Blackburn Botha (again)

[CJE]

Whom this aircraft was named after?
I suppose it was after Louis Botha (1862-1919), C-in-C of the Transvaal armies during the Second Boer War and first PM of the Union of South Africa, but I am not sure.

Thanks.

Chris

PS - Don't think, however, it was after Bakkies Botha!

[Stig Jarlevik]

Chris

Yes it was after the General.

Had to look up the Bakkies figure. Rugby and France? Serious??

Cheers
Stig

[Graham Boak]

Removed as incorrect.

[CJE]

Thanks.
I was suprised to see that Louis Botha was so honoured by the RAF while he was supposed to have captured Winston Churchill during the Second Boer War.
But Brits are well known to honour the great Generals they have defeated (Rommel, Napoléon...).
- smiley -

Chris

[AndreasB]

I wouldn't exactly consider it an honour to have the Blackburn Botha named after me.

All the best

Andreas

[CJE]

:-)

[Graham Boak]

Oops: the South African in the Air Defence Committee was Smuts. However, the two were the leading Boers calling for full integration into the British Empire, and so Good Guys. Now had France been integrated into the British Empire post 1815, we could have had a Blackburn Bonaparte. Maybe.

I suspect that Blackburn were probably running out a famous Bs that could fit into the British naming system(s).

[CJE]

Stop joking, in a decade or two, you may have a Panavia Thatcher!

[Graham Boak]

Nope, a BAES Boris.