Black History Month: Lilian Bader, a trailblazer in the RAF

Continuing our Black History Month profile spotlights, we look back at the remarkable life and achievements of Lilian Bader, one of the first black women who served in the RAF.

Lilian Bader was born in Liverpool in 1917. She was orphaned at the age of nine, when she was separated from her brothers and brought up in a convent. She remained there until the age of 20, struggling to find employment due to her race. 

Lilian managed to secure a position at the Navy, Army and Air Force Institute (NAAFI) at an Army Camp in 1939 with the outbreak of the war, but was fired after seven weeks when It was discovered her father was of West Indian heritage.

However, in 1941, after finding out the RAF was accepting recruits with a West Indian background, she enlisted with the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF). There, she was one of the first women to become an instrument repairer, moving to Shropshire to work on Airspeed Oxford light bombers. She quickly proved her capabilities and worked her way up to Acting Corporal. 

Lilian married fellow serviceman Ramsay Bader in 1943 and, once their children had grown up, she gained a degree and became a teacher, a profession she followed into her 80s. Her younger son flew helicopters in the Royal Navy and later became an airline pilot.

Lilian said in an interview: "My Father served in the First World War, his three children served in the Second World War. I married a coloured man who was in the Second World War, as was his brother who was decorated for bravery in Burma. Their father also served in the First World War. Our son was a helicopter pilot, he served in Northern Ireland. So all in all, I think we’ve given back more to this country than we’ve received."

Lilian was awarded the British Empire Medal (MBE) for her exemplary service in 2003. She passed away on 14 March 2015 aged 97.