In Memory of Clifford Hicks Butler 1917
In loving memory of
Clifford Hicks Butler M.A
Classical Exhibitioner of Jesus College, Oxford. Graduate in Lit.Hum.
1st Class Honours Incorporated Law Society.
St Clements Inn and Daniel Reardon Prizrman.
2nd Lieut. 5th Royal Highlanders Black Watch, (Angus and Dundee).
Attached to 6th Black Watch in France.
Born at Booton Hall, 26th September 1881
Fell in action in the Battle of Arras on St Georges Day 1917, leading his company.
And for your wives and babies in the front rank he fell.
Acce atque vale.
And in deep gratitude to all officers, non-commissioned officers
And men who with him gave their lives on that day.
“Went the day well or ill, we died and never knew,but well or ill, England, we died for you”
These all died in faith, having not received the promises
Bur seeing them afar off.
Name: BUTLER, CLIFFORD HICKS
Rank: Second Lieutenant Regiment: Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) Unit Text: 5th Bn. Date of Death: 23/04/1917
Additional information: Son of Mrs. S. Butler, of 7, Thorpe Rd., Norwich.
Grave/Memorial Reference: I. H. 3. Cemetery: BROWN'S COPSE CEMETERY, ROEUX
www.theblackwatch.co.uk/index/first-world-war
Extract from the battalion War Diary
Narrative of events during the engagement of 23rd April, 1917
At 4.45 a.m.the attack began and at 5.30 a.m. the companies were ready to move off. At 5.45 a.m. (i.e. Zero plus 1 hour) the 6th Black Watch advanced in Artillery formation, each Company having 2 lines of half platoons: "C" & "B" Coys. leading, followed by "A" & "D" Coys., "C" & "A" being on the right and "B" & "D" on the left respectively and the Battalion as a whole advancing towards its objective, in touch within the 6th Gordon Highlanders, who were advancing in similar formation on our Right.
At 6.20 a.m.Battalion H.Q. moved forward to junction of sunken road and HUMID Trench when a message was received from 2/Lieut. Butler, Commanding "D" Coy., to say to say that the advance was held up by M.G. fire in the old British Assembly Trenches opposite the GAVRELLE Road.
At 6.50 a.m.2/Lieut. MENZIES, the Battn. Intelligence Officer, was sent forward by me to ascertain the situation.
At 7.30 a.m.the position of Advanced Battle H.Q. in the sunken road became quite impossible owing to the extreme severity of the 8 inch and 5.9 barrage on that line, and H.Q. moved back to their original position in H.16.b.7.9., reporting the fact together with all information received, to the Brigadier
At 8.00 a.m.2/Lieut. BLACKMORE, L.G. Officer, was sent by me to Left flank, together with 2 scouts to report on the situation.
At 9.40 a.m.2/Lieut. MENZIES returned with the information that our Battalion were preparing to push forward in small parties by short rushes from our left, where touch had been established with the 37th Division
At about the same hour, 2/Lieut. BLACKMORE returned with the information that "D" & "B" Coys. were now merged in one line close up to the road (GAVRELLE Road).
At 10.05 a.m.As no report had come from the right flank, I sent 2 orderlies with a message to Capt. GUTHRIE, commanding "C" Coy., for information as to his exact position.
At 10.30 a.m.A wounded Sergeant - Sergt. A. Brown - came to Battn. H.Q. to report that "D" & "B" Coys. , were up to the GAVRELLE Road when he was hit, and at
10.35 a.m.a runner who had lost his way, returned with a message written by Capt. GUTHRIE, "C" Coy. at 8.30 a.m., stating that he was then in the BLACK LINE.
At 11.15 a.m.I sent my Adjutant, Lieut. J. RUTHERFORD and 2/Lieut. MENZIES to get exact information as to the position of each Coy., and shortly after their departure a message came from "D" Coy, now under 2/Lieut. CAMPBELL, to say that 2/Lieut. BUTLER, the "D" Coy. Commander was killed and that the remainder of "D" Coy., about 40 men, were holding the line of the road about I.7.c.7.5., but that further advance was not possible owing to snipers from the forward slopes of GREENLAND HILL and also from M.G.s in the same locality, and from the CHEMICAL WORKS.
Between 3 and 4 p.m. the Germans could be seen forming up in lines of Platoons for counter attack on our positions on and in advance of the GAVRELLE Road, but although they attempted to advance on 3 distinct and separate occasions, their efforts broke down under artillery fire and also the fire of our Lewis Guns from the line of the GAVRELLE Road.
