Saltwire Network
CORNER BROOK, N.L. — Don Butler said he could only speculate as to what his grandfather, Maj. Bertram Butler, would have said had he been present at the dedication of a trail in his honour in Corner Brook on Thursday.
The Royal Newfoundland Regiment’s most decorated soldier of the First World War likely wouldn’t have spoken about the war and would have been very mild and meek with the people, said Butler after the official ceremony.
“They had a tremendous burden. They had to do a lot of bad things in the war and I think he would be thankful that it was remembered, not forgotten.”
Butler said his grandfather was a leader.
“He was known for inspiring and motivating people to stand up and keep going, so he does deserve some credit.”
His grandfather would never say that, but Butler knows he was proud of those characteristics.
“I think that he would be happy that the community, all levels of government, would put an effort into remembering what they did.”
The Maj. Bertram Butler Trail is located off West Street in the area behind the Hew and Draw Hotel and extends up to connect with the Three Bear Mountain Trail.
It was on a level area overlooking the downtown that Thursday’s dedication ceremony took place. Other members of the family, including Butler’s sister Joan Hartley, stood among friends, city officials, provincial and federal representatives as a plaque was unveiled.
“He was known for inspiring and motivating people to stand up and keep going, so he does deserve some credit.” - Don Butler
The city announced its plans to construct the trail and link it with the Three Bear Mountain Trail in 2016. It was funded in part by the federal government. Around the same time the Geographical Names Board approached the city about naming something after Maj. Butler as part the Honour 100 Initiative and the city decided the trail would be a fitting choice.
Butler lived with his grandfather for many years and has many memories of him, until his death in 1971.
Born in Topsail, Bertram Butler moved to Corner Brook after the war. He helped to build the paper mill and convinced many of his friends to come to the city.
He later ran the Dormton Farm, the paper company’s farm that was located where the Blomidon Golf and Country Club now stands.
He was a businessman and he loved to fish.
“He dressed impeccably every day. Not like today — there were no open necks. When he went fishing he wore a shirt and tie. And he always wore his sports coat and carried his raincoat over his arm.
“He was the epitome of a gentleman.”
Butler knows his grandfather had bad experiences in the war but as a rule he didn’t talk about it.
Sometimes they'd be staying at the family’s summer house on Humber River with a fire going in the evening, and if the radio mentioned something about the war, he would share a story or two.
One story was about his first airplane ride in Turkey. He was an intelligence officer and he went up with a pilot to see where the enemy trenches were.
“It was a plane made out of two-by-four and canvas with a small little gas engine on the front.”
The plane couldn’t fly very high and when they got over the enemy they starting shooting at the plane with rifles.
“And he wasn’t impressed with his first plane ride,” Butler said with a laugh.
Mayor Jim Parsons said Maj. Butler did a lot of things that are associated with Corner Brook. From his work on the mill, and his love of salmon fishing to his community involvement with founding the city’s Royal Canadian Legion branch and as a member of the Echo Club.
“He is a great symbol of the history of Corner Brook,” said Parsons.
“Just a well-rounded, good, important part of our community. We’re blessed with really too many citizens to commemorate, but where possible it is important to remember people like Maj. Butler.”
He also reiterated something Butler said in his address to those gathered.
“It’s very fitting that we remember the war without glorifying it, but also give people peaceful enclaves in our city to reflect on our history. Opportunities like this, they don’t come around often enough.”
Twitter: WS_DianeCrocker
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