Corporal William Lewis BUTLER (3187)
1/13th (County of London) Battalion (Princess Louiseā€™s Kensington Battalion)

Date of birth: 1st December 1892
Date of death: 19th April 1915

Killed in action aged 22
Buried at Rue-David Military Cemetery at Fleurbaix
William Lewis Butler was born at 9 Cavendish Park, Barrow-in-Furness on the 1st of December 1892 the son of William Butler, solicitor, and Bertha (nee Lewis) Butler of Priors Lea, Barrow-in-Furness.

He was educated Mr G.R. Burnett's Preparatory School at Seascale in Cumbria and at Lancing College where he was in News House from May 1907 to December 1909. On leaving school he went to work for William Graham & Co of Glasgow and worked in the Cash Department of their London Office.

On the outbreak of war he was living in West Hampstead and he enlisted at Kensington in the London Regiment in September 1914.

He embarked for France on the 6th of March 1915.

On the 1st of April 1915 the 1/13th (County of London) Battalion (Princess Louise's Kensington Battalion) entered the front line near Fleurbaix. They followed the routine of trench warfare, coming out of the line from time to time for training at Bac St. Maur or at Fleurbaix. On the 17th of April they were inspected by the Commander in Chief Sir John French during which one of the billet buildings burnt down. On the 18th of April they relieved the 5th Battalion Black Watch in the trenches. The battalion war diary describes the following day as "all quiet in the trenches-a very warm day" William Butler was killed and buried in the nearby cemetery.

The battalion went into Divisional reserve on the 28th.

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