonyowen1556]

If it was not for his 'bloody minded ego', Gary, Bader would never have lost his legs in the first place. (I'm sorry to hear of your disability, and glad to hear that you are coping with it.)

[@sp769]

My father lost his leg too. Rather careless of him really! It has made him hopping mad!

[@garyhiggins4850]

@@sp769 Thanks Sam, losing a leg opens up a whole new vein of humour. I always say thzt I don't need to go out and get drunk because I'm already legless!

[@robertbryant6859]

Why is there a strong likelihood that he was shot down by one of his own flight?

[@gosborg]

supernumery I think you are rather missing the point. In easy times such as we have enjoyed for years now, people admire gentle, pleasant characters. In times of hardship, people need a hero.

[@aislingmichaelaoneill1028]

In 1965 I was going down the main staircase at Prestwick Airport terminal building with Bader, both having been in ATC movements - there was no lift. “They don’t build these places with people like me in mind,” said Bader. I was 23, cheeky, and in the Service (he didn’t know that) but wearing civvies. “What you need,” I said, “is a pair of wheels”. “Haw! Haw! Haw! Jolly good! Jolly good,” he bellowed, fortunately, for indeed I could have been in dire trouble.

[@buteforce]

almost 50 years ago when i was in primary school i read "reach for the sky" still leaves me feeling legless

[@Moosey291]

I too read Paul Brickhill's laudatory biography of Bader, and thought, also at the age of 12, that he was an absolute hero. Now I see that he epitomises everything I despise about the English class system, and that is not just the result of watching this excellent documentary. It is no accident that Bader and Guy Gibson got on well together as they both attended the same public school - St Edward's. They were also both insufferable. Bader had little or no regard for anyone who he perceived to be socially inferior, including fellow prisoners of war, or his faithful and long-suffering 'batman'. My own father was in the RAF from 1935 to 1945. He rose to the astronomical heights of corporal. Thanks to a system that denied progress to anyone who spoke with a northern accent.

[@richardjones9692]

I was born in Liverpool UK and left for Canada 55 years ago. I can remember in my youth being told not to get above myself, to remember my position. Working class kids don't belong in the pilot elite. I eventually earned my commercial pilots license and flew bush planes wheels and floats in the North West Territories. Some of the finest people I have ever met were First Nations trappers whom I flew into their traplines. No snobbery, just respect.

[@allymayful]

Thank God for the Beatles coming along and changing some of this snobbery you describe.

[@Rick-ve5lx]

Ginger Lacey.

[@neilpemberton5523]

@@Baron-Ortega Of course. The RAF needed thousands of pilots in WW2. The real question is, how many northern pilots were promoted into the top brass?

[@pauldavid34]

I don’t believe that those with a northern accent weren’t promoted. That’s like one of those wives tales, myth. If your dad was a corporal in the RAF, then he was obviously ground crew, plenty of ground crew from across the UK & Commonwealth achieved high ranks.

[@peterbonnez]

I flew Bader's aircraft when I was 16. It was a Beechcraft Travelair registered G-APUB

[@shadoogie61]

Say what you like, Douglas Bader will always be a hero to me!!

[@wcstevens7]

shadoogie61 ...I agree 100 percent.

[@brendonrutherford5118]

You must be fuckn hard-up for hero's & therefore can I suggest that you look for a "NEW HERO" instead of this obnoxious vertically disadvantaged piece of mere dog shit!! What about those brave English soldiers who gave their lives in the recent war in Afghanistan. Yeah you didn't think about the sacrifices that they made!! Bader & Gibson (Dam Busters) were both a good match as he was another arsehole dispite his exploits in the air!!

[@victor3267]

My Uncle was stationed on the same base as him when he was shot down , he said most of the lower ranks were glad to see the back of him

[@billspence1799]

Likewise, in the RAF for National Service I met guys who met him and said he was a total S**T. I'm reading the new book on Colditz which shows him for what he was

[@electricmanist]

That is often the fate of someone who has to overcome all odds (legless !!!) in order to get back into the cockpit of a Spitfire. Not many people could co that !

[@stevelyons5658]

When I was in High school I think it was grade 11 my history teacher Mr. Harris was in the same POW camp as Bader. He said the Bader never stopped fighting the Germans even in a POW camp and many times he antagonized his guards to the point the were going to shoot him and a couple of others around him at the time. I must admit Mr. Harris made the 2nd WW history class very lively. He had many stories about ww2 and Douglas Bader as well. I remember seeing a movie called Reach For The Sky, it was the Douglas Bader Story.... a great movie....Steve O

[@neilpemberton5523]

Bader must have been bored out of his mind in a POW camp.

[@jambox1978]

True English warrior

[@busterwest1644]

Rubbish, The Germans knew the gem they had in Bader as a POW He was NOT to be harmed in any way, they even allowed the RAF to overfly, unmolested to drop a new set of legs. Whenever he played up they punished the rest of the camp, not him. He ate the best food, dined with senior German Officers and was cossetted.

[@stevelyons5658]

Well I stand by what I said. My History Teacher Mr. Harris would have no reason to lie or make up stories. I am going to assume that you were not their so if you have proof of what you are saying present it. I'm sure he was considered a prize by the Germans, it would make great PR. @@busterwest1644

[@Aussiewhatevercontentimakenow]

He was my great grandfather

[@CEOkiller]

He was one of my heroes growing up and still one of my heroes today

[@MrRugbylane]

Goddamn that was a good documentary. Thank you whoever made it.

[@Pitcairn2]

Allan Smith (later Sir Allan) speaking here, was a neighbour of mine and I spoke to him on several occasions, he was always willing to tell me about his war time RAF service. he was for a time Baders wingman and emphatically stated that Bader was NOT shot down by a German, but by his own temporary wingman (Smith was grounded at the time due to a Sinus infection). This was possibly known about soon after war but was kept quiet. It all came out at a reunion in the early 60's where Bader approached the 'culprit' and said 'it was YOU who shot me down you B****rd' He also confirmed Baders overbearing and hostile attitude to Ground crew and Sergeant pilots, of which Smith was the latter initially.

[@mrjockt]

I wonder how many people realise that Bader wasn’t the only pilot serving in the RAF without his legs, Colin “Hoppy” Hodgkinson lost both his legs in a training accident, unlike Bader who lost his because he was trying to show off how good he was, just prior to the war, and like Bader he managed to get himself back into the RAF and flying fighters.

[@nigelmorgan3449]

What a cracking story thank you so much for sharing

[@davidlorraine6515]

