" first light"

[old strawberry]

I have just purchased from "Waterstones" Geofrey Wellum's "FIRST LIGHT" £9.99. His own story that has featured on BBC TV just recently. He flew His first sorte's during the Battle of Britain at the age of eighteen.

[egdirdle]

I have just purchased from "Waterstones" Geofrey Wellum's "FIRST LIGHT" £9.99. His own story that has featured on BBC TV just recently. He flew His first sorte's during the Battle of Britain at the age of eighteen.

I read it just recently, I reckon you will enjoy a very well written and moving book,
egdirdle(Garth)

[old strawberry]

Hello Garth, Yes I saw the film on BBC and have heard Him talk on the various B of B programmes featured recently and I look forward to reading His book. I have been trying to locate a Biography of Douglas Bader (not Reach for the Sky) do you know if any exist?.

[egdirdle]

Hallo Tony
Never ever seen a Biography on Douglas Bader and I reckon I have read a few books on WWII. Never the less there are alot of very good and interesting books to be had in the local library's.
A book on the Battle that looks good, it's my next read, is 'Fighter' by the fiction writer Len Deighton. Looks very comprehensive.
Regards
Garth

[G-CPTN]

Bader's autobiography, Fight for the Sky, appeared in 1973.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fight-Sky-Story-Spitfire-Hurricane/dp/0850529921

Two other biographies:-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Douglas-Bader-Biography-Legendary-Airlifes/dp/1840372443/ref=pd_sim_b_4

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bader-Man-Cassell-Military-Classics/dp/0304350524/ref=pd_sim_b_3

[old strawberry]

Bader's autobiography, Fight for the Sky, appeared in 1973.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fight-Sky-Story-Spitfire-Hurricane/dp/0850529921

Two other biographies:-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Douglas-Bader-Biography-Legendary-Airlifes/dp/1840372443/ref=pd_sim_b_4

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bader-Man-Cassell-Military-Classics/dp/0304350524/ref=pd_sim_b_3

Many thanks G-cptn and Garth, for Your information on Bader Books. I will certainly look into them. I would just like to find out what sot of a man he really was. There is no doubting His bravery but I would like to find out what he was like underneath, if that is possible. None of the Old Pilots that are still with us never seem to mention His name?. Another publication I noticed in "Waterstones" was "DOWDING" so I may get that at a later date.

[G-CPTN]

Bear in mind that Bader spent most of the War (1941-1945) in Germany in concentration camps. This probably raised any resentment when he re-appeared and played the hero . . .

[old strawberry]

During the BBC's recent coverage of the Battle Of Britain I watched an interview done in 1965 of Douglas Bader, in it He admitted that if it wasn't for His leg amputations he would not have had the fame that he enjoyed and also said that he was no better than any other Fighter Pilot of that time. I have read a lot about him in "Wikipaedia" which did cover most of what I wanted to know. It is a shame that his "Big Wing" theory perhaps was not popular with most of the other Pilots and is it that theory that made him unpopular with other pilots and of course the treatment of Air Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding and Air Vice Marshal Keith park?.