Henry Botterell

Hi, I was wondering why i can't find Henry Botterell featured on this site. He wasn't an ace but he was the last living fighter pilot for any country from WWI. He just died this year, 2 months after his 106th birthday. Here are some sites that talk about him.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/series/reme...or/t-ballon.htm
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ ArticleNews/PEStory/TGAM/20030109/OBBOTT/Obituaries/obituaries/obituaries_temp/1
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[MikeW]

Hi LadyV,

the problem is that over the last few years, the "last remaining WW1 pilot" has died several times - just because the media announces that the last one has died, doesn't make it so.


There are a good number of WW1 veterans still with us, all in their 100s of course, who is to say that there are no aviators left amongst them? How do you ascertain that the last one has died?

With regard to Henry Botterell in particular, if you can get the search engine to work on the postings, you will find he has in fact been mentioned several times.


Mike

[john_g]

Cross & Cockade International latest edition Vol 34/1 carries an interview Sgt. Charles Watson aged 104 an Observer with 11 squadron RAF, he was interviewed on 14 November 2002 and as far as I know is still alive. *Watson was not a pilot but was a contemporary of Botterell's.

[QUOTE]


With regard to Henry Botterell in particular, if you can get the search engine to work on the postings, you will find he has in fact been mentioned several times.


Mike
------------------------
thanks Mike for answering. I'm new to this site so probably I'm not using it properly but when I searched, I couldn't find anything about him. (I found a William Bottrill but not a Henry Botterell...)

[MikeW]

LadyV,

I've been here several years, and I can't get it to work either!!

Hmm, try the Search link that appears on the horizontal bar at the top of the page - it seems to search the forum archives. The search button at the side of the screen and the search link at the bottom of the screen just seem to search through the Aces and Aircraft "factual" sections of the web site.

There is a "window of search" with confusing (to me anyway) min and max number of days to fill in.


Mike

To Mike:
Thanks, Mike, for your help -success at last, it worked perfectly to get me to lots of different sites that I hadn't seen before.

I remember this man well because he lived next door to me. Although I was a child at the time, he impressed me greatly because of his kindness and gallantry to everyone he met. He was truly a memorable person.

From CN News Canadiana:........
"Henry John Lawrence Botterell, who was 106 when he died on Jan. 3 at Sunnybrook hospital, was remembered as a gallant hero and a gracious gentleman who was believed to be the last living Allied fighter pilot from World War I.

His death was reported around the world.

Tears and laughter spread yesterday as veterans recalled the man who proved to be more durable than the trusty Sopwith Camel plane he once piloted...."

From FirstWorldWar.com.....
"Who's Who: Henry Botterell
Updated - Sunday, 26 January, 2003

Henry John Lawrence Botterell (1896-2003), while not qualifying as an air ace - he had one accredited 'kill' whereas he required five to gain official recognition - gained celebrity in his final years as the sole surviving First World War fighter pilot of any nation. When he died in early January 2003 there were none left...."

To john g:
Yes they must have been contemporaries and probably met up at veterans' reunions.

[Shredward]

Here's the CBC obit , with video.....
http://www.cbc.ca/storyview/CBC/2003/01/07...ilot_obit030107
cheers,
Shredward

Thanks very much, Shredward, for locating that. It was interesting to see that the fence post he brought back now rests at the National War Museum in Ottawa!

P.S.

I thoroughly enjoyed the video. Thanks again for the link.

Cheers,
LadyValinor