Bader, Sir Douglas (1910-1982), was one of the leading British airmen in the World War II Battle of Britain (1940) (see Britain, Battle of ). Bader was born on Feb. 21, 1910, in London and named Douglas Robert Steuart Bader. He was commissioned as an officer in the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1930. In 1931, he lost both legs as a result of a flying accident and left the RAF. He learned to use artificial limbs and regained his flying skill. Bader rejoined the RAF in 1939 and became commander of the Canadian Fighter Squadron. Both as a flier and as a planner, he contributed to the British success in the Battle of Britain. In 1941, the Germans captured him in northern France after he collided with an enemy aircraft. Bader was knighted in 1976. He died on Sept. 4, 1982.
