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17/09/1965

Battle of Britain survivor Douglas Bader speak to interviewer Denis Touhy about his war experiences.He defends the attitude of young people who protest against wars and talks about the 1956 film Reach for the Sky, which tells his story.(1965)

15 minutes

Last on

Fri 17 Sep 1965 23:25

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Did You Know?

Douglas Bader got his RAF commission in 1930, but lost both his legs in a plane crash in 1931. However, within six months he was walking on artificial legs. He rejoined the RAF in 1939 and rose to command No 242 Squadron, the Canadian squadron based at Coltishall. He led this unit with great success throughout the Battle of Britain and by October 1940 had been awarded the DSO (Distinguished Service Order) and the DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross). By the end of the war he had been mentioned in dispatches three times, had an official tally of 23 enemy aircraft shot down and had been a prisoner of war in Colditz, from where he made numerous attempts to escape.

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WWII: The Battle of Britain Collection

Clips from this programme are online as part of the WWII: The Battle of Britain Collection