Douglas Bader was a British fighter pilot during World War Two. A post-war book on his achievements called ‘Reach for the Sky’ was written by Paul Brickhill and was followed by a film with the same name. Whilst an inspirational leader, and undoubtedly a hero, one of the reasons he was internationally famous was that he achieved so much in his life even though he lost both of his legs in an accident in 1931. The Royal Air Force Museum in Hendon, England, is currently running an online exhibition on the life of Sir Douglas Bader (http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/online-exhibitions/douglas-bader/).
The details of this exhibition and the fact that Bader’s prosthetic limbs are not on display in the museum (although they are held in the collection), appear to interpret the subject from the viewpoint of the social model of disability: it is about the man not the disability. This is obviously the most appropriate and considerate way to approach the topic but for me it raises the following questions:
- Is this move from the medical to the social model of disability a recognised shift in museum policy generally? Will there be fewer exhibitions on the artefacts associated directly with disability, such as prosthetics, and more about the individuals that used them?
- How are the curatorial decisions made on such a delicate subject? What factors are considered and is there consultation with disability awareness groups and individuals living with disability? This includes decisions made on the terminology used in the displays.
- Regarding Douglas Bader specifically; was his status as an amputee the major factor that made him so famous? He was one of a number of fighter pilots who were heroes in their own right but he is the most widely known. By being more ‘reserved’ in the interpretation of his disability is the visitor able to fully appreciate how exceptional his achievements were?
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The Bader exhibition (which ran at Hendon from 10 February to 12 April and is now an online exhibition) was primarily prompted by the opportunity to mark the centenary of his birth this February with, I believe, an associated approach from the Douglas Bader Foundation (DBF) who were looking to launch their Bader Braves project. The idea of an exhibition focussed on disability in the context of the RAF (doubtless centred on Bader but looking also at the work of organisations such as the rehabilitation centre at RAF Headley Court) had been discussed by my colleagues from time to time but was not taken up. This was partly due to a lack of relevant material for exhibition: until relevantly recently members of the RAF who became disabled would have left the service, as Bader himself did after his accident. Some of my colleagues questioned whether such an exhibition would attract visitors, and thus justify the expense incurred in mounting the exhibition.
ReplyDeleteThe question of whether to display Bader's legs has also been discussed since they were acquired in 1995. Arguments put against the idea included:
a. They are from his later life and therefore have no real connection with his RAF service,
b. The question of whether it is tasteful to exhibit such items,
c. A belief that Lady Bader stipulated that they should not be displayed - it has not been possible to confirm this from the records relating to their acquisition.
In our discussions with the DBF we asked their opinion regarding the display of prostheses; there was support for the idea of comparing one of Bader's 1980s legs with a modern leg, to show how the use of modern materials has reduced their weight and the associated strain on the wearer. However, part of that impact would be lost if visitors were unable to feel the difference in weight, and one of my colleagues argued that such a display would be more appropriate to exhibition in the Science Museum on the development of new materials. I would certainly agree that our focus is on the man and his achievements, rather than his disability - from what I have read about Bader it seems that his view was to focus on achieving goals rather than on disabilities - he is quoted as having said "Make up your mind you’ll never use crutches or a stick, then have a go at everything… never, never let them persuade you that things are too difficult or impossible."
Was Bader's status as an amputee the major factor in his fame? If he had not been an amputee he would have achieved a certain amount of fame as a high-scoring fighter pilot. However, during the war the press rapidly became aware that he had no legs and he arguably received more publicity than other "aces" who had not had to cope with his disability. This in turn led to Paul Brickhill's book and the associated film, which have helped to keep his name in the public eye. Few people are aware of Colin Hopkinson, who lost both legs in an accident early in the war but went on to become a fighter pilot although he was not as successful as Bader.
Yours sincerely
Peter Elliott
Senior Keeper
Department of Research & Information Services
Royal Air Force Museum
Hendon
London