Douglas Bader

[brown dog]

This is too brilliant to go in Funnies:

 

 

[les]

Priceless!

[VarmLR]

 

 

A chap that I once worked for, Major Pat Reid, was incarcerated in Colditz, with amongst others, Douglas Bader. I once asked him what he was like, and he replied "he was an Impetuous beggar!". Apparently he kept on trying to escape and got them all in trouble as the attempts were usually ill thought out and rash, so the other officers pinched his false legs to stop him trying to run off unless part of an organised plot!

[gbal]

Patrick Robert Reid,MBE,MC "The Colditz Story' 1952. And sequel "The Latter Days at Colditz."

 

A British officer,arriving at the Colditz high security prison in 1940 became the first 'escape officer'-and did so himself a ouple of years later....there is more in the books than the early 50's film starring John MIlls 'based' on the first book.

[VarmLR]

Patrick Robert Reid,MBE,MC "The Colditz Story' 1952. And sequel "The Latter Days at Colditz."

 

A British officer,arriving at the Colditz high security prison in 1940 became the first 'escape officer'-and did so himself a ouple of years later....there is more in the books than the early 50's film starring John MIlls 'based' on the first book.

 

Yes, I have his books George. He presented me with signed copies, the last book "The Latter days of Colditz" came out of a box from his publisher just prior to distribution. The box arrived on his doorstep the day I finished working for him, and he kindly signed one of them and handed it to me. He was a true gent. After the war, he went on to a distinguished career as a Chartered Civil Engineer and was a Fellow of the Instutution of Civil Engineers (I only ever made it as a Member of the Institution!). During the war, he was instrumental in the development of the Mulberry harbours used in the Normandy landings. A very talented and interesting chap, who even in his late 70's went on an annual skiing trips to Switzerland!

[MrCetrizine]

Funny but untrue, that's a Stan Boardman joke.

[MrCetrizine]

Yeah, Stan's original joke was a Polish pilot.

[Andrew]

I read "Dog'sBody's" book when I was in my early teens. Fascinating story. Hell of a guy.~Andrew

[ezmobile]

I remember this chap very fondly from when he visited my school (Pimlico in London) for a prize giving back in about 1972-3. We had a massive main hall in the school which was bursting with kids. When he walked in, bolt upright, onto the stage the whole place just erupted with cheers & shouts! It could have been any of the top pop stars, movie stars or footballers of the time who had walked in, such was the response. Even at our tender age, we knew the reputation of this man and what he had done for this country.......God bless him!