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Remembered Today:

Levi Butcher, 1st Btn Sherwood Foresters.


Glenn R

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Hello, I wonder if anyone can help me find any info on Sgt 18564 Levi Butcher, my Great Great Uncle?

He was 1st Btn Sherwood Foresters, Notts & Derby Regt.

Killed 06/10/16. His grave is at Bethune.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Alll the best,

Glenn.

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Glenn

Welcome to the Forum! You may have some, or, all, of this information. Levi- Butcher was born in 1891, at

Chesterton, Staffordshire, the son of James & Mary Butcher; he had 3 older sisters, and the family was still

living in Chesterton in 1901. His birth was registered at Wolstanton, Staffordshire, during the 2nd Quarter

of 1891 (April-June). He enlisted in the 1st Battalion, Notts & Derby Regiment, at Newcastle, Staffordshire;

he died of wounds on 6 October 1916. Sources: Birth, Marriages & Deaths Index for England & Wales;

1901 Census, England; "Soldiers Died in the Great War"; Commonwealth War Graves Commission registry.

I hope this was helpful.

Regards

Trelawney

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Gary, Trelawney

Thanks very much for the information. I'm quite new to research and your help is much appreciated.

Levi was my Mum's Great Uncle. Her Grandfather James survived the war but never once mentioned

anything that had occurred there. Levi was known to have been killed but she knew nothing more.

I'm just beginning to get my head around the census research but not too sure how much of his

military records can be found.

I'm grateful for the welcome to the forum chaps.

All the best,

Glenn.

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Glenn a little more info for you.

Joined the 1st Battalion on the 21st March 1915 and served with "D" company. Wounded on the 5th and died of wounds on the 6th, caused by the German shelling of the line near Vermelles. BRONNO.

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Bronno, that's fantastic info. Thanks mate.

Glenn.

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Glenn, War Diary page.

5th Oct 1916. Enemy quiet all day. Our Stokes and Medium T.Mortars fired on the enemy's wire throughout the day. The raiding party arrived about 6.30 p.m. and were issued with special stores, knobkerries, tape for the raid. At 8 p.m. gas was discharged all along the front occupied by 'D'. Company. This was followed by two further discharges at 8.45 p.m. and 10.30 p.m. each of the three being accompanied by a discharge of smoke on the left of the gas attack by 'B' and 'C' Coys. The enemy's retaliation was slight chiefly on the front line at one point in 'B' company where considerable damage was done and several casualties caused, including 2/Lt P. GRAY severely wounded and Sergeant BUTCHER who was very severely wounded, died the next day. At 12.37 a.m. the raiding party was due to start, but was considerably delayed by the R.Es who were engaged in disconnecting the gas cylinders in the front line. Consequently the party was only half way over when the Artillery Barrage began at 1.07 a.m. and being further delayed by shells falling short being only just on the enemy's wire when the signal for recall was given. One man was badly gassed by falling into a shell hole just outside our parapet.

Permission was asked for and obtained to repeat the raid. The party reinforced by 2/Lt CRELLIN went out again at 4.12 a.m. in three groups as before. The centre and left were held up by groups in the enemy's trench and after some bombing retired. The right group under 2/Lt CRELLIN got into the enemy trench, searched it for about 150 yards, and finding no one finally retired. All were in by 5.15 a.m. In the two attempts one man was badly gassed, one severely and two slightly wounded.

BRONNO.

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Steve, Bronno that's fantastic stuff. I'm absolutely thrilled. Up until a couple of days ago he was just a name that my Mum remembered her Granddad talking about. I found his CWGC certificate then suddenly thanks to you chaps all this information has added a whole history to him. It's a great feeling to now know such a lot more.

Thanks for your help chaps.

Glenn.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Is there anywhere I can research to get more details of his movements etc? A service record or similar?

Cheers,

Glenn.

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Ancestry.com have the Service records but as only some 30% survived, his may not be there. It is always worth a look though. Other than that it would be the war diaries of the Battalion which will give you an overview. He would have been in a draft of men which replenished the numbers after Neuve Chapelle. His MIC has 18/03/1915 as entry. The war diary shows the following on 19/03/1915 -

Pont Du Hem - 19th 10 a.m. Snow fell during the night, morning fine with occasional shower of snow. Battn. in billets. 6.30 p.m. Draft 2 Officers and 116 men arrive (Lts STACKHOUSE and BLAXLAND).

He would probably only have had one period of home leave between joining and his death, going by Norman Butcher's letters!

Steve

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Thanks Steve. I've joined Ancestry and I'm starting to find my feet a bit. I've been researching a couple of other groups so I'll post them soon and see if I'm progressing.

All the info I've been given re Levi has whetted my appetite to get into research.

Glenn.

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