My father was Douglas Bader's roommate in Colditz, along with Peter Dollar, and viewed this ‘batman’ story as complete b***s. It’s been distorted out of all proportion. With no legs, on the second floor of Colditz, Bader's need for a batman was beyond question. The 'batman' had asked to go with Bader to Colditz which was a cushier number but, unlike other non-combatants, as he was caring for a disabled man his service was still needed. There was no question in anyone’s mind he had to stay and, just like millions of troops around the world he had to see out his duty. He knew what the answer would be if he had taken it up with the Senior British Officer, whose ultimate decision it was, not Bader’s. When they were repatriated at the end of the war no one believed the US Air Force would not let him bring a legendary RAF Wing Commander's tin legs back, and so his leaving Bader’s spare legs behind was viewed as a petty act of spite. It is little wonder the two never spoke again. I very rarely heard my father speak ill of anyone but his low view of the carping batman was profane. My father too carried Bader up and down those stairs near as often and, as comrades doing what had to be done when sharing the rigours of war he, too, never had a please or thank you from Bader, nor expected one. Bader repaid his comrades hundredfold though. Few know of Bader's heroics in Colditz, of which I have my father's signed affidavit. In ‘44-45 the prisoners were starving. Bader was allowed weekly paroled walks down into the town, with a guard and Peter Dollar or my father. They would hide sown up pyjama legs in Bader's legs and by bribery, or compassion of the townsfolk, these were filled with corn which Bader would smuggle back into the castle, a steep hill I can barely walk, yet he did it with his tin legs heavy with corn. Back in their room, the corn was divided up in equal shares to all the messes. Only after the mess officers had left would Peter Dollar and my father see how the corn would rub the grafted skin off his raw and bleeding stumps. He swore them to secrecy, he did not want anyone to know he was in agony every time he made the walk and, sleepless from pain after, but he kept doing it. If he did not see 'pleases and thank you’s' as part of soldiers doing their duty, nor did HE expect them when he doing his bit for starving comrades. As my father said, there were two sides to Bader, he could be a frustrating b***, but also there was a supremely fine man - a better man than his batman perhaps. My father refused to appear in this documentary as he could see they just wanted a cheap-shot hatchet job, and he felt Bader deserves fairer than that.

[@pauldirac808]

Thank you for your story. A man who truly inspires others . R I P

[@robertbryant6859]

Could you blame the batman for carping, being at Bader's beck and call day and night? The batman was offered an exchange repatriation in 1943. Bader stopped that.

[@2212db]

Douglas Bader was my childhood hero, and to date, the only person I've held in that regard. I met him once in my early teenage years and he was kind enough to autograph something for me, the only autograph I've sought or owned. Regardless of how he's seen, the man will always be a legend to me.

[@jamescrook9749]

He is a legend and I agree with you totally, he like many children of his generation who were devoid of a wholesome family life poured their passion and devotion 100% into their own existence as there was nobody to applaud them from the sidelines so its no wonder some would find him either lovable or loathing a bit like Guy Gibson but in a time when Britain desperately needed heroes they were as vital to the war efforts as the machines they flew, just my opinion. Regards James

[@stephenhill8790]

he was my father's sqn OC during ww2 dad only told me when we watched the film. never said much more about it

[@gordontaylor5373]

Wow! That's cool!

[@sblack48]

In war time, when things are looking grim, heros are needed. They have a huge impact on morale. The US had Doolittle, who got a congressional medal of honor for an attack which while very brave caused little damage, the German propaganda machine had theirs. A guy with no legs who was effortlessly shooting down dozens of germans was an obvious choice. No need to spoil the story with facts. He was a man for his time. Britain was facing starvation, invasion, daily loss of life and destruction. They needed him and he needed them. The truth would have undermined that so it was ignored. The worst part to me is that the Poles and Czechs were the top scorers in the BoB and they were ignored. They were not even invited to march in the victory parade in '45 for fear of offending the Soviets, and naturally Bader led the flypast, to perpetuate the myth. I guess that's war for you.

[@gregnz1]

The Doolittle raid was a slap in the face to Japan, it was a psychological victory. :) Bader sure helped me when i had a motorbike accident and became a right arm amputee in 1987. :)

[@Rusty_Gold85]

The Japanese retribution For the Doolittle Raid was to the Chinese was shooting in the 10's of thousands of Village people where the US Pilots were helped after dropping in . The story you dont hear. Waving the Star and stripes is more important (sarcasm )

[@sblack48]

@@Rusty_Gold85 of course that story is heard. I am well aware of it. You say that is America’s fault? You’re insane

[@sblack48]

@King Royal so all those barges on the french coast and the attempt to wipe out the RAF were just for fun? You need to do some reading. Start with Speer.

[@sblack48]

@King Royal ah so we are trolling are we? Nothing better to do?

[@williamcran7950]

Saw him a few times during my time at RAF Bawtry 1967/8. He was friends with the A.O.C. We always said “Hello Sir!” when we saw him walking through the camp.

[@joopengeringh3263]

In 1961, I was 12 , we got in Holland English lessons in the school. In the book: Step by step again, was the story of Douglas Bader and his spitfire. Since that time I have a plastic Revell spitfire. Now I'm 71.

[@weewilliewinkle]

Douglas Bader's naturally abrasive nature may have made many people view him with a jaundiced eye, but perhaps we should make allowance for the fact that he had lost both legs and it is very possible that he suffered pain with them. I haven't had anything amputated but I do have arthritis in both legs and feet, from which I get constant pain, which painkillers make it possible to live with but do not subdue it altogether. My wife complains that I get a bit too testy for her liking at times. It strikes me that their may be an additional reason that Bader is being subjected to criticism. He was well known for being enthusiastically patriotic, which was perfectly normal in his lifetime, but which is vilified these days by those who wish to radically change the most basic nature of Britain's population and have in fact made a very substantial start on doing so since the 1950s. We can't have a true hero and a great patriot from very recent history being looked up by youngsters can we, they might start adopting his point of view, so something has to be highlighted to besmirch him in some way. Film making luvvies are quite adept at that sort of thing. And if a left winger can't win an argument with a right winger you might have noticed that they nearly always resort to personal abuse rather than concede whatever point is being debated.

[@vcolinc]

Paul Baker I agree with what you've said about the undermining of patriotism and national pride or affiliation, and the tactic of ad-hominem attacks by those who wish to destroy the cohesiveness of western society. However I get the sense that patriotism was not what motivated Douglas, but a vainglorious desire to compensate for a fundamental anguish at his core. I think it is self-evident that everything stems from the profound sense of hurt and inadequacy he must have felt because of the rejection by his mother. Douglas needed to somehow prove to himself that he was worthy of love and acceptance. His recklessness was very likely a death-wish borne out of a feeling of anger at the world, self-loathing, and a general attitude that nothing really mattered. As a coping mechanism, he created an arrogant and fearless persona who would be revered and admired by strangers, acquaintances or associates. These people would love him instead. Because the persona is not really him though, the adulation of strangers can never substitute for the one thing he actually wanted, the unconditional love from his mother for the real human being who he was. The real Douglas Bader was suppressed, and in his place, he substituted a character which he played. Just as people abuse drugs, to mask or cope with underlying problems, inevitably increasing the dosage in an attempt to keep the reemergent problems buried, so too would his escapades and persona need to escalate and become more outlandish in an attempt to suppress his self-doubts and thoughts about being unwanted and unworthy of his mother's love. These thoughts would have haunted him, and there would be no pleasant answers to the question of why his mother had rejected him. Hence all the over-compensation as a coping mechanism to quell these thoughts.

[@gosborg]

vcolinc are you by any chance a psychiatrist?

[@vcolinc]

@@gosborg No but I have noticed patterns with the upbringing of a lot of military and "driven" type of people.

[@vcolinc]

@Anthony Lalangley Our as in belonging to a country or nation? You could say "who cares" about anything, but people's lives, their actions and the motivations behind them I would say are probably the most important things to understand and be concerned with in this world.

[@gosborg]

vcolinc because I think your analysis was spot on.

