Raymond Edward Norton Butcher

Raymond Edward Norton Butcher

in RAAF Uniform as Flight Sergeant
in Militia uniform of Sergeant, 16th Battalion Cameron Highlanders.
Personal Information
Date of Birth	25 Oct 1917
Place of Birth	Katanning, Western Australia
Death	21 Sep 1942
Place of Death	Denmark
Age at Enlistment	23 years, 4 months
Description	5'5½ (1.66m) tall ; 140lbs 63.503 kg ; medium complexion ; hazel eyes ; dark brown hair
Occupation	Accounts clerk
Religion	Church of England
Address	'Buena Park', Bunbury road, Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr. Edward Butcher
Military Information
Reg Number	406638
Date of Enlistment	3 Mar 1941 (26 Aug 1940)
Rank	Flying Officer
Unit/Formation	No. 101 Squadron RAF
Military Movement
1st Departure from Australia
Journey Dates	13 Nov 1941
Transfers
Journey Dates	13 Dec 1941 Canada
Post War Details
Fate	Killed during a flying battle over southern Denmark.
Australian War Memorial	Australian War Memorial
Medals	1939-45 Star Air Crew Europe Star War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45

War Service

Ray originally enlisted in the CMF, and was posted to the 16th Australian Infantry Battalion (Cameron Highlanders Regiment) before being discharged in order to enlist in the RAAF on 3 Mar 1941.

Ray's time in the RAAF Reserve began at the No. 4 RAAF Recruiting Centre, mustered as an Aircraftman II, Aircrew. From 3 Mar to 3 Apr 1941 he attended the No. 5 Initial Training School RAAF at Pearce, being appointed as a Leading Aircraftman on 29 Mar 1941. 3 Mar - 3 Apr 1941. On 3 Apr 1941 he was posted to the No. 1 Wireless Air Gunners School RAAF in Ballarat, Victoria

No. 1 W.A.G.S. Ballarat3 Apr - 25 Aug 1941 No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School RAAF at Port Pirie 25 Aug - 17 Oct 1941 - remustered Sergeant Air Gunner. 19 Oct 1941 discharged in order to become a commissioned officer (Pilot Officer Air Gunner) from 20 Oct 1941 No. 5 Embarkation Depot RAAF Perth 27 Oct 1941 6 days pre-embarkation leave 19 - 25 Jun 1941 No. 2 Embarkation Depot Sydney 10 - 12 Nov 1941 Embarked in Sydney on 13 Nov 1941, disembarked in UK on 26 Dec 1941 via Canada No. 3 PRC 26 Dec 1941 - 20 Feb 1942 No. 7 AGS on 21 Feb 1942 - 15 Apr 1942 (Stormy Down??) No. 20 Operational Training Unit RAF 16 Apr 1942 - 28 Jun 1942. Promoted Flying Officer on 20 Apr 1942 No 101 Squadron RAF 29 Jun 1942, while with the 101st Squadron he had leave from 14 - 20 Sep 1942

Trained with the Empire Air Training Scheme (EATS) in Canada and Britain.

Missing West Australian 17 Oct 1942; presumed dead West Australian 19 May 1943 Location of crash was in the sea off the coast of Denmark.

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  Aabenraa Military Cemetery, Denmark
• 

  Ray Butcher's gravesite

Aabenraa is a town on the south-east Jutland coast about 25 kilometres north of the German border.

Notes

Raymond was a member of the crew of a Vickers Wellington bomber X3815 from No. 101 Squadron RAF that was lost during an operation on 21 Sep 1942. The plane crashed in Denmark following an attack by a German night fighter. At the time of his death the Squadron was operating from RAF Stradishall. By the end of the war in Europe, the squadron had sustained 1,176 aircrew killed and it had lost 146 aircraft (including 33 in accidents).