Name
Edgar Thomas Butler
1899
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/12/1915
16
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
20128
Hampshire Regiment
10th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DOIRAN MEMORIAL
Greece
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Memorial, Apsley End
Pre War
Edgar Thomas Butler was born on 14 February 1899 in Bromley, Kent, the son of Thomas and Emma Butler. In 1901 the family lived at 137 High Street, Bromley, where Edgar was born, and his father Thomas worked as a Furniture Salesman and Cycle Maker.
By 1911 they had moved to 44 High Street, Hornsey, Middlesex, at which time Thomas was working as a Motor Engineer. They moved again to St Albans for a short time, ending up in Boxmoor, with Edgar enrolling at Boxmoor Junior School on 24 December 1912, then leaving 3 months later to join the Navy as a Boy Apprentice.
His mother's address in two different sources was given as 4 Doolittle, Hemel Hempstead and Apsley End, Hemel Hempstead.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war Edgar seems to have left the Navy and in December 1914 he enlisted in Liverpool and served initially with the Bedfordshire Regiment under reg. no. 19114, later transferring to the 10th (Service) Battalion, Hampshire Regiment. He was under age but must have looked older.
On completion of basic training, he sailed from Liverpool in September and landed at Mudros on 3 October, taking part in the landing at Salonika on 5 October. He was killed in action at Kosturino in the retreat from Serbia, which was also his first day in action. He was reported as presumed dead but this was not officially confirmed until a year later in December 1916.
He was 16 years and 10 months old when he died and has no known grave. His name is commemorated on the Doiran Memorial, Greece.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £3 10s and pay owing of £3. His mother received a pension of 5 shillings a week. N.B. It is believed that Edgar Butler and E T Butler named on the Hemel Hempstead Memorial are the same person, i.e. Edgar Thomas Butler
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage,org.uk, www.hemelatwar.org.,www,hemelheroes.com