[@BobFarnell]

He was My Hero When I was told I should not be working with a broken back I was not going to quit because I was Hurting

[@clivecro4971]

He walked through a life of hell. Totally rejected by his mother and father. Pushed from pillar to post and felt nothing of human compassion. He absolutely had no other choice but to become the person he was. For him, the cold stark reality of his future lay in believing in himself. Durring the period of the outbreak of WW2 the nation needed a man that was hell bent on winning and would suffer no fools in crafting that successful outcome. We all owe a great deal of gratitude to Sir Douglas Bader for clearing out any weakness or doubt in the people of our nation and to lead by example, at the sharp end and to show that we could win and beat our adversaries no question, with out doubt. Better we have our own ruthless, blood thirsty devilish individual and a leader of men and women, than to be a nation of devils. My tribute to the man starts with the people who loved him and pores scorn on those few who either misunderstood him or whom he felt needed a wake up call. He survived single handedly with very little in the way of support from a family who rejected him and for that I will always hold him in the highest regard. His ego, as large as it was, carried away with it so many doubts from within the people around him. They may not of liked his methods but his medicine without doubt worked as he proved after the war when he travelled all over the world supporting those who had lost limbs and to whom he brought hope and that they too must never, never, never give up.

[@clivecro4971]

Sir Douglas Bader did have empathy with in him for sure, his men loved him but at that time given the circumstances he had to guard it close to his chest as it was seen to be a weakness in his circle. He was a product of his environment and war on this scale was truly chilling and I'm sure it had a terrifying affect on everyone durring this period. Everyone handled it in their own way and this was his mechanism for doing just that. Mick Mannocks war was a completely different theatre as it was more of a war of attrition and although still terrifying it was mostly fought on the front with not much prospect of it ending up on our streets and in our homes. The second world war however became a truly mechanised war which ment it moved much quicker and on many different fronts. This was Sir Douglas Baders biggest virtue in this conflict, he was impatient and could see that our old system of bureaucratic processes would be our downfall. If everyone was a reasonable person not much would be achieved for we all owe our gratitude to some of the most unreasonable people who fort for change.

[@clivecro4971]

That's my point. He became a product of his environment which was the polar opposite to the environment that Mannock grew up in in his early years. You really can't compare these two men as they were from completely different strands of society. Both how ever killed other human beings and both felt compelled to survive at what ever cost so I can't see what your point is. Was it that Sir Douglas Bader was a more ruthless human being or that Mannock was kinder doing it.

[@stokey50]

Dowding and Park were the hero's, mallory made the bullets for bader to fire thank god they never got control till the battle of britain was over

[@17leeward]

My father-in-law when he first joined the RAF in the 50's was one of the airmen who were regularly sent to do his gardening for him.They all hated it and him. He treated them with utter contempt.

[@brendonrutherford5118]

Of course they hated him simply because it is a known fact that he was a typical ARSEHOLE & carried on like one most of the time!! There is more than enough written info out there to absolutely confirm beyond any reasonable doubt that "bader" (no capital needed) was exactly that, plain & simple an arsehole!!

[@Mrbluesplayer43]

Great Documentary. really enjoyed watching this.

[@drewwhite8549]

he flight tested and corrected the under armed spitfire,cause it was Douglas the spitfire got an extra MG in each wing....made it deadly and feared...in Southampton we are so proud of a sound like no other...the rolls Royce merlin engine is a sound to cherish....

[@blowingfree6928]

Completely untrue. Where did you hear that nonsense? The Spitfire I and II was armed with eight 303 machine guns before DB ever clapped eyes on a Spit'. With eight machine guns, pilots would often empty all of their ammunition into a bomber without bringing it down as the 303 MGs could not cause sufficient damage. Cannon was needed. What is true however, is that when the Spitfire Vb came along armed with two 20mm cannon and four machine guns (far superior to eight machine guns) DB refused to have one as he erroneously considered eight machine guns to be better. Therefore he always flew a Spitfire Va (eight 303 MGs) while everyone else flew the Spitfire Vb.

[@derekstocker6661]

Some fabulous characters here, many with their own great stories and now sadly mostly gone but some have written books or are mentioned in books and were all part of the battle that was the Second World War. Excellent documentry.

[@carolking6355]

Excellent doc. I saw the film as a teenager with my school friend. I don’t remember much as my friend never stopped crying. Wish she was still alive . What a waste of tears. I can understand how hhe became that way. I too was at boarding school at 8. Unfortunately it really broke me. No one at that age could remain undamaged one way or the other.

[@clonmore819]

I met Bader once about 1971, he played golf with my former Headmaster in Berkshire. He was a great sportsman and was held in high regard. The school made it clear to the boys he was a tricky man and to be seen but not heard. He was a man who wouldn't recognise Britain today. Sad really. Just listen to the educated voices of those former pilots in this programme.

[@beachboy13600]

He used to drink in my grandads pub, he was the only man that came in legless.

[@beachboy13600]

My Grandad said he was a twat, and he would know.

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

@@beachboy13600 Strangely enough I can tell from the few words you've typed that you also are a complete twat, but unlike Bader, you have done utterly fuck all of note with your life apart from write sh!t in comment sections.

[@radmally2884]

The world's first pilot who flew a plane with leg prothesis was the Romanian (I'm too) Gheorghe Banciulescu. Bader was the second.

[@clairebutler4917]

I would like to clarify that this man only had his feet amputated whereas Bader had lost both his legs. No man in Bader's position had ever walked without crutches, it wasnt believed possible, let alone fly a plane.

[@jpdp5114]

Ok no one asked

[@neilpemberton5523]

@@jpdp5114 You didn't, you mean. Thanks for posting your own little tribute to Bader 😉

[@darkknight1340]

Baders eagerness to promote the "big wing",which engendered the support of 12 group commander Trafford Leigh Mallory,was somewhat instrumental in leading to the downfall of Air chief marshall Dowding,the only architect of a major victory to be castigated by his peers simply for being right,his handling of fighter command during the battle of Britain was masterful.

[@garthmcgearty7756]

Actually it was AVM Keith Park who did that with Dowdings support

[@hmax1591]

just 5 minutes into this documentary and I can see why this mas was the way he was.

[@EggchaserNZ]

Vice Admiral Keith Park a New Zealander was the sole person responsible for leading the aerial defence of Britain. Dowding only created the infrastructure and vision - Park executed it and led the co-ordinated defence. Britain would of fallen if Park had failed this task. Look it up, it’s part of history.

[@neilpemberton5523]

@@EggchaserNZ This Aussie agrees with you wholeheartedly except when you say Dowding 'only' created the system for defence. That's like saying Mitchell 'only' designed the Spitfire. 'The Dowding System' was a milestone in defence networks. He created something brilliant and original which will keep his name alive forever.

[@vinny9708]

Thank you Douglas and your kind

[@ZZstaff]

Outstanding. Decades ago a friend of mine gave me a book, Douglas' biography. I had been a pilot and felt that was to much for me to accept, however, he insisted, I cherish it to this day because it is history and a story about an extraordinary man that had at faults, as we all have faults of some kind. Some years later I met a former RAF pilot and flew with him. He told me that he knew Sir Douglas, but did not like his mannerism, cocky so to speak.

[@alansimmons9621]

My Uncle was an electrical engineer in the RAF after the war. He was also an occasional driver for Douglas Bader. He told me that he was a brave man certainly, but also an obnoxious, rude and very self opinionated man. He was never sad to see the back of him.

[@petermorris3665]

I heard exactly the same when I was in the RAF from a Cpl who refuelled Bader's aircraft once when he landed at RAF Abingdon. Said he was the rudest and most arrogant member of the Aircrew that he ever met.

[@mikeymikeFType]

My father was ground crew on Spits and Hurricanes joined in 1943 . He met Bader and he said exactly the same. They used to say he had more friends in Germany than he had here. A propaganda tool.

[@petermorris3665]

@Mira Ferriviario But there were many other heroes in the BofB who have gone down in history as not being arrogant and rude....

