Selected Biographies

Butcher, Albert Edmund – Born: Hadleigh, Suffolk on 3.12.1898.[1]  Parents: George Butcher of Long Melford (Life Assurance Agent) and Sarah Alice [née Rogers].  Family Connections: Brother to George Charles Butcher [b1893] and William James Butcher [b1897].  Home: 73 Bury Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire (1901), 13 The Crescent, Letchworth, Herts (1939) to [1964].  Married: Gladys Bedford in 1922.  Service Record: No definitive military record found.  Died: Letchworth, Hertfordshire on 11.4.1964.[2]

Butcher, Charles Samuel – Born: Monks Eleigh, Suffolk on 8.4.1877. Parents: Henry Butcher (Agricultural Labourer) and Jane [née Lee].  Family Connections: Brother to Harry James [b1872].  Home: Tye Road, Monks Eleigh, Suffolk (1881), Sandy Lane, Long Melford (1891 to 1901), Mill Hill, Lavenham Road, Cockfield, Suffolk (1911), Park Farm Cottages, Cockfield, Suffolk [1938].  Occupation: Agricultural Labourer (1891), Horsekeeper on Farm (1901), Agricultural Labourer (1911).  Married: Elizabeth Jane Brett Smith in 1909.  Service Record: No definitive military record found.  Died: West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk on 5.5.1938.[3]

Butcher, Charles – Born: Borley, Essex in 1889.  Parents: James Butcher (Farm Bailiff) and Emma Chambers [née Theobald].  Family Connections: Brother to Samuel Thomas Butcher of Long Melford [b1895] and brother-in-law of Walter Manning [b1883].  Home: Highlanders Farm, Cox Green, Long Melford (1891), Rodbridge Street, Long Melford (1901), Borley Road, Rodbridge, Long Melford (1911).  Occupation: Under Gardener (1911).  Service Record: No definitive military record found.

Butcher, Elkanah – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 31.8.1871.[4]  Parents: Alvah Butcher (Railway Porter) and Elizabeth [née Steward].  Family Connections: Father of Elkanah Butcher [b1896] and Percival Frank Butcher [b1898].  Home: Southgate Street, Long Melford (1871), 75 Finchley Road, Ipswich (1901 to 1939).  Occupation: General Labourer (1901), Foundry Man (1911), Fitter’s Labourer (1939).  Married: Kate Nunn in 1895.  Service Record: Elkanah attested in 1904 as Pte.2965 with Royal Garrison Artillery Militia, being discharged in 1905.[5]  It is not known if he saw service during the First World War as no extant record has been found.  Died: Ipswich, Suffolk in 1954.

Butcher, Elkanah – Born: Ipswich, Suffolk on 12.8.1896.[6]  Parents: Elkanah Butcher of Long Melford (Foundry Man) [see above for details] and Kate [née Nunn].  Family Connections: Brother to Percival Frank Butcher [b1898].  Home: 41 Suffolk Road, Ipswich, Suffolk [1896], 75 Finchley Road, Ipswich (1901, 1911), 36 Woodbridge Road, Ipswich (1939), Penmere, Stradbroke, Eye, Suffolk [1981].  Occupation: Chief Accountant’s Clerk and Reserve Liaison Officer East Suffolk County Council Control (1939).  Married: Leonora Madeline Ives in 1923.  Service Record: Elkanah enlisted as Pte.3139, later promoted as Cpl.741384 with 1/25^th [County of London] Cyclist Battalion, London Regiment, being posted to India from 26.5.1917 to 16.8.1917, as part of the North-West Frontier Force.  In October 1918 the Battalion was posted to Siberia via Vladivostok to bolster anti-Bolshevik forces during the early stages of the Russian Civil War.[7]  Died: Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey in 1981.

