Reach for the Sky

In 1931, at the age of 21, Douglas Bader was the golden boy of the RAF. Excelling in everything he did, he represented the Royal Air Force in aerobatics displays, played rugby for Harlequins, and was tipped to be the next England fly half.

But one afternoon in December, all his ambitions came to an abrupt end when he crashed his plane doing a particularly difficult and illegal aerobatic trick. His injuries were so bad that surgeons were forced to amputate both his legs to save his life. Douglas Bader did not fly again until the outbreak of the Second World War, when his undoubted skill in the air was enough to convince a desperate air force to give him his own squadron.

The rest of his story is the stuff of legend. Flying Hurricanes in the Battle of Britain, he led his squadron to kill after kill, keeping them all going with his unstoppable banter. Shot down in occupied France, his German captors had to confiscate his tin legs in order to stop him trying to escape. Bader faced it all—disability, leadership, and capture—with the same charm, charisma, and determination that was an inspiration to all around him.

Reach for the Sky by Paul Brickhill is a vivid account of a man who overcame unimaginable challenges, capturing the courage and spirit that defined him.