Reach for the Skies – Sir Douglas Bader (1910-1982) was. WWII fighter ace who flew Spitfires and Hurricanes against the German Luftwaffe onslaught early on in the hostilities. However he’d lost both legs ten years prior and was not recommended for flying duties. Being very impressionable, with Air Command and a lack of skilled pilots he was recommissioned into the RAF. He flew over Dunkirk and in the Battle of Britain (One of The Few). However he had to bail out over France in August 1941, was captured, and spent the remaining part of the War imprisoned at the infamous Colditz Castle. As was required of RAF POW’s he continually attempted to escape. He was threatened with confiscation of his prosthetic legs. Very much a traditionalist conservative on many issues; he’s still considered one of Britain’s hero’s.

Why is this blog subject posted today you may ask? Well I had hip surgery to repair damaged tissue in the joint and shave some protruding bone down. So in my post operative discomfort I can think of Kenneth More Douglas Bader as inspiration.