Pte
Albert Butler
Information about birth
|
Year of birth: 1898 |
|
Place of birth: Tolworth, Surrey, England, United Kingdom |
Army information
|
Country: England, United Kingdom |
|
Force: British Expeditionary Force |
|
Rank: Private |
|
Service number: L/11048 |
|
Enlistment place: Guildford, Surrey, England, United Kingdom |
|
Units: — Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment), 8th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
|
Date of death: 01/08/1917 |
|
Place of death: Jordan Trench, Belgium |
|
Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
|
Age: 19 |
Memorial
|
Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: 13 |
Distinctions and medals 2
|
British War Medal Medal |
|
Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
Albert Butler was a 19-year-old from Ashtead, Surrey who was killed during the Battle of Passchendaele. At the time Albert served in the 8th Battalion Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment), part of the 72nd Brigade, of the 24th Division.
In anticipation of the upcoming offensive, the 8th Queens were ordered to the Brigade’s frontline in Armagh Wood on the night of 29 and 30 July 1917. The Division was ordered to create a defensive flank on the 31st of July, advancing into Shrewsbury Forest, to protect the push towards the Passchendaele Heights. The 72nd Brigade’s front was on the right flank of the Division, facing Groenburg Farm. The Brigade’s first objectives on the 31st were Imperfect Trench and Jehovah Trench. The second objective was a line at Jordan Trench.
When advancing, the 8th Queens only encountered slight opposition from a position in front of Jehovah Trench and from the Klein Zillebeke road. Jehovah trench was taken without opposition. Jordan trench was captured without further trouble, except from machine-guns firing from Bulgar Wood and Belgian Wood. During the advance the German artillery barrage was very accurate and the Battalion suffered heavy casualties, due to the shelling.
Posts were created in shell holes. But whilst consolidating the objective, it was reported that both the left and right Battalions hadn’t been able to reach their objectives. The 20th Durham Light Infantry on the right had failed to reach their objective. On the left side, a defensive flank was constructed between Jordan Trench and Jehovah Trench. As it was impossible to send relief during the night, it was decided that the 8th Queens were to be relieved on the night of 1 and 2 August 1917.
On the 1st of August 1917 a party of 20 men, who were drawing rations at the Battalion HQ were met by a man of the 20th Durham Light Infantry. He told them the Germans had taken a post to the right of the Durhams. The party marched to the post and recaptured it after hand to hand fighting. During the day, both the frontlines and support lines were heavily shelled, inflicting severe casualties on the Queens. After three days in the frontline, three officers were killed, nine were wounded. 32 other ranks were killed, 156 men were wounded and 105 men went missing. Albert Butler, just 19-years-old, was killed on the 1st of August 1917, while the 8th Queens held the line at Jordan Trench.
In anticipation of the upcoming offensive, the 8th Queens were ordered to the Brigade’s frontline in Armagh Wood on the night of 29 and 30 July 1917. The Division was ordered to create a defensive flank on the 31st of July, advancing into Shrewsbury Forest, to protect the push towards the Passchendaele Heights. The 72nd Brigade’s front was on the right flank of the Division, facing Groenburg Farm. The Brigade’s first objectives on the 31st were Imperfect Trench and Jehovah Trench. The second objective was a line at Jordan Trench.
When advancing, the 8th Queens only encountered slight opposition from a position in front of Jehovah Trench and from the Klein Zillebeke road. Jehovah trench was taken without opposition. Jordan trench was captured without further trouble, except from machine-guns firing from Bulgar Wood and Belgian Wood. During the advance the German artillery barrage was very accurate and the Battalion suffered heavy casualties, due to the shelling.
Posts were created in shell holes. But whilst consolidating the objective, it was reported that both the left and right Battalions hadn’t been able to reach their objectives. The 20th Durham Light Infantry on the right had failed to reach their objective. On the left side, a defensive flank was constructed between Jordan Trench and Jehovah Trench. As it was impossible to send relief during the night, it was decided that the 8th Queens were to be relieved on the night of 1 and 2 August 1917.
On the 1st of August 1917 a party of 20 men, who were drawing rations at the Battalion HQ were met by a man of the 20th Durham Light Infantry. He told them the Germans had taken a post to the right of the Durhams. The party marched to the post and recaptured it after hand to hand fighting. During the day, both the frontlines and support lines were heavily shelled, inflicting severe casualties on the Queens. After three days in the frontline, three officers were killed, nine were wounded. 32 other ranks were killed, 156 men were wounded and 105 men went missing. Albert Butler, just 19-years-old, was killed on the 1st of August 1917, while the 8th Queens held the line at Jordan Trench.
Sources 6
|
Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/ Sources used |
|
CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1605409/butler,-albert/ Sources used |
|
Mc Carthy C., Passchendaele Day-by-Day account, Unicorn Publishing Group, 2018, London, pp. 23-24. Sources used |
|
Naval and Military Archives http://www.nmarchive.com/ Sources used |
|
The Long Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/queens-royal-west-surrey-regiment/ Sources used |
|
Wylly, H.C., History of the Queen's Royal Regiment, Wellington: Gale & Polden, pp. 243-245. Sources used |