Frederick Charles Butler

A Private with the 5th Battalion, Frederick died on 9th of April 1917 at the age of 24. 

Frederick was born at Ely in 1893, a son of Harry and Hannah (Annie) Mary Lord Butler. His father, a G.E.R. railway inspector, died in 1894 and by 1901 Frederick and his mother were living at 101 Stanley Street and his mother worked as a railway waiting room attendant at Lowestoft. 

Frederick married Grace Mildred Barnard at Lowestoft in 1913. They lived at 22 Tonning Street, Lowestoft.

Frederick attested for the Army at Lowestoft on 6 June 1916. He was called up around 5 July 1916 and joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 34775. On 14 November 1917 he was transferred to the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, service number 20822, and joined the 3rd Battalion. He arrived in France on 27 November 1916 and joined the 5th Battalion. 

On 7 April 1917 the 5th Battalion moved into positions in the Ronssoy Sector in readiness for the Battle of Arras. Their attack began at 7.43 a.m. and they followed the British barrage. They were meant to be accompanied by four tanks, but these seem to have been bogged down and contributed little to the battalion’s advance. The battalion’s advance meant that they were confronted by a German stronghold at Harp Redoubt, and the aim was to go around Harp Redoubt and over Telegraph Hill. As they advanced their faced the enemy counter-barrage and when they approached Telegraph Hill they came under heavy machine-gun fire. Slight resistance at Telegraph Hill Trench and Head Lane was overcome and over 50 prisoners captured. There was no resistance from Pole Trench, but the battalion had to send a patrol forward to deal with a machine-gun at Nouvion Lane and the patrol captured that machine-gun. By 9.10 a.m. work to consolidate the positions had begun and at 1.15 p.m. the Rifle Brigade were able to pass through the battalion to press on with the attack.

The battalion’s casualties were twelve officers and 189 other ranks. Frederick was killed in action during the attack. 

Frederick was buried at Harp Redoubt, map reference N.1.a.b.1, and his grave was marked with a cross stating that he had died on 9 April 1917. Several other men from the 5th Battalion were buried at Harp Redoubt, including William Aldred from Blundeston, as were several men from other regiments. In 1919 Frederick, and the other men, were reburied at Tilloy British Cemetery. 

Frederick’s brother Rupert served with Essex Regiment and died in 1916. His brother-in-law, Albert Barnard, served in the Army Service Corps, and died in 1917.