Butcher, George Charles – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 3.4.1893.[8]  Parents: George Butcher (Life Assurance Agent) and Sarah Alice [née Rogers].  Family Connections: Brother to William James Butcher [b1897] and Albert Edmund Butcher [b1899].  Home: 73 Bury Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire (1901), 93 Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry, Warwickshire (1911), Hemel Hempstead [1917].  Occupation: Milling Machinist at Cycle Works (1911).  Married: Augusta Davies in 1916. Service Record: George enlisted as Pte.13626, later promoted to Acting Sergeant with 2^nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, posted to France from 1.4.1915 as part of 89^th Brigade, 30^th Division.  The Battalion saw action at the Battles of Albert and the Transloy Ridges, both phases of the Somme Offensive of 1916, and in the following spring at Arras.  Died: George was killed in action near Hooge on 24.12.1917 and is buried in Hooge Crater Cemetery [grave ref: IXA.L.17], Ypres, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.[9]

Butcher, Harry James Ÿ Born: Monks Eleigh, Suffolk on 11.3.1872.  Parents: Henry Butcher (Agricultural Labourer) and Jane [née Lee].  Family Connections: Brother to Charles Samuel Butcher [b1877]; also, brother-in-law of Alfred Gridley [b1876] and Charles Gridley [b1879].  Home: Tye Road, Monks Eleigh, Suffolk (1881), Sandy Lane, Long Melford (1891), Mill Farm, Lower Street, Stanstead, Suffolk (1911), 39 High Street, Long Melford (1939).  Occupation: Agricultural Labourer (1891), Horseman on Farm (1911), Agricultural Labourer (1939).  Married: Rose Maud Gridley of Long Melford in 1892.  Service Record: No definitive military record found.  Died: Long Melford, Suffolk on 15.3.1944.[10]

Butcher, Herbert Samuel see under Samuel Thomas

Butcher, Percival Frank – Born: Ipswich, Suffolk on 8.7.1898.[11]  Parents: Elkanah Butcher of Long Melford (Foundry Man) [see above for details] and Kate [née Nunn].  Family Connections: Brother to Elkanah Butcher [b1896].  Home: 75 Finchley Road, Ipswich (1901, 1911), 78 Thackeray Road, Ipswich [1941].  Occupation: Storekeeper [1941].  Married: Adelaide Esther Allaton in 1925.  Service Record: It is not known if Percy saw service during the First World Ward as no definitive record has been found.  By the 1930s however, he is recorded as a member of the Territorial Army holding the rank of Colour Sergeant.  He was mobilised at the beginning of the Second World War as Regimental Quarter Master/Sgt.5823601 with 4^th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment and posted to Singapore, being taken prisoner after the city fell to the Japanese in February 1942. He was moved through various work camps in Thailand constructing the notorious Burma-Siam Railway.[12]  Died: Ipswich, Suffolk in 1968 and buried in St Mary and St Botolph Church, Whitton, Suffolk.

Butcher, Samuel Thomas possibly also known as Herbert Samuel – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk in 1895.  Parents: James Butcher (Farm Bailiff) and Emma Chambers [née Theobald].  Family Connections: Brother to Charles Butcher [b1890] and brother-in-law of Walter Manning [b1883].  Home: Rodbridge Street, Long Melford (1901), Borley Road, Rodbridge, Long Melford (1911).[13]  Occupation: Horse Lad (1911).  Service Record: Samuel enlisted in 1903 with the Suffolk Cyclist Battalion.  During the First World War he re-enlisted as Pte.43070, later Lance Corporal with 7^th [Service] Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, being posted to France as part of 35^th Brigade, 12^th [Eastern] Division.  At the beginning of October 1916 his unit was moved to Gueudecourt, described in the regimental history as ‘a shell-holed wilderness without shelters of any description’.  On 12.10.1916 7^th Suffolks attacked German lines at ‘Bayonet Trench’ and Luisenhoff Farm but was beaten back with over five hundred men dead, wounded or missing.  It was probably here that Private Butcher received his fatal injuries.[14]  Died: Samuel died of wounds on 14.10.1916 at N^o. 36 Casualty Clearing Station and is buried in Heilly Station Cemetery [grave ref: III.C.25], Somme, France and commemorated on the Long Melford War Memorial.[15]

