The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
In 1920, Australian born Major Frederick Sidney Cotton arrived in Botwood, founded the Aerial Survey Company and conducted aerial surveys for mining companies. Nicknamed the 'Intrepid Birdman', Cotton was the first person to introduce aerial photography to the colony of Newfoundland and on February, 1921, he became the first person in North America to deliver mail to rural communities, specifically around the Fogo Island area. Despite his valuable contributions to aerial mapping and photography in Newfoundland, however, Cotton's company was dissolved in February of 1930 due to lack of government funding. Eight years later he was recruited by Britain's Secret Intelligence Service to conduct top secret reconnaissance missions over Germany and Italy. He photographed areas of military bases with his hidden remote-controlled camera and was put in charge of Britain's Photographic Development Unit, members of which came to be known as 'Cotton's crooks'. He posed as a wealthy businessman and met with high ranked Nazi officials. After the war, Cotton made a living running guns into India. He died in February, 1969 at the age of 75. Ê Something to Ponder: You shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands. You need to throw something back.
