So proud of Louis’ war service

WAR Hero Louis Butler - finally laid to rest

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THE funeral of war hero Louis Butler was marked with a packed church inside and RAF flag bearers outside as family and friends said farewell.

Mr Butler died peacefully in hospital on January 29 aged 94.

He received the Distinguished Flying Medal personally from King George VI in 1943. The great-grandfather served as a raw aircrew recruit in Lancaster Bombers during the war and received the medal for valour, courage and devotion to duty while flying on active operations. Mr Butler was 22 when he began night operations over Germany as a wireless operator.

Held at St James’ Church in Thornham, members of RAF Waddington attended the service and a eulogy was read by Brian Hassall, the son of Horace Hassall who flew as navigator with Louis during the war.

Outside the church, Brian talked about the relationship his father and Louis continued after the war.

He said: “They stuck by each other, they were big buddies. They kept in touch after the war and had crew reunions. Louis was a lovely man.”

Mr Butler’s time with the RAF was chronicled in a book his daughter Christine Butterworth put together from transcripts of tapes her father had recorded. “Life, Luck and Lancasters” goes into detail about his successes, near-misses and the fearful realisation that he was being sent over Berlin.

In 2012 Mr Butler watched as the Queen unveiled a memorial in Green Park, London.