These counter attacks never looked like succeeding, and were very half hearted
We gradually got [in] touch with all 4 Companies on the line of the road and at 4 p.m. 2/Lieut. MENZIES and Lieut. RUTHERFORD returned having established the positions of the Companies on and about the road.
The situation, as it became known, was at once reported to Brigade H.Q. It was now known that 2/Lieutenant BUTLER, Commanding "D" Coy. and 2/Lieut. MACBETH (Commanding "A" Coy.) and 2/Lieut. GARVIE were killed and 2/Lieut. CONDER, commanding "B" Coy., wounded.
The situation continued the same until 7 p.m. when I received orders verbally and personally from the Brigade Commander to reform the 6th Black Watch in the old German front line, and to endeavour to reform the 6th Gordon Highlanders on the same alignment. I ordered Capt. GUTHRIE, the senior officer on the spot, to do this and he reported that this had been done, to me at 1.30 a.m. on 24th April.
dnausers.d-n-a.net/dnetDkjs/bwreport.htm
The 19 year Clifford Hicks Butler, (born Booton, Norfolk), is recorded on the 1901 Census for England and Wales at 121 Rosebery Square, Holborn, London.. His occupation is given as Oxford Undergraduate. This is the household of his sister, Rachel Hicks Butler, aged 21,also born Booton, and a Medical Student. Rachel and Clifford’s younger sister, Rhoda Hicks Butler, aged 15, is also resident.
On the 1891 Census, the 9 year old Clifford is recorded at Booton Hall. This is the household of his parents, Henry Jackson Butler, (aged 42 and a farmer from Barney, Norfolk), and Susanna, (aged 38 and from Plaistow in Essex). Their other children are:-
Rachel Hicks…………..aged 11
Rhoda………………….aged 5
Kenneth Hicks…………aged 2
Henry also has two of his nieces living with him - Dorothy Charlotte Hicks (aged 7) and Margaret Hicks, (aged 6), both born Islington. The Hicks surname suggests that this was actually Susanna’s maiden name.
The Butler’s also have a Governess, Mathilde Rauch from Zurich., plus three servants.
In Memory of Clifford Hicks Butler 1917
In loving memory of
Clifford Hicks Butler M.A
Classical Exhibitioner of Jesus College, Oxford. Graduate in Lit.Hum.
1st Class Honours Incorporated Law Society.
St Clements Inn and Daniel Reardon Prizrman.
2nd Lieut. 5th Royal Highlanders Black Watch, (Angus and Dundee).
Attached to 6th Black Watch in France.
Born at Booton Hall, 26th September 1881
Fell in action in the Battle of Arras on St Georges Day 1917, leading his company.
And for your wives and babies in the front rank he fell.
Acce atque vale.
And in deep gratitude to all officers, non-commissioned officers
And men who with him gave their lives on that day.
“Went the day well or ill, we died and never knew,but well or ill, England, we died for you”
These all died in faith, having not received the promises
Bur seeing them afar off.
Name: BUTLER, CLIFFORD HICKS
Rank: Second Lieutenant Regiment: Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) Unit Text: 5th Bn. Date of Death: 23/04/1917
Additional information: Son of Mrs. S. Butler, of 7, Thorpe Rd., Norwich.
Grave/Memorial Reference: I. H. 3. Cemetery: BROWN'S COPSE CEMETERY, ROEUX
www.theblackwatch.co.uk/index/first-world-war
Extract from the battalion War Diary
Narrative of events during the engagement of 23rd April, 1917
At 4.45 a.m.the attack began and at 5.30 a.m. the companies were ready to move off. At 5.45 a.m. (i.e. Zero plus 1 hour) the 6th Black Watch advanced in Artillery formation, each Company having 2 lines of half platoons: "C" & "B" Coys. leading, followed by "A" & "D" Coys., "C" & "A" being on the right and "B" & "D" on the left respectively and the Battalion as a whole advancing towards its objective, in touch within the 6th Gordon Highlanders, who were advancing in similar formation on our Right.
At 6.20 a.m.Battalion H.Q. moved forward to junction of sunken road and HUMID Trench when a message was received from 2/Lieut. Butler, Commanding "D" Coy., to say to say that the advance was held up by M.G. fire in the old British Assembly Trenches opposite the GAVRELLE Road.
