Tags
Belgium, Deans Road, Express & Star, France, George Butler, Heath Town, Holy Trinity Church, Jenks & Cattell, Somerset, South Staffordshire Regiment
George was born in Somerset in about 1894, the son of George Thomas and Rose Florence Butler. By 1911, they were living at Britannia Cottage, Deans Road, Heath Town, Wolverhampton, along with George’s many brothers and sisters, Thomas Ernest, Ida Lilian, Violet Maud, Mildred Vaughan, Winifred Agnes, Florence Gladys, Robert Wilfred, and Archibald James. George was learning to be a tool fitter at Jenks & Cattell. George was also a member of the Holy Trinity Church choir.
George enlisted with the 1st/6th South Staffordshire Regiment (number 1770), first serving in France from 5 March 1915. On 7 April 1915, when acting as a sentry and getting in position to fire his rifle over the parapet of his trench, he was shot through the right temple by a German sniper. He lay unconscious for four hours, when he then passed away. Details of his death were announced in the Express & Star on 13 April 1915. He is buried at the Wulvergem Churchyard in Belgium, and is remembered on the memorial at Heath Park.
