Butler, Clement Alwyn

Age: 32
Date of birth: 1885 (Q4)

Parents: William John and Ellen Agnes Butler
Wife:
Address: 47 West Street

Occupation: Farm hand in Australia

Clement was born late in 1885 and baptised at St Paul’s church, Warwick on 28th January 1886. His father was a maltster and they lived on West Street.

At the time of the 1901 and 1911 censuses, Clement’s mother (recorded as Agnes Ellen Butler), now a widow, was running a corn merchant at 47 West Street, with her elder son William, aged 29 in 1911. The household also contained 2 single daughters, Elsie who in 1911 was aged 22 and a governess and Doris (19). In 1911 there was also a servant.

 

 

Clement  is buried in St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen

Military Service

Rank & Number: Gunner, 10240
Regiment/Service: 105th Howitzer Battery, Australian Field Artillery
Brigade/Division: 5th Brigade
Date of death: Sunday, February 11, 1917
Cause of death/Battle: Died of wounds
Commemorated/Buried: St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen
Awards: Australian medal entitlement
Commemorated locally at: St Pauls Church

5th Brigade – 105 Howitzer Battery were in the lines at Martinpuich (new) and were under constant shellfire when Clement was wounded in the abdomen, legs and arms on 9 Feb 1917 and admitted to the 11th Stationary Hospital at Rouen where he died at 1am on the 11th Feb 1917.

Clement signed up with the Australian Imperial Force at Warwick Farm, New South Wales on 9th September 1915. His attestation papers describe him as 5’6″ with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.

On the 8th February 1917 (3 days before Clement Alwyn Butler died) Army Chaplain Rev. Charles Newell wrote a letter to Private Butler’s mother saying he was ‘getting on fairly’ and hoping she would hear ‘good news of him’ soon.  Sadly, 3 days later he wrote again informing her of her son’s death – details of the letter were published in the Warwick Advertiser on 17th February 1917.

 

This Roll of Honour published on the same day confirms that Clement’s father pre-deceased him
Warwick Advertiser 17th February 1917

Contributors

  • Unlocking Warwick Research Group
  • Memorial photograph courtesy of David Oliver
  • Warwick Advertiser excerpts courtesy of Warwickshire County Record Office
  • Grave photograph from Find a Grave website

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