Douglas Bader

Overview

Group Captain Sir Douglas Robert Steuart Bader was a Royal Air Force flying ace during the Second World War, who achieved great success despite loss of the lower part of both his legs after a 1931 air crash, one amputation above the knee and the other below the knee. Resuming flying in 1939 after being re-checked for his flying abilities, he became a front-line fighter leader. He was credited with 22 aerial victories, four shared victories, six probables, one shared probable and 11 enemy aircraft damaged.