"RON" wrote in message
...
In the book Colditz, by Henry Chancellor-2001, he states that Bader,
while a POW at Colditz,kept his orderly, Alec Ross, who was about to be
repatriated, two extra years at Colditz so that Ross would remain his
orderly for the duration of Baders' imprisonment.
"he came here as my lackey and he'll stay here as my lackey".
Is there any credence to this authors claim that Bader had the clout
to keep Ross from being repatriated and if he did would he have done so?
Ron

My opinion is absolutely no, it that opinion matters at all.
I knew Douglas for many years. During that time we discussed numerous issues
and subjects, but seldom talked in great detail about his tenure at Colditz.
He didn't remember it kindly.
I knew about Alec of course, but Douglas never said a word to me that would
indicate
anything that relates to your scenario/question as being accurately founded
in fact.
I would only add that for Douglas to have done something like this even had
he wanted to do so, would have exceeded any authority he had to make it
happen. Also, from my personal experience with Bader, it would be my
considered opinion that committing an action like this would in no way
whatsoever compute with Douglas's later actions when interacting with
people. Douglas could indeed be a hard nose on occasion , but only about
technical issues he believed in strongly; never to my knowledge to the
extent that he would treat someone like this who had openly helped him. I
CAN however FWIW, envision Douglas saying in complete sarcastic jest...with
absolutely no malice intended....and strictly as an inside joke between he
and Alec Ross...the line attributed to him with the lackey reference!
Douglas had a rapier sense of what he felt was funny...and enjoyed
tremendously this kind of fooling around with insiders!!
If you equate the countless hours Douglas spent helping people, especially
children, who had suffered amputation; in many cases actually changing their
very lives by his intervention, it just doesn't compute that he would have
done something like this to Alec. In my opinion, this just isn't Bader at
all.....in any shape or form whatsoever...period!
There are several kooks out there pushing books about Douglas; each
involving some unbelievable scenario. If I were you, It's consider the "hype
factor" seriously before putting any credence in these unfavorable stories
about Douglas Bader.
The DB I knew would NEVER have done things like this!
Just my opinion FWIW.
Thank you,
Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
Commercial Pilot/ CFI Retired
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