Did Douglas Bader Have Children? What Happened To The Aircraft Pilot?

Did Douglas Bader Have Children? His Wife

Douglas Bader didn’t have any children from either of his marriages. The notable aviator married his first wife, Thelma Edwards, in 1933 and his second wife, Joan Murray, in 1973.

Thelma, his first wife, developed throat cancer in 1967. The love birds spent much time as possible with each other as they were aware Thelma’s survival was unlikely. She was reportedly a smoker.

Regardless of quitting smoking, his first wife lost her life to cancer at 64 in January 1971. Three years later, Bader married his second, wife Joan Murray, and they spent the rest of their lives reportedly in the village of Marlston Berkshire.

The daughter of a steel tycoon, Joan was a member of the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen’s Association. They encountered each other reportedly at one of the association’s events in 1960.

Apart from that, nothing significant, particularly surrounding Bader’s married life and children, has been unveiled thus far. That mentioned, even the reliable sources haven’t highlighted the fact to date.

Reach for the Sky, a life history film about the aviator Bader, received the BAFTA Award in 1956 for Best British Film. John Addison, the British aviator Bader’s brother-in-law, was the film’s composer.

What Happened To Douglas Bader?

Douglas Bader while attempting some aerobatics lost both legs in December 1931. He returned to the RAF reportedly in 1939 during the outbreak of the Second World War.

He retook the flight training after recovering from the tragic incident which cost him his legs. The aviator even passed the check flights and later requested reactivation as a pilot. 

The authorities forced the aviator to retire against his will on medical grounds. That said, he returned to the RAF as a pilot after the outbreak of the Second World War. Bader achieved his first victories during the Battle of France in 1940.

Regardless of his disability, the aviator attempted many escapes and eventually went to the prisoner of war camp at Colditz Castle. He reportedly left the RAF permanently in February 1946.

Douglas Bader’s Family

Talking about Douglas Bader’s family, he was born as the second son of Major Frederick Bader and Jessie Scott MacKenzie on February 21, 1910. His father was reportedly a civil engineer.

He spent his first two years with McCann’s relatives in the Isle of Man while his father, mother and elder brother Derick returned to India after his birth. Later, the aviator also joined them for a year in India.

The Bader family moved back to London after his father resigned in 1913. His father saw action in the First World War in the Royal Engineers and died of complications from the wounds in 1922.

Bader’s mother remarried shortly to the Reverend Ernest William Hobbs. His stepfather didn’t become the father figure he needed, and his mother, who showed little interest in Bader, occasionally sent him to his grandparents.

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