George Alexander Butler DFC DSO (108569)

[kevshore]

Hi,
I am new to the Forum. I hope that I have posted this in the correct section.
I am trying to find as much information out as possible on George. I met him when I was 18yrs old (I am now 51). He owned the local village garage, which I bought when I was 31. I still own it. I got to know George quite well, but as with many veterans, he didn't talk much about his service. He would tell be bits and pieces. I did get the chance to read his flying log. Amazing reading.
I have this need to learn more about him. I have found mentions in the London Gazette. He was a flight lieutenant with 60 sqn in August 1944 when he was awarded the DFC.
A year later he was acting sqn leader with 11 sqn, when he was awarded the DSO.
I know he flew Hurricanes in Burma. I just wish that I remember more from his log. It was 22 years ago that I read it.

Any guidance as to where to look for information on George would be very much appreciated. I really would love to learn more about him. He was a true gentleman. He was so humble when telling me some of his stories.

Many thanks.

Kevin.

[PeterColwill]

Hi Kevin,
George would presumably have been with 60 Squadron during the siege of Imphal. He was OC of 11 Squadron from 27.12.44 to 4.45, both units operating the Hurricane. Now the good news...
If you go to the Imperial War Museum site you will find under 12341 an interview recorded with George on 13.11.91.
Unfortunately due technical issues this is presently not available but should be in near future.
The resume states..

139 Squadron in UK 1941 and then 62 Squadron, Bay of Bengal 1942. Then the bit you know 60 and 11 squadrons.
Hope this helps
Peter

[PeterColwill]

Further to the IWM resume, 139 squadron was reformed in UK in 1941 with Lockheed Hudsons and then sent to Burma. Its arrival in February 1942 coincided with the Japanese attack and the remains of the squadron was absorbed into 62 squadron, again with Hudsons.
cheers
Peter

[dbrasier]

There is also an excellent photo of him in Burma stood by his Hurricane on the IWM website catalogue number CF559

[kevshore]

Wow guys!! That's brilliant news! I will certainly be having a look! Many thanks.

Kev.

[kevshore]

There is also an excellent photo of him in Burma stood by his Hurricane on the IWM website catalogue number CF559

I can't find this. Am I doing something daft? Do you have a link at all David?


Kind regards

kevin.

[pete102]

http://isl.iwmcollections.org.uk/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll?AC=NEXT_RECORD&XC=/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll&BU=http%3A%2F%2Fisl.iwmcollections.org.uk%2F&TN=Uncat&SN=AUTO4419&SE=47&RN=129&MR=24&TR=0&TX=1000&ES=0&CS=1&XP=&RF=resultsThumb&EF=&DF=details&RL=0&EL=0&DL=0&NP=1&ID=&MF=WPENGMSG.INI&MQ=&TI=0&DT=&ST=0&IR=0&NR=0&NB=2&SV=0&BG=0&FG=0&QS=

Links aren't enabled so just copy and paste the above into your browser.

Pete.

[kevshore]

Oh my god!! Thank you so much Pete! That is so moving looking at that. I'm choked up.

Kev.

[HughAHalliday]

BUTLER, George Alexander, F/L (108569, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve) - No.60 Squadron - Distinguished Flying Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 11 August 1944. Born 1919 in Lincolnshire; home there. Educated at Hiliston Street Public School, Cleethorpes and St.James Secondary School, Grimsby, Enlisted 1940; commissioned September 1941. Public Record Office Air 2/9633 has citation drafted when he had flown 308 operational hours as pilot and was a Flight Commander.

"Flight Lieutenant Butler has flown on a large number of operational sorties, the majority of which have been against the Japanese land forces, although he has also participated in a number of long sea patrols. On one occasion in July 1942 he severely damaged a Japanese four-engined flying boat after an air combat lasting 40 minutes. While serving in the Arakan and Imphal theatre of operations this officer has led the squadron on many low level attacks, releasing his bombs with great precision and achieving excellent results. Throughout almost two years of operational flying, Flight Lieutenant Butler has displayed great courage and devotion to duty, frequently remaining over the target area regardless of fire from the enemy's ground defences."


BUTLER, George Alexander, S/L, DFC (108569, Royal Air Force) - No.11 Squadron - Distinguished Service Order - awarded as per London Gazette dated 20 July 1945. No citation in Gazette; following text from Air Ministry Bulletin 19267 and Flight, 2 August 1945.

"Squadron Leader Butler has a long record of operational flying and is now on his third tour of duty. He has, throughout, displayed a fine fighting spirit and outstanding courage and devotion to duty. Under his brilliant leadership the squadron has flown on many long distance sorties, penetrating deeply into enemy territory. These missions have been completed without fighter cover in aircraft which are virtually defenceless against Japanese fighters and, during the period of this officer's command, no pilot has been lost through enemy action. In addition, Squadron Leader Butler has participated in numerous operations in close support of the 14th Army with excellent results."

[kevshore]

Thank you for posting that Hugh. I hadn't seen that before either. I'm hoping that the interview on the IWM will be up again soon.
It'll be nice to hear his voice once again.


Kev.

[Truthspoon]

He was my great uncle. I will endeavour to find whatever information I can as much for your sake as mine, as we were always told as children was uncle George did out in the East and how he was actually once captured and interred in a POW camp at one point....without quite having the journalistic nous to get all the details, which I will now try to make up for.

It might be of some curious interest that his great grandfather on his father's side was the 6th Earl William Spencer Fitzwilliam of Wentworth while his mother was a Norwegian lady who worked for the Norwegian Diplomatic Service. Hence the name Butler which was a name commonly assigned to the children of such below stairs romances between the Lords and whoever was working below stairs.

My nanna told me the strange story of how when he was shot down in the East the Japanese search party who were looking for him apparently knew his name and were calling out 'George Butler' we know you are there...... how could they know....unless they had captured someone else who told them who to look for.

[kevshore]

He was my great uncle. His brother was William and his sister Thelma who was my grandmother. I will endeavour to find whatever information I can as much for your sake as mine, as we were always told as children was uncle George did out in the East and how he was actually once captured and interred in a POW camp at one point....without quite having the journalistic nous to get all the details, which I will now try to make up for.

It might be of some curious interest that his great grandfather on his father's side was the 6th Earl William Spencer Fitzwilliam of Wentworth while his mother was a Norwegian lady who worked for the Norwegian Diplomatic Service. Hence the name Butler which was a name commonly assigned to the children of such below stairs romances between the Lords and whoever was working below stairs.

My nanna told me the strange story of how when he was shot down in the East the Japanese search party who were looking for him apparently knew his name and were calling out 'George Butler' we know you are there...... how could they know....unless they had captured someone else who told them who to look for.


I knew George very well and he told me lots of stories. I am confident to say that he wasn't shot down and that the story about them calling his name out, was as follows. As told to me by George himself.

He volunteered to go into the jungle with the army one weekend. He said it was because he wanted to see what it was like on the ground. He was 'detached' when in his aircraft. It is true that they called his name out on the tannoy system that they had set up. His words to me about that, were "I knew it wasn't me. they could have picked any name. BUT they picked my name and it was scary! They played mind games with us. I was glad to get back into my aircraft. "

I did have the pleasure of reading his flying log. It was very humbling to read .
George was a true gentleman to the end.

Kev.

[Truthspoon]

Thank you very much indeed for the clarification. It was a second hand story told to a child so there was some garbling of facts. I really need to find out more about him myself.