William Boynton Butler

He shielded passing men from a live shell before throwing it

William Boynton Butler was born at Armley, Leeds, on 20 November 1894. Educated at St Oswald’s School, he became a coal miner. Initially rejected because of his height, he enlisted in a bantam battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment in 1915 and went to France in 1916. He served with the 106th Trench Mortar Battery.

On 6 August 1917 east of Lempire, a Stokes mortar bomb accidentally became armed in his emplacement. Private Butler picked it up, warned passing infantrymen and placed himself between them and the live bomb. Once they had passed, he threw it over the rear of the trench and took cover. It exploded almost immediately, leaving him bruised but saving the men nearby. His presence of mind earned the Victoria Cross, presented that December.

He returned to France and later received the French Croix de Guerre. After the war he married Clara Johnson and raised a daughter. He worked as a spray painter for the gas undertaking in Leeds and served in its Home Guard during the Second World War. Butler died in Leeds on 25 March 1972 and was buried in Hunslet Cemetery.

Victoria Cross citation

For most conspicuous bravery when in charge of a Stokes gun in trenches which were being heavily shelled. Suddenly one of the fly-off levers of a Stokes shell came off and fired the shell in the emplacement. Private Butler picked up the shell and jumped to the entrance of the emplacement, which at that moment a party of infantry were passing. He shouted to them to hurry past as the shell was going off, and turning round, placed himself between the party of men and the live shell and so held it till they were out of danger. He then threw the shell on to the parados, and took cover in the bottom of the trench. The shell exploded almost on leaving his hand, greatly damaging the trench. By extreme good luck Private Butler was contused only. Undoubtedly his great presence of mind and disregard of his own life saved the lives of the officer and men in the emplacement and the party which was passing at the time.