Name
Charles Edward James Butler
4th July 1883.
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
16/06/1917
33
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
29872
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
WANCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY
Plot VII, Row A, Grave 17.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Inscription on Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Town War Memorial, Watford Borough Roll of Honour,
Christ Church Memorial, Watford,
Christchurch Street Shrine War Memorial, Watford,
Not on Abbots Langley War memorials
Pre War
Charles was the son of Edward Butler (Gardener) and Lucy Ann Butler (nee Hall).
His parents married 25 January 1879 at All Saints, King’s Langley, Herts. Edward died 1899 in the Watford district aged 41, and was buried 20 November at St Lawrence’s, Abbot’s Langley, Herts; Lucy died 7 May 1941 in St Alban’s, Herts, aged 79.
Charles was born 4 July 1883 in Abbot’s Langley, and baptised 8 or 9 September 1886 at St Paul’s, Langleybury, Herts.
1891 Census records Charles aged 7, at school, and living with his parents, brother Ernest W. (6), sisters Louisa (11), Lizzie M. (4), Dorothy (2), and Edith M. (2 months), in Upper Highway, Abbots Langley, Herts.
1899 Charles’s father Edward Died.
On 4 June 1910 Charles married Rose Elizabeth Goodman at the Congregational Church, Watford. Rose was born in Rugby, Staffordshire.
1911 Census records Charles aged 27, Married to Rose and they have no children. His occupation is given as a domestic Gardener. Living at 13 Parker Street, Watford, Herts.
Wartime Service
Charles enlisted in Bedford, posted to the Bedfordshire Regiment with the service number 29872.
He was Killed in Action on Saturday 16th June 1917 during the Battle of Arras in the front line near Fontaine-les-Croisilles.
He is buried in Wancourt British Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France and was entitled to the Victory and British War medals
Additional Information
There is an article about Charles in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 7 July 1917; plus an In Memoriam in the issue dated 15 June 1918.
Unfortunately, Charles’ Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
