HENRY BOTTERELL - NEWEST CNAG HONORARY MEMBER
In a quiet but impressive ceremony on 7 November 2002 Henry John Lawrence "Nap" Botterell was inducted as the newest Honorary Member of the Canadian Naval Air Group. John Eden, the Chairman of CNAG, presented Henry with his citation and pin on the occasion of his 106th birthday at the "K" Wing of Sunnybrooke Hospital in Toronto surrounded by family and friends. The citation reads "In recognition of his initial service as a Canadian in the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS), and later in the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and fledging Royal Air Force (RAF) followed by a distinguished career in Canadian aviation and now being the last surviving fighter pilot of the First World War.
Henry joins four other distinguished gentlemen so honoured including Admiral R.H. Falls, former Naval aviator who rose to Chief of Defence Staff, Marc Garneau; Canada's first astronaut, Don Currie, noted aircraft restorer and donor of the Harvard and Swordfish aircraft; Carl Mill, author of the "Banshee" book and Col. Brian Akitt, former Director at the Shearwater Aviation Museum.
Henry, a native of Ottawa who joined the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) in 1917 is the last surviving fighter pilot of W.W.1. He was credited with shooting down an enemy observation balloon over France in 1918 for which he belatedly received the Legion of Honour in 1999. Henry's son Edward of Toronto and daughter Frances Marquette from Texas were joined by CNAGers George Hotham, Creighton & Anna Johnston, Fred Rol, Joe MacBrien, Lillian Eden and a number of "Wing" friends. Also in attendance was a school choir who arrived with suitably decorated cupcakes to sing "Happy Birthday" to Henry and to recite for him McCrae's epic poem "In Flanders Field". Photos were taken and the family produced a fine bottle of wine to toast Henry's birthday and his elevation to Honorary Membership in The Group. Special arrangements with the family were made by Gordon Moyer of Hampton Gray VC Chapter and Joe MacBrien of Tracker Chapter.
