X-Nico

12 unusual facts about Douglas Bader


Barlow Trail

Barlow Trail is run roughly where the fifth meridian lies in the Dominion Land Survey; the road is named for Noel Barlow, a Calgarian who served as the ground crewman to Douglas Bader, a Royal Air Force flying ace in World War II.

Bristol Bulldog

Douglas Bader, better known for his Second World War actions, lost both of his legs when his Bristol Bulldog crashed while he was performing unauthorised Aerobatics at Woodley airfield near Reading.

Denis Crowley-Milling

The squadron moved to RAF Coltishall and Crowley-Milling flew as No. 2 to the new commanding officer Douglas Bader.

Keith Park

Leigh Mallory, already envious of Park for leading the key 11 Group while 12 Group was left to defend airfields, repeatedly failed to support 11 Group and his Big Wing (led by Douglas Bader) often ran amok through 11 Group airspace confusing the UK's defences.

London Victory Celebrations of 1946

This was followed by a fly-past of 300 aircraft, led by Douglas Bader.

Marilyn Gillies Carr

She appeared with Douglas Bader in the documentary film Two of a Kind in 1971, which contrasted his life as a double-leg amputee with hers as a person with no arms.

No. 242 Squadron RAF

It flew in many roles during its active service and it is also known for being the first squadron Douglas Bader commanded.

Patrick Jameson

After recovery at Gleneagles Hospital in Scotland, Jameson took command of No. 266 Squadron RAF in September 1940, as part of Douglas Bader's "Big Wing".

RAF Tangmere

Later in the war, as the RAF turned from defence to attack, the legendary Group Captain Douglas Bader – the legless fighter ace – commanded the Tangmere wing of Fighter Command.

Royal National Children's Foundation

The first JET chairman was wartime hero Group Captain Douglas Bader.

Sydney Tafler

He most commonly played spiv characters, one notable exception being the 1956 film Reach for the Sky in which he played the prosthetics expert to Douglas Bader.

Trafford Leigh-Mallory

Leigh-Mallory, on the other hand, had devised with Acting Squadron Leader Douglas Bader, a massed fighter formation known as the Big Wing, which they used, with little success, to hunt German bomber formations.


Digby, Lincolnshire

During the Second World War the station was home to Hurricane and Spitfire squadrons and to Douglas Bader, Guy Gibson, and poet John Gillespie Magee.

Melville, New Zealand

Many of the streets in Melville are named after war heroes, including Douglas Bader, Bernard Montgomery, Odette Hallowes, David Beatty and William Slim.

Peter Cadbury

The first time was to Benedicta Bruce in 1947 (with legendary Spitfire pilot Douglas Bader as best man), with whom he had a son and a daughter; the marriage ended in divorce in 1968.

RAF Martlesham Heath

Squadrons of Bristol Blenheim bombers, Hawker Hurricanes, Supermarine Spitfires and Hawker Typhoons operated from this airfield, and among the many pilots based there were such famous men as Robert Stanford Tuck, and Squadron Leader Douglas Bader, there as Commanding Officer of 242 Squadron.

Tangmere

As the RAF turned from defence to attack, the legendary Group Captain Douglas Bader – the legless fighter ace – commanded the Tangmere wing of Fighter Command.