Group Commander Doug Bader

Douglas Bader
body type: Ork
marital status: married, wife Thelma Edwards
aerial victories: 20 kills, 4 shared, 7 probables, 11 damaged
callsign: Dogsbody
type flown: Hurricane, Spitfire

Meet Group Commander Douglas Robert Steuart Bader. Three words describe him better than anything: "bloody war hero". Truth is - he is a hero, one of the few pilots in the world who flew with prosthetic legs and became an ace. 

Bader enrolled into RAF in 1928 and established himself as as young charismatic skilled and aggressive pilot. His training squadron was characterised by more laid back approach to discipline, otherwise he would not make it through training with his dangerous stunts in the air and pranks on the ground. Despite this he came second best in his class. However, several months later he crashed his airplane and was rushed to hospital where doctors had to amputate his legs in order to save his life. Subsequently he was retired from RAF, but returned in 1939 as war broke out, and turned down all offers of a desk job. 

With helpful recommendation from Air Vice-Marshal Halahan he passed medical tests and reported again to Central Flying School in October 1939. His old friend Squadron Leader Rupert Leigh tested his flying skills and Bader made a solo flight in Avro Tutor on November 27, 1939, eight years after his accident. Once airborne, he could not resist the temptation to turn the biplane upside down at 600 feet (180 m) inside the circuit area, just as he did eight years ago. 

With the war on, his flying career moved along rapidly: Flying Officer with No 19 Sqn in Feb. 1940, Flight Lieutenant with 222 Spitfire Sqn in April, and his first combat in 31 May 1940 over beaches of Dunkirk. During patrol he shot down a Me 109, but got separated from the group in combat. He successfully navigated to his base and on same day shot down He 111.

In June 1940, Bader was given command of No. 242 Squadron mostly comprised of Canadians. Unit was in shambles, as morale was low, 18 Hurricanes lacked spare parts and pilots lacked initiative. Their first impression, that legless Bader would lead them from the desk was quickly dispelled as Bader took off in Hurricane and performed aerobatics for half and hour over Coltishall, where unit was based. Then he sacked two flight leaders, who in his view were not adequate and aggressive. His biggest battle against supply bureaucracy of RAF, was won after he refused to announce his squadron as operational until its lack of tools and spares was rectified. Within 24 hours, 242 Squadron had all the tools and spares it needed. Despite initial resistance, Bader's personality, leadership skills, uncompromising attitude toward pilots and ground crew members made 242 squadron into a tight, tough and highly successful unit.    

As Battle of Britain progressed he became convinced that large formation of fighters (three to six squadrons) attacking German raids is a key to succeed. This tactics, Big Wing, as opposed to a "hit-n-run tactics" gave a bigger chance of survival to RAF pilots, promised a bigger kill ratio against enemy but required a longer time to arrive to target and assemble. Big Wing, remains a point of heated debate to this date, but regardless of opinions, Bader formulated and battle tested this formation in RAF.        

Distinguished
Service Order

With Battle of the Britain concluded, Douglas Bader was awarded Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for gallantry and leadership of the highest order. In May 1941 he was assigned to lead "Tangmere Wing" consisting of three Spitfire and one Bristol Blenheim squadrons. Wing was assigned a task of aerial attacks against German airfield and other targets in Northern France. While commanding "Tangmere", he implemented a "finger four" formation instead of unwieldy Vic formation of three planes. "Finger four", became a standard for RAF and USAF and allowed better cohesion, flexibility and firepower. 

Distinguished Flying Cross 

However mission over occupied France, were much more risky than in defence of blighty, and on 9th August 1941 he was shot down (other sources imply friendly fire), and was captured by Germans. One of the first things he asked from astonished captors, was if they could fetch his legs he lost in the parachute jump. Though he spent most of the war in Colditz, German high security prison for POW, he made three attempts to escape and befriended German ace Adolf Galland (on the way from Galland's Jagdgeschwader 26, Bader hid 3 compasses, various needles and tools in the chess gifted to him by Galland). Germans captors reported his staunch bravery and unbinding will which supported the spirit of his fellow countrymen.  

Bader's Hurricane Mk I,
No 242 Sq,
LE-D V7467,
September 1940.
 Personal emblem: 'kicked off Hitler'

After the war ended he was leading a a Tangmere flight school where he was promoted to captain. Later he led the 11th RAF Group at North Weald. However he felt that this would be an anti climatic end to after his war glory, and he left RAF for Shell Oil Aviation and travelled across the world with his wife Thelma.  

As our story starts, in February 1947, Douglas Bader receives a phone call offering him to serve the King and Country one more time. Perhaps not in a manner he would find unusual, but definitely not in the company of familiar faces.   

      

more on Douglas Bader:
http://www.elknet.pl/acestory/bader/bader.htm
http://acepilots.com/british/bader.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Bader