Steve Butterworth paints First World War HMS Euryalus

Steve Butterworth with his painting of HMS Euryalus for the centenary of the Gallipoli Campaign

When Steve Butterworth was asked to create a battleship painting he ended up reuniting a daughter with her father’s former comrade.

Steve, a Falkland Islands navy veteran and an outreach worker in Rochdale, Heywood and Middleton for Veterans in Communities (VIC), painted the First World War HMS Euryalus and presented the painting to The Fusilier Museum in Bury in time for the centenary celebrations of the Gallipoli Campaign.

Steve is also a member of the art club along with Pat Rothwell.

Steve, 54, said: “I mentioned to Pat where I was going and she explained her father James Hart had been a Petty officer on the Second World War HMS Euryalus.

“It is unusual for a battleship to be affiliated with an army regiment but in the Gallipoli Campaign some of the crew from Euryalus rowed the soldiers to shore and then ended up fighting alongside them on the beaches.

“I took the picture to be signed my members of the HMS Euryalus Association and the oldest member, 91-year-old John Kay Scott, signed it. It was a great privilege

“It turns out that John served on the light cruiser of the same name during the Second World War along with Pat’s father and they got the chance to meet and Pat was invited to join the parade on Sunday as a family member.”

Pat, said: “I took along photographs and John remembered serving alongside my dad. I also showed them a brass plaque I have of the ship’s crest.
“I got an invitation to South Shields to the commemorations, because that is the ship’s adopted town.”

When VIC held an art display and shop in Bury last summer, ex-Fusilier standard bearer Steve Fitt had a stand to promote the museum.

On seeing Steve’s work he asked him to create a picture of the HMS Euryalus.

The first painting was raffled and raised £260 for the museum and the Fusiliers’ Association and the second painting will be on permanent display in the museum.