[@mikeymikeFType]

Mira Ferriviario . My father wasn’t privy to Bader’s past. He’d never got to read his biography funnily enough. How to bring the best out of a person..don’t talk to them like they were shit. That’s the lasting memory. My father was in the 2nd wave of the Normandy landings,went through France,Belgium,Holland..survived a V2 rocket hit in Holland . Hindsight is wonderful don’t you think..How you present yourself at the time , I don’t think my father would have cared that he had a shit upbringing,they all did.

[@shankarbalan3813]

Sadly most Geniuses or Super Brave Soldiers like Douglas Bader, tend to be terribly egoistic, with a sense of “entitlement” .... but see, he became a hero because of his sheer bloody “guts” and determination...

[@TheWelwyn21]

My relative was in the same pow camp as him and through him a lot of service men died because of him the German commander told if you try to escape we will stop giving treatment to wounded soldiers as threat he took no notice and or course the germans carried out their threat. Even the British commanding officers told him to stop

[@adrianlarkins7259]

I saw "Reach for the Sky" in 1956 aged 12 and DB was my hero from that moment on. Whilst he is still a hero, I have changed my opinion of him as a man. I agree with the comments made in this documentary. He was a self-opinionated pain in the arse. If anyone deserved a medal, it was his two wives.

[@thevillaaston7811]

I think you have got it about right.

[@andrewemery4272]

My Old Maths Master was at school with him. He agreed with you.

[@richardgoode5657]

Adrian Larkins A one man of a time as the country.

[@davidolie8392]

In my opinion, he had a lot in common with the current occupant of the White House. Talented, to a degree, but a malignant narcissist. Good for him it gave him the strength to recover from his injuries which he suffered while blatantly disregarding orders, something he would repeat through his service life. Oh, did I say "service"? The man never served anyone but himself and his ego.

[@carmelpule6954]

Before I comment I must say that it is well known that if one cares to think, he risks the possibility of offending others, but one needs to consider that hurting the sensitivity of other people is not as important as getting to know the real truth so others might learn. Political Correctness and euphemistic statements tend to blur the truth and many jump on that bandwagon for their success. In a war and in religions it is usual to give the title of Heroes and Saints to selected individuals so that others will be blinded and encouraged to go and fight and win medals on their chest and nice epitaphs on their graves. Even mothers are proud to send heir children with uniforms and rifles in their hands to be killed in a war for the parent's protection. I would say DB was a brat, an extrovert and a show off, when so young and it was definitely his own stupidity that caused him to suffer the loss of his legs. That was a great psychological asset to make him a artificial hero to blind others and he took the bait, but I cannot say much more about his character. He was used by the RAF so brilliantly as he fitted the "post" at the right time . His wives deserve to be called Heroes.

[@tonyfranklin8306]

I used to visit a lady through my charity and she actually bought one of Douglas Bader's cars (An Alvis coupe IIRC), she did so because she had damaged her leg badly in a bicycle accident as a child so needed a modified variant. She also had a bit of brass as Alvis's weren't cheap!

[@Martin-lp4yg]

your point is?

[@iancoyne3835]

@@Martin-lp4yg Proper attitude , for a keyboard warrior. If you've got nothing sensible to say then zip it

[@terrycarter4459]

It takes all sorts to win the war I am just pleased I am not speaking the German language because of the actions of all of these people. I thank my lucky stars for all of these pilots and my father and his brother who were both in Sherman tanks during the war and luckily both survived.

[@MartinKillips]

I met him almost weekly from 1969 for a few years when he played golf at Luffenham Heath Golf Course and I was eleven years old and a caddie. We knew who he was because of the film Reach For The Sky, which we'd all seen. He was a grouchy, cantankerous old man as far as us caddies were concerned. However, he wasn't snooty like the other members and he would talk to us. I didn't dislike him at all - but he wasn't easy to enjoy!

[@allymayful]

Interesting that an 11 yr old could suss him out for who he was, when so many adults were so offended by him. I think he would have been in constant pain with his stumps. Severe pain makes people very impatient.

[@allymayful]

@steve gale He was not the only competitive person to walk this planet.

[@MartinKillips]

@@allymayful I was a working class kid that was raised in a very rough household. Luffenham Heath Golf Club was (and remains to this day!) one of the most exclusive golf clubs in the whole of the UK. Its members were literally Lords and other gentry and heads of business empires. Importantly, it wasn't wealth that got you into Luffenham Heath, or at least, it wasn't 'new money'. Self made millionaires weren't welcome back then - they had to be born into wealth, be part of the establishment, have gone to the right schools or they'd be black balled. I caddied there from 1969 until the summer of 1976 - mostly for Lord Allerton, Lord Ancaster, Dr Jack Hunt (who owned half of Huntingdon!) and Anthony Everard (from Ellis & Everard, builder's merchants). When you work for people like that week in week out you develop an astuteness beyond your years - or at least I think I did! They all had their 'ways' and if you were a good caddie you figured them out and behaved accordingly. Mind you, in all the years I caddied for Lord Allerton and Lord Ancaster not once did I ever call them "M'Lord!" I couldn't bring myself to do it. It is perhaps not so ironic that I eventually left the UK and moved to Australia where there is no class system.

[@allymayful]

@@MartinKillips Just like my mum did! But she was born into a well todo family, cos of my very intelligent grandad's hard work. She adored him, but her mother, who's whole priority was to stay on the lower rung of the upperclass, drove my mother mad. She ended up buying 150 acres of thick bush, to clear for a farm, down near the Great Ocean Rd in Victoria, nr Pt Campbell. I had a childhood ruled by dairy cows and picking up sticks!!!! Often wondered if l may have had more in common with my UK family, ha, ha. Ironically l have just lost an Uncle, who was a very successful, highly renowned Solicitor for McMillion Publishing, P & O and Foodland, in London, from the coronavirus. That's been a bit of a leveler!!

[@allymayful]

@steve gale Would love to know which part of Victoria, and what was her family name. Your description of DB makes me think - born with ADHD, into an unempathetic family - no appropriate training - but still able to learn as they muddle thru life, and make a contribution to our world.

[@ianbuchan1793]

In 1967 I was in the ATC and one of the officers in charge was with Douglas Bader in a POW camp and stated that Bader was a trouble maker who made their lives a misery because of his antics

[@chrislye8912]

He was doing his duty, making life difficult for the enemy.

[@wordsmith52]

As regards his POW days: He probably felt that he could not be seen to be "doing nothing", given his rank, reputation and fame, and was thinking of the future too - his "enemies" would probably have said something like: "Oh he did nothing as a POW and just wanted a soft life - a hypocrite, bluffer, charlatan etc etc ..." Apart from it being his duty to escape / hinder the enemy, he might have wondered what kind of work or living he would get if he forsook that huge reputation he had built up. Whatever his critics then or now might think, I don't think anyone could say he was a coward.

[@petej8556]

@Chris Lye. "Making life difficult for the enemy"? The only people he was making life difficult for was his fellow prisoners! Being the instigator & messing up the guards count then watching 2 friends get punished with 28 days solitary confinement when he gets nothing & not even apologising! Treating his batman like some sort of slave who's only duty in the world was to cater for his every whim! Foiling who knows how many escape plans because he couldn't go too! Yeah, all just harmless fun! I bet they all had great laughs about it! Oh, wait. No, that's right, they all clapped & cheered when he got transferred! I mean, that's pretty good going, to have fellow inmates hate him so much!

