BUTLER, William Charles
| Service Number: | 2581 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 9 February 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Machine Gun Battalion |
| Born: | Cooks Hill, New South Wales, Australia, 23 November 1896 |
| Home Town: | Greta, Cessnock, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Miner |
| Died: | Seized with a fit, fell across a fire, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, 31 May 1942, aged 45 years |
| Cemetery: |
Sandgate General Cemetery, Newcastle, NSW |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 9 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2581, 30th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Apr 1916: | Involvement Private, 2581, 30th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Nestor embarkation_ship_number: A71 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Apr 1916: | Embarked Private, 2581, 30th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Nestor, Sydney | |
| 10 Sep 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 8th Machine Gun Company | |
| 16 Sep 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 2581, 8th Machine Gun Company, Third Ypres, SW Left arm and leg readmitted with thigh wound 16/10/1918 to 21/11/1918 | |
| 10 Jan 1920: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 2581, 2nd Machine Gun Battalion |
Help us honour William Charles Butler's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
From Gary Mitchell
Another Digger of The Great War resting at Sandgate Cemetery, Honour and Dignity to be restored.
80 years ago today, on the Monday afternoon of the 1st June 1942, Private William Charles Butler, 2nd Australian Machine Gun Battalion (Reg No-2581), miner and labourer from East Greta, New South Wales and Medowie, N.S.W., father of two (Irene P & Athol E), was laid to rest at Sandgate Cemetery, age 46. GENERAL-28. 28.
Born at Cooks Hill, New South Wales on the 23rd November 1895 (as Charles William) to William Charles and Athole Taylor Bartley Butler (Sexton); husband of Fernande or Ferlande Philomine Butler nee Jouglet or Joulet (married 9.7.1919 at the Registry Office, Eltham, London, United Kingdom, died?), William enlisted February 1916 with the 30th Battalion at Liverpool, N.S.W.
Admitted to hospital 24.7.1916 (not stated), 18.2.1917 (bronchitis), 12.4.1917 (dental), 22.4.1918 (gangrene on knee), 16.10.1918 (old GSW left thigh).
Wounded in action - 16.9.1917 (GSW left leg & left arm, severe).
Embarked for England 21.9.1917.
William returned home November 1919 with wife Fernande, being discharged on the 10th January 1920.
Nothing located on Trove regarding enlistment, sickness, wounds, returning home, etc.
Mr. Butler’s name has not been inscribed on the Greta & Branxton Municipal Roll of Honor or the East Greta St. Thomas' Church of England Memorial Gates or the Greta Soldiers' Obelisk or any known War Memorial or Roll of Honour.
The tragic circumstances of William’s death were reported on his death certificate – burns accidently received when he was seized with a fit and fell across a fire.
I located William resting in an unmarked grave, forgotten, so February 2016 I placed a cross at the gravesite in remembrance of his service and sacrifice for God, King & Country.
I submitted an application to DVA January 2019 (with fingers crossed!) asking for a Commonwealth War Graves Plaque, curbing and marble chip, but of course this was declined February 2019.
William’s Honour and Dignity will be restored with a Plaque courtesy of the Forgotten Diggers Headstone Project.
Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.
Lest We Forget.
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