Henry (Harry) Butcher

Harry centre "For King & Cobbers" N Browning p.57
Harry in front "For King & Cobbers" N Browning p.177
Personal Information
Date of Birth	unknown
Place of Birth	Wongong Brook, Western Australia
Death	14 Nov 1955
Place of Death	Perth, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	23 years, 8 months
Description	5' 6" (1.68m) tall; weight 165 lbs (74.8 kg); fresh complexion, brown eyes, black hair
Occupation	farmer
Religion	Congregational
Address	Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother Mrs Hannah Sophia Butcher (nee Marsh)
Military Information
Reg Number	6414
Date of Enlistment	3 Oct 1916
Rank	Corporal
Unit/Formation	27th Battalion, 18th Reinforcement, transferred to 51st Battalion
Date of Embarkation	23 Dec 1916 - 18 Feb 1917
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A35 Berrima
Date of Return	3 Jul 1919 - 13 Jul 1919 & 21 Sep 1920 - 2 Oct 1920
Ship Returned On	SS Celtic & SS Sonoma
Fate	Wounded in Action 25 Apr 1918 at Villers-Bretonneux Returned to Australia
Monument	Armadale (Bedfordale panel) Bedfordale Honour Board Armadale Congregational Church Honour Board
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

Originally intended as a reinforcement for the 27th Battalion, he was transferred to the 51st Battalion reinforcement unit at Codford in England on 25 Apr 1917.

He joined the 51st Battalion proper in their rest area near Matringhem, France on 24 Sep 1917.

Beginning in October 1917 he spent 3 months in hospital with a bad sprain of the right ankle. Involved in the famous recapture of Villers-Bretonneux on Anzac Day 1918, he received a wound to the face on 25 Apr 1917 requiring hospital attention.

Soon after rejoining his battalion he was sent on leave to England prior to attending No.4 Army School. While there he suffered a period with influenza, finally rejoining his unit in France on 15 Jan 1919.

Requested, and was granted 12 months leave for agricultural reasons in the USA from 10 Aug 1919. He embarked on SS Celtic at Liverpool on 25 Aug 1919.

Discharged 26 Dec 1920 after arriving back from San Francisco via Sydney.

409th Official List.. WOUNDED.. Henry Butcher, Armadale.

Post War

Henry first appears on the electoral roll in 1922 as a pastoralist at Payne's Find with his brother William and then in 1925 at Hill Springs Station via Carnarvon. He and his wife Amy Strongman (nee Richards) who he married in 1923 are still shown there on electoral rolls until his death.

On 12 Feb 1925 a daughter Amy Thea was born in South Perth.