[@chrislye8912]

Pete J Bader wasn’t a nice bloke. He was a flawed character but a brave and ruthless warrior. He simply put the battle with the enemy before the comfort of the RAF PWs. He and 3 others tried to disrupt a parade and due to his tin legs he wasn’t caught and the other two were punished; one of them became his best friend. It is the duty of prisoners of war to disrupt and attempt to escape; he simply wasn’t afraid. He treated his bat man badly (his bat man volunteered for the job) and that was his nature, nobody is apologising for that. Although I served for 23 1/2 years in the Army, and in many conflicts, I have no frame of reference as a PW, I do know though it was (at the time) his duty to disrupt the en and attempt to escape. He was arrogant but fearless with a very selfish streak but that doesn’t make him any less a great leader, warrior and disruptor to the enemy. A measure of a leader is his his men feel about him and his pilots admired him greatly.

[@petej8556]

@Chris Lye. Well, obviously I didn't know him personally so I'm just going by what others have said, especially his fellow inmates. Things such as getting his batman on all fours while he sat on his back & made him gallop around while Badder had both arms outstretched making aeroplane noises & would chase people down making machine gun noises making them act like a shot down Messershmit. They also made a radio receiver & would huddle around at night listening to BBC news & English music. Badder would stand atop his bunk & using an empty tin for a mic start human beatboxing & MCing to the songs of the time (White Cliffs of Dover, We'll Meet Again, etc, etc). He would constantly be told to "keep it down" but never did & the guards found the radio & confiscated it. He then held Rap Battles but wouldn't let anyone else enter, incidentally he always won. He also organised Break Dancing competitions & he was the only Judge, he always won these too. There was also the slightly more disturbing practice of unscrewing his left testicle, (his genetalia being damaged in the accident & his left testicle being made of a titanium, magnesium, nickel, tin mix & his member having a brass helmet & alloy shaft with armour plating), anyway, he would take off the nut & place it in other inmates mouths, while they were asleep, then telling people that they were "sucking his nut's"! Technically true, but disturbing none the less.

[@darthslater6077]

Courage beyond courage this is the story of a REAL MAN!! A true Hero..they dont make em like that anymore!!

[@brentsummers7377]

Bader had a lot of people turn up for his 'This is your Life' tv show. This shows that a lot of people liked or at least respected him.

[@seansampson1927]

My dad was a veteran of ww2 fighting out of South Africa. Spent his time in Egypt and Italy. A fond memory with my dad was watching reach for the sky and him telling me the story of Mr Bader

[@andrewmonteith8794]

If i remember rightly Douglas Bader flew himself into RAF Swinderby in Feb 66 and took the passing out parade in which i was one, he stopped and asked me what i worked at before i joined up.

[@Martin-lp4yg]

my hero!

[@stewartcampbell7794]

Being an Aviator & Now Disabled I Truly Understand His & My Attitude ! [ It's all About Acceptance & Being Treated like an Outsider on the Fringe of Acceptance ].U Have to Fight for Acceptance & Worthiness Just to be Treated as a [ Lesser ] Equal ! Still to this Day - 2018. YYZ-Planker. Great Flic & Thank's .

[@davidbaker7617]

Howdy Stewart There was a Yank named Dick Grace who flew for the Navy in WW 1 and the Army in WW 11 broke his back doing stunts between the wars.He wrote a very inspiring auto biography called "Visability Unlimited"

[@stewartcampbell7794]

@@davidbaker7617 5 by 5 & will Comply , Thank's 4 the Head's Up ! YYZ , Mohawk-Planker ...BTW ; What's Up with WW Eleven - [ WW 11 or WW 2 ] , Luv'in U & what U Dou !

[@JohnThornley]

The right stuff. I can't imagine the hell he went through with the loss of his legs. I find him an inspiration.

[@RichardGMoss]

Like so many "heroes" legends grow up around them and get confused with fact.

[@gordontaylor5373]

@supernumery I love Reach for the Sky - it's a great movie.

[@benlewis2475]

He was a bit of a marmite character for sure. Loved by his inner circle but ruffled feathers above and below. Went to me school as did Guy Gibson who was also rather difficult. But bloody hell they made an impact.

[@None-zc5vg]

Kenneth More was an altogether better 'Bader'.

[@anthonyeaton5153]

When in Colditz Bader had a Batman, a L/Cpl who saw to all of Badar’s needs looking after his legs and helping to dress etc. In 1944 the Germans offered to repatriate the Batman but Badar refused his permission to go saying he is my flunky and he stays here with me. When liberation came the Batman hid Badar’s legs amongst the plethora jumble of belongings forcing Badar stump around asking to be carried etc. That story is in the public domain.

[@adriannoble9946]

My father was a POW with him. He didn't have a good word to say about him. He claimed he endangered other prisoners with his behaviour and prevented his sick batman from repatriation.

[@georgepollen7927]

True!

[@davidlorraine6515]

Not true. My father was Douglas Bader's roommate in Colditz, along with Peter Dollar, and viewed this ‘batman’ story as complete and utter b***s. It’s been distorted out of all proportion. With no legs, on the second floor of Colditz, Bader's need for a batman was beyond question, and that he must stay. He had asked to go with Bader to Colditz as a cushier number, which it was but, unlike other non-combatants, as he was caring for a disabled man his service was still needed. There was no question in anyone’s mind he had to stay and, just like millions of troops around the world he had to see out his duty. He knew what the answer would be if he had taken it up with the Senior British Officer, whose ultimate decision it was, not Bader’s. When they were repatriated at the end of the war no one believes the US Air Force would not let him bring a legendary RAF Wing Commanders tin legs back, and so his leaving Bader’s spare legs behind was viewed as a very petty act of spite. It is little wonder the two never spoke again. I very rarely heard my father speak ill of anyone but his low view of the carping batman was profane. My father too carried Bader up and down those stairs near as often and, as comrades doing what had to be done when sharing the rigours of war he, too, never had a please or thank you from Bader, nor expected one. Bader repaid his comrades hundredfold though. Few know of Bader's heroics in Colditz, of which I have my father's signed an affidavit. In ‘44-45 the prisoners were starving. Bader was allowed weekly paroled walks down into the town, with a guard and Peter Dollar or my father. They would hide sown up pyjama legs in Bader's legs and by bribery, or compassion of the townsfolk, these were filled with corn which Bader would smuggle back into the castle, a steep hill I can barely walk, yet he did it with his tin legs heavy with corn. Back in their room, the corn was divided up in equal shares to all the messes. Only after the mess officers had left would Peter Dollar and my father see how the corn would rub the grafted skin off his raw and bleeding stumps. He swore them to secrecy, he did not want anyone to know he was in agony every time he made the walk and, sleepless from pain after, he kept doing it. If he did not see pleases and thank you’s as part of soldiers doing their duty, nor did HE expect them when he was just doing his bit for starving comrades. As my father said, there were two sides to Bader, he could be frustrating, but also there was a supremely fine man - a better man than his batman perhaps.

[@ivanpennell7664]

I met him in 1978 at RAF Brawdy. I can't say I warmed to him but He was Douglas Badar. I can report Kenneth Moore had the walk off to perfection. My Father in Law was on the same Pathfinder Sqn as Guy Gibson and described a very similar character to what your Father says about Badar. No one was particularly troubled or surprised when Gibson failed to return, nor did they miss him. I tried to be affable and lead by cooperation and by and large managed quite well. I sleep well at night but I was not ever destined for high places. Those who are deal with the ever increasing pressure from above in many ways. Leadership is not a popularity contest. One of my bosses was a tyrant, But he was always like that and you knew exactly where you stood with him so it was ok dealing with him. There was no finer man to have in your corner when you needed him. My good friend once remarked. You know what the problem is with the armed forces ? Everyone gets promoted one rank too high. He was dead right we were all just winging it. Great comment. You should re paste it on the main page so everyone can see it without opening the tree.

