Douglas Bader
 

I stumbled across this last night on YouTube.................

"This Is Your Life - Douglas Bader" - first aired, I believe, in Mar 82.

I had not seen it before - if you haven't, you might enjoy it.

That was shortly after he was involved in an 'infringement' occurence after departing Redhill in GAPUB which, as he was a CAA board member at the time, we were told 'forget it, it never happened' after both Farnborough and Gatwick had filled in the necessary forms.

An all star cast
Sir Denis Crowley-Milling
Sir Harry Broadhurst
Dame Vera Lynn
Hugh Dundass
Johnny Johnson
Adolf Galland
Al Deere
Bob Stanford-Tuck

Not a nice chap

Not at all.

He went to the same school as Guy Gibson: another with the same character, although another old boy was Adrian Warburton who was the complete opposite. Warburton was idolised by his groundcrew but not that popular with the aircrew on his sqn on Malta because he took all the plumb jobs himself.

He fixed the sanitation? ;)

Agreed. Had the misfortune to meet him one September @ 1980. Got detailed to meet a visiting civvy aeroplane, (bats and chocks)... grumpy passenger got out "Airman... don't you know who I am?" "No, sir, should I?" "I am Group Cap SIR Douglas Bader..." at which point I was saved by the staish turning up.

Ttfn

Yes but did you get his sig on the paddle??

Perhaps he was trying to become a better "lead"-er.

I met him at the Battle of Britain Museum on his 70th birthday. I was subsequently sent a signed copy of his biography inscribed with best wishes for my flying training. Still got the book, though I have never read that copy.

So, if the Luftwaffe didn't shoot him down...

meleagertoo, you might care to read this thread: https://www.pprune.org/jet-blast/102...-has-died.html .

Your comments Sir, are crass in the extreme and I suggest that you gve your head a good wobble.

There were far better commanders within the RAF during WW2, than Bader. People such as Johnson, Cheshre and Conningham, whilst tough demanding commanders did not have the arrogance that Bader displayed. Other pilots such as Shannon, McCarthy and the incomperable Micky Martin (later as CinC RAF Germany) where as good as him if not better.. Bader was the author of his own misfortune by disobeying flying orders when he crashed his aircraft. He was indeed fortunate to be allowed back ontoflying duties at the start of WW2 and that was nluy by the fortunate chance that AVM Hallahan was the president fo the medical board.

A bit strong bruv…..I don't think anyone is denigrating his ability as an inspirational leader.

meleagertoo. Oh, and this too perhaps?

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...VJ4b8lrjZukIMX

I claim the thin distinction of having briefed Bader on the weather [Gatwick 1961] and Mickey Martin, who was Staish at Nicosia c. 1963.
And, name dropping, Sir Alan Campbell, and Sir John -[Everest] Hunt.

Bader was perfectly civil to a very nervous and wet behind the ears junior forecaster. Martin was a sweety, very well liked.

Just a thought. Leaders in war do not have to be nice, they have to be winners. The history books are full of winning sh1ts. Better than nice losers.

It can have no relevance to his status as a national inspiration and hero, wartime and after.

It was perhaps only his sheer bloody-minded determination to overcome adversity which saw him through. Certainly an inspiration to many at a time when the nation needed it. Lesser men would probably never had survived.

Anyone can have their moments of grumpiness and I don't doubt that Sir DB didn't suffer fools gladly. But that This is your Life programme certainly puts things into perspective.

He flew G-APUB at White Waltham and I was there as a UAS APO one day when he was seen driving his car right through the Chipmunk line. One of our Fg Off QFIs exclaimed "Who the ***k is that!", before ringing the security guard to have the car stopped at the gate whilst he made his way over to tell him off. But when he got there, Bader was politeness itself and apologised unreservedly "Awfully sorry, old boy - bit of a balls up on my behalf. Won't do it again!" All the QFI could do was to mumble "Thank you, Sir" and throw up a salute.

No, but I bet his "lacky" would take a different view.