Heroes come in all shapes and sizes for many the word has been overdone. However, there are some people who, for whatever reason, are an inspiration to others. People who refuse to give up, no matter what they come up against. People who are the eternal optimist.
Twenty one year old Douglas Bader's legs were amputated when he was injured when his RAF plane crashed in 1931. The wing clipped the ground as the young Douglas decided to perform a low level roll, as he approached his landing.
Douglas never gave up. He demanded some aluminum alloy artificial legs, (prosthese) and learned to drive a car, play tennis and golf and fly a plane, in spite of having no legs. Though discharged medically from the RAF, by 1939, Douglas was permitted to rejoin, after a seven year gap. World War II was in progress, and the country was in desperate need of pilots.
The indomitable and legless Bader was given the challenge to become the Acting Squadron Leader of the battle weary, demoralized 242 Hurricane Squadron. In their first major sortie they took down 12 German planes and never looked back. Bader quickly earned himself a reputation as an ace pilot and became the terror to the Germans. He was among the group of pilots who helped supply cover to the retreat of the British army, at Dunkirk.
Baden's luck ran out on Aug 9th, 194, when he bailed out of his plane, legless, over occupied France. He was captured by the Germans. He was recaptured again, after having managed to escape from a hospital unit and had his artificial legs confiscated. He was sent to the high security Colditz Prison, where he became an inspiration to the other prisoners, until his release in 1945. Bador was able to lead his men in a flypast, commemorating the end ofthe war world II, on September 15th 1945.
Baden survived the war and was not only awarded the DSO for extraordinary leadership, but also the DFC and the Legion D'Honneur and the Croix de Guerre. In 1976 Queen Elizabeth knighted Baden for the service he had given to amputees.
Baden became a legend in his own lifetime with advice like, "Never, never make them persuade you that things are too difficult, or impossible. Don't listen to any one who tells you that you can’t do this or that. Have a go for everything".
His life was immortalized in the British biographical film, 'Reach For The Sky', which starred the well known English actor, Kenneth as Douglas. The film strove to teach that problems are merely something to be resolved and that challenges are simply Blue Moon (once in a lifetime) Opportunities to grow. The film won the BAFTA Award for Best British Film of 1956. Captain Bader died in 1982.
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