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Henry John Lawrence Botterell
Veteran of the First World War
Mississauga, Ontario
Mr. Botterell was born on November 7, 1896 in Ottawa, Ontario. Before the First World War, Henry was an employee with the Bank of North America (now Bank of Montreal). In 1916, his sister, Edith, who worked in an admiral's office, had facilitated his recruitment as a civilian flying trainee and he had been sent to England. The following year, on May 16, at the age of 20, Henry was enlisted in the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) as a Probationary Flight Officer.
Mr. Botterell's flying career had a difficult start. On only his second flight, in September, 1917 his engine failed and he crashed at Dunkirk. He recalls having sustained head injuries, a fractured leg, broken teeth and "a broken plane". He spent six months in hospital, after which he was discharged and was to be re-patriated to Canada. However, he re-enlisted, re-qualified for aerial training and joined the 208th Squadron, RNAS. Mr. Botterell's Flight Log reveals that he was attached to the 208th Squadron serving in France from May 11 to November 27, 1918. His records show that during that time, he flew patrols and fought over Serny, Tramcourt, Arras, Foucacourt, Estrées and Avely (?). He then transferred to Donstiennes, Belgium.
During his service, Henry (nicknamed Nap) flew a variety of planes, including several Sopwiths (Pup, Camel and Snipe), the RE8, the SE5, the Graham White and the Morris Farhman. Mr. Botterell remembers one particular close call, when his gun jammed during a fight.
At the end of the war, Mr. Botterell was a Flight Lieutenant with the Royal Air Force (RAF: the Royal Flying Corp and RNAS were combined on April 1, 1918 to form the RAF.) He returned to Canada to work in the bank as the Assistant Chief Accountant. During the Second World War, Henry was an Air Cadet Squadron Commander, in Lachine, Quebec.
Henry retired from a clearing house in 1970.
Today, living in North York, Ontario, Mr. Botterell enjoys attending concerts of the Toronto Symphony and the city's West Street Troubadours.