[@Hokutenyu]

@@georgepollen7927 Furthermore, you or all people might get your facts straight, not that that has bothered you so far, it was the Senior British Officer who alone made all the decisions on who may go and who must stay, of course. It was the SBO who decided the batman must stay, obviously, and NOT Bader who merely passed the SBO's order on.

[@anthonyeaton5153]

The Batman told his story on TV

[@Sameoldfitup]

“Has it ever struck you that life is all memory, except for the one present moment that goes by you so quick you hardly catch it going?”― Tennessee Williams............

[@kawarthaohio5507]

Sir Douglas Bader was a complicated individual and full of contradictions. He was a brave, skilled pilot who was also a savvy air tactician. He was a leader generally beloved by his pilots and cared greatly for them. Did he work wonders with 242 Squadron? Yes! Bader also mentored many pilots who went on to become great leaders themselves and who stayed friends with him after the war (Johnnie Johnson, for one). Bader was also brash, abrasive, capable of great rudeness, plus was egotistical and a martinet. On the other hand, his later work with amputees showed great empathy and kindness and he had endless energy and patience for this cause. Was his role in the battle of Britain overblown? Yes, but that was not his fault. After the war he came to realize that he had been manipulated by Leigh-Mallory in L-Ms conflict with Sir Keith Park (Commander of 11 group) whose job Leigh-Mallory wanted - and later got. As for Bader's "insubordination" - well that was a failure of leadership by Leigh-Mallory who allowed and encouraged the behaviour. Anyway, as for this documentary, I found it rather distasteful. For those interested in what I believe to be a more balanced view, the book "Bader: The Man and His Men" by Michael G. Burns is worth a read.

[@MarkHarrison733]

Bader was a vile far right racist, and he backed the wrong strategy for the Battle of Britain.

[@peterflitcroft9756]

Bader visited our grammar school in the 19 60's. With Johnny Johnson. He strutted in on his tin legs and called the headmaster 'The old Beak' He made quite an impression on the boys.

[@mscott3918]

@supernumery There is a story about him visiting a girls school to talk about the war. His language was colourful, so please excuse what I write. He said, ' There were fuckers below me and behind me.'. The headmistress said, somewhat concerned, 'There was of course a German plane called a Fokker.' Bader replied, 'I don't know about that, but these fuckers were flying messerschmits.'

[@allanmayger3275]

He and his wife flew in to Umtali during the early 60's to visit the new Feruka oil refinery. I think that he was in Shell. Our headmaster invited him to speak to us four or five hundred senior school boys. He had no trouble getting up on to the stage, and had us all in the palm of his hand. Very entertaining, and we all thought that he was marvellous. Confidence and character, and a man for the season.

[@Swaggerlot]

Over many years, I came to the conclusion that Bader basically excelled in being bloody awkward.

[@Haawser]

Yeah, I met him once at a local Fete, probably only a few years before he died. He was just as curmudgeonly as you would expect. Not in a nasty way but more 'these bloody seats are hard aren't they' and 'what's wrong with this bloody thing' when he hadn't turned on the microphone. Fabulous character. He gave out the prizes as the guest of honour.

[@brendonrutherford5118]

Never a truer word spoke except you forgot to add the last word & that word was "arsehole" as that is exactly what he was. Be reminded he wasn't the only pilot in the BOB fighting. The best thing that happened to Great Britain during the BOB was when this arrogant arsehole got shot down & he become a sheer & arrogant pain in the German's arse!!

[@simonpullen6536]

The debate about his character, to me, misses the point. We should be thankful for his service, both during the war, and afterwards in his tireless efforts for the handicapped and disabled.

[@jeremytravis360]

To true. I met him as a child. As a disabled person I am aware of his foundation that helps disabled people learn to fly.

[@brucerobson7173]

So all these people are lying ?

[@neilpemberton5523]

Reading Bob Stanford Tuck's biography is enlightening. According to it Tuck look an instant dislike to Bader when they first met, and later on the two had at least one shouting argument in front of a superior officer. I wonder what Sailor Malan thought of Bader?

[@bruceross9521]

too true, but as Tuck said ..If he (Bader) wasn't so obstinate, he would not be here ...

[@BenLewis-ni1zb]

I believe I have read an account somewhere of Malan and Bader also having a blazing row. Some say the reason for Park and Dowdings removal after the Battle was in some part due to Baders interference. A brave, complex man. At least his wife says- you loved him or loathed him!

[@simonscott1000]

Baders treatment of his batman during his time and Colditz, and the way Bader left the castle against orders sums him up.

[@sp10sn]

Mum brought his autobiography home from the library for me when I was about nine, going on ten. It had a tremendous impact on me.

[@brendonrutherford5118]

Nothing wrong with your Mom bringing home a library book for you to read about the war except & with respect to you dear Mother, she accidently gave you the wrong book to read as "bader's book" (no capital necessary) was all about him & the wonderful exploits that he alone accomplished that nobody else in the whole of the British Commonwealth could have achieved!! (yeah right) What I'm saying is in effect that simply put he was an arsehole beyond any doubt whatsoever!! There is far more bad press out in the real world & about this horrible little man than there is positive things being said or could even be said in all truthfulness!!

[@madgeordie4469]

Douglas Bader was not a nice person. According to his biography most people thought that he was an absolute bastard. Paradoxically, he was just what Britain needed at the time. People who are appalling in peacetime often become outstanding leaders and truly inspiring individuals in wartime. Bader was an excellent example of this. Very capable, cast iron bastards, infused of a sense of invulnerability make charismatic leaders. I'm just glad he was on our side.

[@pauldirac808]

Guy Gibson was also a hard charging s o b . When at war you need men like these . Ps his black Labrador was called nigger. Not very p c .

[@judithmatthews8460]

My father who I never heard say a harsh word about anybody worked with Bader. He had a major row with him because he refused to agree the weather was safe to fly. Bader was reckless and was willing to risk the lives of his men but my Dad wouldn't allow it. He called him a real bastard. He also said he was arrogant and class conscious which made him hated by the New Zealanders my father worked with. He undermined the real saviour of Britain in the battle of Britain New Zealander Keith Park and pushed his own theory which was later proved to be a disaster. But the RAF full of the old boy network backed him up and only years later was Park recognised for his ability.

[@galoon]

@@judithmatthews8460 I completely agree; Air Vice Marshal Keith Park was the real man of the hour in the summer of 1940, along with Dowding and Lord Beaverbrook.

[@Martin-lp4yg]

@@pauldirac808 dont think PC existed in the 40's lol...shows you what these upper class fucks are all about....don't trust any of these twats...just coz they sound all nice..scratch the surface and they are nasty as fuck....bit like Nazis with a posh accent..fuck em all

[@zxingzxing]

Excellent Documentary

[@davidlorraine6515]

Its an appalling documentary, a total cheap shot hatchet job

[@zxingzxing]

I suppose any documentary can be improved but it always comes down to a budget, need I say anymore ?

[@robinchamberlain3887]

I love how people who never knew the man, have so many negative things to say about him, I’m sure he could be difficult,but so many great leaders were, that’s what makes them leaders.

[@christopher480]

No different then Monty, all ego.

[@frankwarden5146]

Robin, apparently these men knew him. Their “negative things” are from personal experience.

[@kenfisher803]

I'm 71 and need two knee's can't feel sorry for myself though he's an inspiration probably won't get new knees for a long time because of the virus

[@neilpemberton5523]

The best leaders put their men first. That doesn't sound like Bader. If you want an ideal of a leader try Sailor Malan.

