Raymond Henry Butcher

Raymond Henry Butcher

Personal Information
Date of Birth	10 Feb 1920
Place of Birth	Roleystone, Western Australia
Death	25 Jun 1985, aged 65
Age at Enlistment	21 years, 7 months
Description	5'8" (1.73m) tall ; ; fair complexion ; blue eyes ; brown hair ; ascar on forehead
Occupation	Farm hand
Religion	Prebyterian
Address	Popanyinning, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife , Mrs. Dorothy Margaret Butcher
Military Information
Reg Number	WX16528
Date of Enlistment	17 Sep 1941
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	2/118 Australian Brigade Workshop
Post War Details
Fate	Returned to Australia
Medals	1939-45 Star Pacific Star War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45

War Service

On 17 Sep 1941 Raymond enlisted in the 2nd AIF at Claremont and was allocated to General Reinforcements. On 22 Sep 1941 he was sent to the Trades Training Depot at Claremont. On 10 Feb 1942 Ray was charged with having been AWOL from 6:50am on 4 Feb 1942 until 9:00pm on 9 Feb 1942. He was fined £1 and forfeited 6 days pay. On 20 Mar 1942 Ray was transferred to the 1st Armoured Division Section, Armoured Corps Ordnance Workshop and on 1 Apr 1942 he entrained for Sydney where he joined his unit on 9 Apr 1942.

On 17 Jun 1942 Ray was admitted to the 207th Australian Camp Hospital with Abrasions, severe enought it seems to require him to stay in hospital until 22 Jun 1942 when he was released to the 103rd Australian Convalescent Depot. They released him to his unit on 11 Aug 1942, which on 2 Dec 1942 changed its name to 1st Armoured Division Troops Workshop AEME which then moved to Western Australia. From 12 Feb 1943 until 24 Sep 1943 Ray was transferred to teh HQ 1st Australian Armoured Division before returning to his earlier unit. On 14 Oct 1943 he was granted soem Leave Without Pay, returning to his unit on 26 Oct 1943.

On 21 Oct 1944 Raymond entrained for Queensland, having in the meantime in NSW married Dorothy Margaret Hanlon in a Catholic Ceremony. On 4 Dec 1944 he was transferred to 13th Australian Advanced Workshop in Queensland. On 13 Dec 1944 he formally advised the Army that his religion was now Roman Catholic. On 10 May 1945 Ray embarked in Brisbane aboard USAT Sea Barb for Morotai where he disembarked on 26 May 1945. Ray was admitted to the 2/9th Australian General Hospital with a lascerated toe. He was discharged on 21 Sep 1945, returning to duty, and transferred to the 2/118th Brigade Workshop on 25 Sep 1945. On 27 Sep 1945 he embarked on HMAS Manoora in Morotai for Labuan. On 30 Dec 1945 Ray was transferred to the Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot in Perth for leave and reposting and travelled by plane. Ray was discharged in New South Wales on 20 Feb 1946.

Post War

Ray's second wife Jean Elizabeth who he married on 3 Aug 1949, and who later remarried (Armstrong) following Raymond's death later claimed his medals which had already been issued to the eldest son Paul Christopher Butcher (ex RAN) of his first wife Dorothy