War Heroes: Douglas Bader Part 2

By SUSAN BROCKER, Illustrator W.H. Anderson

In 1939, World War II began. The RAF was so short of trained pilots they had to let Douglas Bader fly again. he was given command of a fighter squadron that had lost many pilots. Morale among the men was low and, when they heard that their new leader was a man with no legs, it dropped further. But Douglas Bader's skill and courage gave them hope. Within a few weeks, he was leading a first-class flying team.

As squadron leader, Douglas Bader worked out clever fighting tactics. he taught his squadron to fly high into the sun to wait for German bombers. the blinding sunlight made them invisible to the enemy below.

In August, 1941, Douglas Bader had just shot down two German fighters over France when something hit his plane. The blow ripped the plane apart. As it plummeted towards the ground, he tried to climb out of the cockpit. One of his artificial legs was trapped! As the wind roared in his ears, he struggled, until at last the leg broke and he could parachute free. The ground rushed up to meet him.

Publisher: Shortland Publications, $8.95
Age: 10-12 years