At 6.50 a.m.2/Lieut. MENZIES, the Battn. Intelligence Officer, was sent forward by me to ascertain the situation.
At 7.30 a.m.the position of Advanced Battle H.Q. in the sunken road became quite impossible owing to the extreme severity of the 8 inch and 5.9 barrage on that line, and H.Q. moved back to their original position in H.16.b.7.9., reporting the fact together with all information received, to the Brigadier
At 8.00 a.m.2/Lieut. BLACKMORE, L.G. Officer, was sent by me to Left flank, together with 2 scouts to report on the situation.
At 9.40 a.m.2/Lieut. MENZIES returned with the information that our Battalion were preparing to push forward in small parties by short rushes from our left, where touch had been established with the 37th Division
At about the same hour, 2/Lieut. BLACKMORE returned with the information that "D" & "B" Coys. were now merged in one line close up to the road (GAVRELLE Road).
At 10.05 a.m.As no report had come from the right flank, I sent 2 orderlies with a message to Capt. GUTHRIE, commanding "C" Coy., for information as to his exact position.
At 10.30 a.m.A wounded Sergeant - Sergt. A. Brown - came to Battn. H.Q. to report that "D" & "B" Coys. , were up to the GAVRELLE Road when he was hit, and at
10.35 a.m.a runner who had lost his way, returned with a message written by Capt. GUTHRIE, "C" Coy. at 8.30 a.m., stating that he was then in the BLACK LINE.
At 11.15 a.m.I sent my Adjutant, Lieut. J. RUTHERFORD and 2/Lieut. MENZIES to get exact information as to the position of each Coy., and shortly after their departure a message came from "D" Coy, now under 2/Lieut. CAMPBELL, to say that 2/Lieut. BUTLER, the "D" Coy. Commander was killed and that the remainder of "D" Coy., about 40 men, were holding the line of the road about I.7.c.7.5., but that further advance was not possible owing to snipers from the forward slopes of GREENLAND HILL and also from M.G.s in the same locality, and from the CHEMICAL WORKS.
Between 3 and 4 p.m. the Germans could be seen forming up in lines of Platoons for counter attack on our positions on and in advance of the GAVRELLE Road, but although they attempted to advance on 3 distinct and separate occasions, their efforts broke down under artillery fire and also the fire of our Lewis Guns from the line of the GAVRELLE Road.
These counter attacks never looked like succeeding, and were very half hearted
We gradually got [in] touch with all 4 Companies on the line of the road and at 4 p.m. 2/Lieut. MENZIES and Lieut. RUTHERFORD returned having established the positions of the Companies on and about the road.
The situation, as it became known, was at once reported to Brigade H.Q. It was now known that 2/Lieutenant BUTLER, Commanding "D" Coy. and 2/Lieut. MACBETH (Commanding "A" Coy.) and 2/Lieut. GARVIE were killed and 2/Lieut. CONDER, commanding "B" Coy., wounded.
The situation continued the same until 7 p.m. when I received orders verbally and personally from the Brigade Commander to reform the 6th Black Watch in the old German front line, and to endeavour to reform the 6th Gordon Highlanders on the same alignment. I ordered Capt. GUTHRIE, the senior officer on the spot, to do this and he reported that this had been done, to me at 1.30 a.m. on 24th April.
dnausers.d-n-a.net/dnetDkjs/bwreport.htm
The 19 year Clifford Hicks Butler, (born Booton, Norfolk), is recorded on the 1901 Census for England and Wales at 121 Rosebery Square, Holborn, London.. His occupation is given as Oxford Undergraduate. This is the household of his sister, Rachel Hicks Butler, aged 21,also born Booton, and a Medical Student. Rachel and Clifford’s younger sister, Rhoda Hicks Butler, aged 15, is also resident.
On the 1891 Census, the 9 year old Clifford is recorded at Booton Hall. This is the household of his parents, Henry Jackson Butler, (aged 42 and a farmer from Barney, Norfolk), and Susanna, (aged 38 and from Plaistow in Essex). Their other children are:-
Rachel Hicks…………..aged 11
Rhoda………………….aged 5
Kenneth Hicks…………aged 2
Henry also has two of his nieces living with him - Dorothy Charlotte Hicks (aged 7) and Margaret Hicks, (aged 6), both born Islington. The Hicks surname suggests that this was actually Susanna’s maiden name.
The Butler’s also have a Governess, Mathilde Rauch from Zurich., plus three servants.