Butcher, William James – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk in 1897.  Parents: George Butcher (Life Assurance Agent) and Sarah Alice [née Rogers].  Family Connections: Brother to George Charles Butcher [b1893] and Albert Edmund Butcher [b1899].  Home: 73 Bury Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire (1901), 1 West Street, Normanby, Easton, Yorkshire [1919].  Occupation: Stable Hand [1914].  Service Record: William enlisted on 6.10.1914 as Pte.3383 with 2/1^st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment, being posted to France from 15.1.1918 as Pte.265992 to 1/1^st Battalion, Hertfordshire, which in February became part of 116^th Brigade, 39^th Division.  On 21.3.1918, the first day of the Battle of St Quentin, a violent bombardment pounded the Allied front line, including the portion held by the Battalion, making its position untenable.  By the afternoon it had withdrawn to trenches at St Emile, only to be pushed back to Hamel by a full-scale enemy assault launched the following morning.[16]  It was during this fighting retreat that William received a gunshot wound to his right elbow, and was taken prisoner, being held in camps at Münster, and at Soltau near Hanover in Germany.  Two other Melford man were wounded and captured in the same battle: Walter Allen Barnes [b1890] and Fred Rising [b1879].  Their stories are to be found elsewhere in this Roll.  Private Butcher was repatriated on 26.12.1918 and transferred to the Bedfordshire Regiment prior to his discharge in April 1919.[17]

Related Biography

Manning, Walter – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 10.5.1883.[18]  Parents: Henry John Manning (Horseman on Farm) and Esther [née Scutcher].  Family Connections: Brother to Amos Manning [b1877] and David Manning [b1885]; also, brother-in-law of Charles Butcher [b1889] and Samuel Thomas Butcher [b1895].  Home: Church Walk/Row, Long Melford (1891 to 1939).  Occupation: Agricultural Labourer (1901 and 1911), Maltster’s Labourer (1939), inmate and Brother at Trinity Hospital, Long Melford [1963].  Married: Eliza Butcher in 1908.  Service Record: Walter enlisted on 1.2.1915 as Pte.3153 with 2/5^th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, transferring as Pte.290212 to ‘D’ Company, 14^th Battalion, Suffolks, then on 16.2.1918 as Pte.527666 to 432^nd Agricultural Company, Labour Corps, receiving his discharge in 1919.  Died: Long Melford, Suffolk on 5.5.1963.[19]

Notes – [1] Date of birth taken from the 1939 Register. [2] National Probate Calendar. [3] National Probate Calendar. [4] Date of birth from the 1939 Register for Ipswich, Suffolk. [5] Chelsea Hospital British Army Service Record [WO 97] up to 1905. [6] Baptism Register 13.12.1896 for St Margarets Church, Ipswich, Suffolk. [7] See www.Wikipedia.org Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War.  See also his Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372]. [8] Date of birth from Baptism Register 20.7.1893, St Catherines Mission Church, Long Melford. [9] For details of 2^nd Bedfordshire’s movements see War Diaries [WO 95/2333/1 and WO 95/2333/1-4].  See also his Commonwealth War Graves Commission record, British Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 file [ref: 640064], Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372]. [10] Date of birth taken from the 1939 Register. [11] Date of birth and occupation from his Imperial POW record. [12] Imperial Japanese Army POW Record Card. [13] Samuel Butcher’s Soldiers’ Effects file records his mother’s name as Emma.  Therefore, the UK Census records used, refer to the household of James and Emma Butcher.  Samuel is recorded as Herbert Butcher on the UK Census for 1901 and 1911. [14] For details of 7^th Suffolk’s movements see War Diary [WO 95/1852/1] and Murphy, Lieutenant-Colonel C. C. R. The History of the Suffolk Regiment 1914-1927 [London: Hutchinson and Co, 1928], pp.179-9.  See also his Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329], and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372]. [15] Commonwealth War Graves Commission record and British Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, 1901-1929 file [Ref: 388423]. [16] For details of 1/1^st Hertfordshire’s movements see War Diary [WO 95/22590/2]. [17] Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329], and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372]. [18] Date of birth from the Baptism Register 3.5.1885, Holy Trinity Church, Long Melford. [19] All units mentioned in Walter’s Service Record appear to have been engaged on home duties only.  Date of death from the National Probate Calendar.