[@stuartpeskett1514]

A great pilot indeed, but I have been told by a Spitfire armourer who worked for him that he was a very unpleasant man to deal with and was no better than many brave pilots overall.

[@stormywindmill]

I have met a couple of guys who had crossed his path during WW2.Sounds like he was an Arse crawler to those above him and a total shit to those of lower rank.

[@JasonUmbrellabird]

@@stormywindmill Similar story from my wife who's grandad was Maurice Wilbraham sandfor Robinson 73 Sq leader

[@DidMyGrandfatherMakeThis]

Yeah and you go back to people grousing about how Nelson was a total fop who cared less for duty than for actively shirking his duty and chasing some fanny. The fact is if you dig deep enough every one of us, hero or not, is a fraud. But then we were not there and therefore cannot know for sure save for the opinions passed down.

[@brendonrutherford5118]

Get it it right!! he was a fuckn arsehole & people should see & view him for the way that he treated other lesser mortals & especially lower service ranks!! He was so far up his own arsehole that he couldn't go any further!! Him & that other obnoxious creep of an arsehole (Leigh Mallory) made a good pair as they shit in one another's pockets with sheer consumate ease!! Purely from a pilots perspective he was no better than most of the other guys around him & in fact there were heaps of far better & superior pilots flying than this mere swan-off little runt of an arsehole!! Read about the real Douglas Bader & how he treated other people & not all the totally over the top bullshit that so many people actually believe!!

[@fifthbusiness1678]

Yeah ... secondhand news is so reliable.

[@jeffsmith2022]

I dont know what kind of a man he was in real life,but I read the book "Reach for the Sky" when I was a kid and it made quite a good impression on me at the time...

[@jeffsmith2022]

Have no wish to...

[@SpeccyMan]

I also read it and I also read "I flew for the Fuhrer" by Heinz Knoke. Both good reads from different perspectives.

[@essexpeter6116]

Some interesting comments from fellow viewers. I saw the film Reach for the Sky as a child and like many was engrossed by the heroic Bader. The subject of Bader came up at school one day with a fellow pupil. His father had been sergeant in the RAF on ground crew on the same base as Bader. Apparently he was a complete bully and bastard to the ground crew and noncommissioned serving men. There will always be different views on the famous but most of the documentary gives it away. The most salient summation was the retired officer who described Bader as lacking imagination. That appears to be coupled with a massive ego that nearly killed him on more than one occasion. I suppose his propaganda value was immense in the early days of the war and his encouragement of others with disability post war cannot be disputed. Another point is that he and his fellow double amputee wartime pilot Colin Hodgkinson would have been unlikely to have had the rehabilitation and career pathways with perhaps more humble backgrounds.

[@NigelCopy]

Interestingly Hodgkinson was also viewed as a difficult child

[@derekstocker6661]

Well done mentioning Colin Hodgkinson, a man far too often in the background.

[@workingguy6666]

@@NigelCopy Which makes me start wondering if Bader's mother saw signs, or outright actions, in him that made her reject him out of protecting her other child.

[@NigelCopy]

Working Guy I guess we will never know. But in Paul Brickhill’s bio of Bader the inference was that the bad influence was from the older brother Frederick, who was killed in a mining accident in the early 1930s. Maybe it was mutual. They were more or less fatherless from a fairly young age, maybe that was part of the problem. Certainly they were tearaways

[@Martin-lp4yg]

@@NigelCopy not everyone from shitty backgrounds turns out to be an arrogant selfish prick tho...just another excuse...fuck bader!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@paddypup1836]

Tubby makes a good point, it must have been very difficult to confirm a legit kill in the air unless you have a wingman to confirm. Mabye a bullshitter but he got up in the air to face death. Whatever any of you think that is a form of bravery we seldom possess

[@benlewis2475]

I suspect he did over claim early on. Probably excitability rather than anything else. Just assumed it was down. Probably says a bit about his ego too.

[@Martin-lp4yg]

arrogant upper class wankstain!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@paddypup1836]

@@josadams4673 good information

[@malahammer]

I worked in the Aviation museum in Dublin Airport in 1975. It was 20p to get in and one day there was this arrogant old Brit demanding to get in for free, he rubbed me up the wrong way - so I looked for the 20p and he walked away. I found out the next day it was Bader. I did regret it though!

[@Martin-lp4yg]

why...he sounds like a tosser!!!!!!!!!!!

[@susi-emily]

My grandma was at RAF Duxford in 1940 when Bader rejoined the RAF. She witnessed him slipping on the highly polished floor of the Mess Hall and falling flat on his backside. He turned the air blue with his cursing.

[@eternelretour6380]

Un véritable héros

[@ZZstaff]

By the way, the film makes the viewer believe that Bader was directly responsible for the big wing. That is false, Bader did not come up with the idea however he was a great proponent of the big wing after he learned about it, and I suspect that he felt it would allow him to be in more combat. Also, one of the things not pointed out in this video is that, some years after the WWII, a news agent wanted Douglas to speak about the greatness of the English fighter pilots during the Battle of Briton, Douglas responded that the people on the ground that absorbed German bombs, put out fires, rescued people, and others that worked to help the general populace of SE England were just as brave and just as much earned honor during that period as did the fighter pilots, and it was not just the pilots that should be remembered. That is a side of Douglas Bader that should be provided in order to have a broader picture of this imperfect man. I fully understand what it is like to be lead by military officers that, to put it mildly, were seriously lacking in their people skills, let alone have empathy, or despite being highly educated were clueless as to how to command the unit they were in charge of. Those were frustrating times. Thank you for this video.

[@kam70111]

A name from history.

[@andrewclark891]

My father met him, when he was doing his NS, he described Bader as being very rude and unpleasant

[@andyallen7437]

Not the first time I've read that about the man , all makes for a very interesting story though

[@andydunn5673]

Good I’m pleased this has been put into context I have been to Colditz and fantastic Any bikers want a reason for this is it. They make little of it here British officers do not leave their Batman behind.....!

[@bader810]

Im so proud my name is bader Godbless this legend.

[@bader810]

Ok im not a weird guy talking to myself theres a guy was here

[@davideddy2672]

Great German name ...

[@gordontaylor5373]

Are you a relative of Douglas Bader?

[@bader810]

@@gordontaylor5373 yeah why.?

[@Martin-lp4yg]

im so proud mine isnt...they royal family are not exactly 100% english either...mount batten?? think its battenburg....nice translation...doesnt matter what his surname is...hes a nob end

[@williamlambert1711]

Douglas Bader 22 aerial victories. Erich Hartmann 352 aerial victories.

[@Chopper861]

he had no legs tho

[@Chopper861]

had a trigger finger

[@paulsmith5218]

It’s hard to shoot down enemies when you spend four years in a prisoner of war camp.

[@anthonyeaton5153]

Bader had about 10 kills.

[@neilpemberton5523]

The Germans had a totally different system of handling their pilots. An "experte" Luftwaffe pilot was expected to shoot down every enemy plane he could until killed. By contrast, RAF squadron leaders watched over and mentored their men, and shot down enemy planes while doing so. The German system created aces with hundreds of kills on the Eastern Front in particular, where Hartmann spent the war shooting down the inferior pilots the Russian system produced. Obviously, the Germans lost the war in spite of their amazingly high individual scores.

[@kevomorego1211]

William Lambert's figures are misleading. Firstly the German squadron commander had the automatic right to first shots at a target and secondly they also counted aircraft destroyed on the ground, in France, Poland and Russia these ran into thousands, whereas the British did not.

