William Boynton Butler

Biography

• William Boynton-Butler was born in Armley, Leeds and was educated at St. Oswalds School, Hunslet Carr. He worked in the area’s coal mines from the age of 13. Initially he was rejected for the Army because of his height, but after formation of a “Bantam” battalion (apparently short stature was an advantage in trench warfare), Butler joined the 17th Battalion of the West Yorkshire (Prince of Wales’s Own) Regiment. He received his training at Ilkley and was attached to the 106th Trench Mortar Battery.
  
  He was awarded the V.C. for action on August 6, 1917, at Lempire, France, between St. Quentin and Cambrai and was invested by H. M. King George V at Buckingham Palace, 5th December 1917.
  
  He had visited his home on the previous day but his parents had gone to London for the investiture, and owing to a misunderstanding, the V.C. hero found himself locked out and had to sit on the step until recognised. He was given a civic reception in Leeds on 6th December 1917. He was also awarded the Croix de Guerre.
  
  From his citation: “For most conspicuous bravery when in charge of a Stokes gun [trench mortar] in trenches which were being heavily shelled. Suddenly one of the fly-off levers of a Stokes shell came off and fired the shell in the emplacement. Private Butler picked up the shell and jumped to the entrance of the emplacement, which at that moment a party of infantry was passing. He shouted to them to hurry past, as the shell was going off, and, turning round, placed himself between the party of men and the live shell, and so held it till they were out of danger. He then threw the shell on to the parados [the back parapet of a trench], and took cover in the bottom of the trench. The shell exploded almost on leaving his hand, greatly damaging the trench. By extreme good luck Private Butler was contused [bruised] only. Undoubtedly his great presence of mind and disregard of his own life saved the lives of the officer and men in the emplacement and the party which was passing at the time.”
  
  After the war Butler worked for the North East Gas Board in Leeds, serving in the Home Guard during World War II. He died in hospital in Leeds after a long illness. Originally his grave had no marker, but in 1996 a letter-writing campaign in the Leeds paper spurred a local stonecutter to donate one. Butler’s medals, including the French Croix de Guerre, are held privately.