Sergeant (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner) of RAF No.61 Squadron, killed in the crash of Hampden bomber P4399.
Wilfred Leonard Butler was born on 3 November 1919, the youngest of the three children of William Henry Butler (1882-1964) and Bessie Jane Butler née Flowers (1882-1971). His birth was registered in the 4th quarter of 1919 in the Kingston Registration District, Surrey, (now Greater London). On 21 December 1919 he was baptised at St Paul's Church, Queen's Road, Kingston upon Thames, where in the baptismal register he was shown as living with his family at The Barracks, Kingston and that his father was a Sergeant in the East Surrey Regiment.
When the census that was undertaken on 19 June 1921 he was shown as Wilfred Leonard Butler, aged 1 year, 7 months, who had been born in Kingston, Surrey and who was boarding at Connaught House, Littlehampton, West Sussex, with his mother, aged 39 years, 5 months and who was on home duties having been born in Croydon, Surrey (now Greater London) together with his two sisters: Margaret Ellen Butler (b.1911 in Kinsale, Cork, Ireland) who was aged 9 years, 8 months and in whole time education and Kathleen Mary Butler (1913-2000) who had been born in Dublin, Ireland and who was also in whole time education.
Having been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, his father was discharged from the army in 1924. When the England and Wales Register was compiled on 29 September 1939 his family was living at 22 St Ann's Road, Chertsey, Surrey. His father was shown as a painter & decorator and the Head Air Raid Warden with Chertsey Urban District Council, whilst his sister, Kathleen, was listed as an assistant school matron.
He joined the Royal Air Force, Service Number 645433 and was attached to No.61 Squadron. He was aboard a Handley Page Hampden Bomber, serial number P4399, when it took off from RAF Luffenham in Rutland on Wednesday, 30 July 1941, at 23.06 hours, on a night bombing raid to Cologne, Germany. On its return it flew into an electrical storm and crashed onto houses at 65-69 East Hill, Dartford, Kent, killing three of the RAF personnel on the aircraft and three civilians on the ground. He is in Chertsey (St. Stephen's) Church Burial Ground, Eastworth Road, Chertsey, Surrey, KT16 8DS. His death was registered, as aged 21 years, in the 3rd quarter of 1941 in the Dartford Registration District, Kent.
He is shown as 'SERGEANT WILFRED BUTLER' on the Hampden Bomber P4399 Crash memorial attached to a wall in East Hill, Dartford, DA1.
He is also commemorated on the e, on the at Canwick Hill, Lincoln, LN4 2HQ and on the .
We are grateful to Duncan Maclean, Butler's great nephew, who sent us a few photos, including: Butler as a toddler with his teddy bear, and as a c.10 year old, proudly astride a Norton motorbike (not his, we're sure). Also his 'In Memoriam' card: "Sergt. Wilfred Leonard Butler, No. 645433 RAF (W/Op. & A.G.) who was killed in action whilst engaged in air operations, 31st July 1941. 'He wanted to be always in company with these:- 'with Earth, and Sun, and Sea, and Stars by Night.' ' " which is a quote from Richard Jefferies, the Naturalist and novelist.
Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk and Andrew Behan.
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