[@stevengrotte2987]

I read thge book about/by Douglas Bader in 1962 & I have seen several movies of him.

[@Rizzbulla]

I love your videos George.

[@georgepollen7927]

Thanks GP

[@ianwilkinson4602]

He looks an arrogant SOB, but what a SOB, a legend in his own lifetime, and it goes on until this day. But in saying that, he was not the only one, all allied pilots lost, forgotten and remembered saved our bacon in the early days of the battle of Britain, bless you all.

[@aliacoms6014]

His and Leigh Mallory"s meddling with tactics during the Battle of Britain was tantamount to sabotage in my humble opinion.

[@rogerpattube]

"Bader was known, at times, to be head-strong, blunt and unsophisticated when he made his opinion known. [After the war] During one visit to Munich, Germany, as a guest of Adolf Galland, he walked into a room full of ex-Luftwaffe pilots and said, "My God, I had no idea we left so many of you bastards alive!"". Wikipedia

[@alandickson7991]

That comment would have to be a joke! I bet the Germans laughed.

[@SFlightline]

At least he didnt pull a gun and finish a few more off... The probables to confirmed!!

[@sirbader1]

Either way, Bader was OG.

[@bruceruttan60]

This sort of feigned bluster was common among fighter pilots.

[@davidviner4932]

Brilliant joke! Love it, I bet he lit his pipe and winked at them 😉

[@stormywindmill]

A long time ago an ex RAF chap told me he was standing with a group of men on an operational airfield .Bader was there when a dog was seen running across the grass runway . Bader shouted for someone to get that dog . No one moved quick enough . Bader got into a vehicle chased down the dog ran over and killed it .I suppose that's what it takes to be a fearless ruthless leader of men ! Hmmmmmm.

[@JimWalsh-rl5dj]

I too have heard that story, having met him, I believe it!

[@andrewwebb-trezzi2422]

supernumery at the end of the day, we owe that man and every other man who served our freedom. Never wish death on anybody, especially a man who for all we know changed the course of history through his actions during the war. Good man, bad man, either way a bad personality doesn’t take away from his heroic actions.

[@clairebutler4917]

@Graeme John It depends which documentary and what books you read, do your research before coming to conclusions. Many people looked up to Bader, he gave people hope during wartime. After he lost his legs he dedicated his time to visiting other amputees and giving them hope that their injuries didnt mean their life was over. You should read Reach for the Sky to get a more well-rounded view, he did more good than I can possibly write here.

[@clairebutler4917]

@Graeme John This documentary does frame him that way but it gives an unjust one-sided view. I've done a lot of research on Bader and agree that at times his strong-headedness could be a bloody pain in the arse but that's who he was and the good outweighs the bad and he was and still is a hero to many

[@brendonrutherford5118]

I don't know about what it takes to be a fearless ruthless leader of men but you can bet your bottom pound note that Bader was just an arrogant vertically disadvantaged arsehole of a man & certainly a man not worth while looking up to. He loved that english bullshit class system which unfortuantely still permeates the atmosphere in today's world & consequently still smells like the same ole dog shit that it really & totally represents!!

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

I've long understood that Douglas Bader has always been talked of as being overbearing and a bully. Traits that make the person unbearable to know, but at the same time traits which can contribute towards an aggresive fighting attitude which saw him recover from his injuries and resolve to get back in the air as an effective (though far too outspoken) wartime pilot. In other words traits that can be seen as positive in wartime, but nasty and unwarranted in peace. There is NO shortage of excellent brave soldiers who have MAJOR personality defects such as psychopathy & sadism in peacetime.

[@gordontaylor5373]

I've read that he could be aggressive and a bully.

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

@@gordontaylor5373 Absolutely, apparently his treatment of his personal "batman" during his time at Colditz was DREADFUL. But on the other hand he was a driven disability charity worker after his retirement. Singlemindedness is both a blessing and a curse.

[@garysymons410]

When I heard Baders accent it was definitly upper class , and he probably thought his aircraft maintenance crews of a lower class sort" that needed harsh treatment" and the fact that the pilots faced death in the sky . England did have a class system like most countries at that time, but it shows that even heroes have their character flaws .I used to be an aircraft mechanic circa 1962

[@None-zc5vg]

Britain has a class-system now, same as always: the 'lower orders' seem to love it.

[@duncancallum]

@@None-zc5vg You mean English people love it , not the rest of the UK folks .

[@None-zc5vg]

@@duncancallum I think it's still powerful in Scotland, too, in spite of the efforts of the SNP and their backers.

[@duncancallum]

@@None-zc5vg How many Tories are voted in Parliament in Scotland pray tell me .

[@None-zc5vg]

@@duncancallum Look at how many Scots voted for Alex, Nicola and co., but they still didn't go for independence when given a vote. As for the class system in England, I don't believe most people love it, but there's no way that they can act to overturn it if they're minded to, either politically or by direct (& drastic) action.

[@flynnterry9848]

It seems to me he was a no nonsense man , and probably needed men like him, no one is perfect. But what a great man. And l salute him.

[@JamesRichards-mj9kw]

For admiring Nazi war criminals?

[@sinisasladojevic7065]

George. Such a man should be a role model for young people

[@andrewclark891]

Mum served in very Hush Hush role's in the RAF, and has never said a word

[@andrewclark891]

Conversely my mother, met and served with the other ww2 RAF heroes, and found them polite and courteous

[@kevinhoughton9134]

He was simply an egotistical, fearless leader, with an iron will and tremendous courage. He may have been from a privileged background, but he was someone you would have wanted with you in a battle for sure.

[@NigelCopy]

Privileged in some ways, but impoverished in others.

[@brassedoff2437]

Plainly a complex character, driven from a young age by his difficult upbringing, in the right circumstances inspirational, but in the wrong circumstances difficult and rude. Those that want to just see the bad side of him should really try and balance that out with the good side - for instance his work for the disabled after the war, which was brilliant. He was a product of his time and situation - and undoubtedly did a lot to raise morale in his various roles in the RAF as well as upset a few people as well. Simply accusing him or abusing him as some seem to delight in doing, is just showing one side of it.

[@TorontoJediMaster]

In many ways he's very similar to Wing Commander Guy Gibson. Both had rather emotionally difficult childhoods. Both found their place in the RAF. Both were very arrogant and simply rude. Yet, both were incredibly brave men who could inspire others. I wonder if Gibson's personality would have mellowed if he'd survived the war and lived into old age like Bader did.

[@anridapu]

Brassed Off Fair comment👍

[@gordontaylor5373]

@@TorontoJediMaster Bader was 72 when he died - that's not old by the standards of these days - when people are often living to past 100.

[@Martin-lp4yg]

well i dont see many folk in this documentart sayin he was a likeable nice bloke! Everyone seems to be glad to see the back of this tosser....says it all

[@brassedoff2437]

@@Martin-lp4yg No, it shows - like you - that people jump on to the bandwagon of abusing him too readily, without really knowing him.

[@imapaine-diaz4451]

My Father in law, A group captain in the RAF knew douglas Bader. He told my wife that such men as Bader wouldn't be ignored or overlooked in any gathering or event. they were destined to be remembered, either for being heros, or being hung!

[@robertfindlay2325]

A slow roll at 50 feet is not reckless; it is sheer stupidity when one considers aerodynamics.Such a roll will inevitably cause a loss of altitude. Pride and braggadacio can never defeat physics.

[@None-zc5vg]

Also see " 'Bud' Holland ".