ALAN ROBERT BUTCHER
Photograph courtesy of Mrs. S. Blowers
Image from the Suffolk Chronicle & Mercury – 1917.
Born: 28th February 1890, Ipswich.
Baptised on the 17th October 1890, at St. Margaret’s Church, Ipswich, with his brother, Bertie Butcher, born 4th August 1882, and twin sister, Dorothy Alice Butcher, born 28th February 1890 – family home at Samuel Road, Ipswich.
Died: 28th April 1917; age 27; KiA by a sniper whilst on duty.
Residence: 14, Samuel Road, Ipswich.
Occupation: Cabinet Maker.
Enlistment Location: Ipswich.
Rank: Private; Service Number: 43433.
Regiment: Suffolk Regiment, 11th Battalion.
Medals Awarded: Victory, British War.
Memorial Reference:
Bay 4,
Pas de Calais,
France.
CENSUS
1891 2, Samuel Road, Ipswich.
Alan was a year old and living with his parents, brother and twin sister.
Robert Butcher, 27, a Bricklayer, born Ipswich
Alice Butcher (nee Griss), 27, born Ipswich.
Bertie Butcher, 8, born Ipswich.
Dorothy Alice Butcher, 11, born Ipswich.
1901 22, Samuel Road, Ipswich.
Alan was 11 years of age and living with his parents, brother and twin sister.
Robert, 37, a Bricklayer.
Alice, 37.
Bertie, 18, a Bricklayer.
Alice, 11.
1911 14, Samuel Road, Ipswich.
Alan was 21 years old and a Cabinet Maker for a furniture shop. He was living with his parents and twin sister.
Robert, 47, a Bricklayer – own account.
Alice, 47.
Alice, 21, a Milliner’s Assistant.
Probate to Robert Butcher – father, a builder.
Soldiers’ Effects to Robert Butcher – father.
Alan is also remembered on the war memorial at St. Margaret’s Church, Ipswich, and his parents’ headstone at Ipswich Old Cemetery.
11th Battalion – at 4:27 a.m., the 11th Battalion formed the left battalion of the 101st Brigade and attacked the chemical works north of Roeux and immediately south of the railway. It was soon held up and then driven back by intense machine gun fire from a trench which appeared to have been missed by our barrage, but a few men got right through and into a quarry to the east of the works, coming back in the evening with two or three prisoners. At 9:45 a.m., the enemy counter-attacked from the direction of Roeux, capturing Mount Pleasant wood and part of the Ceylon trench.
At ten o’clock that night, the battalion was withdrawn from the front support line trench on 30th April under cover of darkness, and the battalion moved back to camp. The enemy successfully resisted the Attack on Roeux with over 300 casualties to the 11th Battalion.
Suffolk Regiment, 11th Battalion:
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