Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Great War Egypt theatre of war A.F.C. group of eight awarded to Inspector W. J. Butler, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, late Royal Engineers, Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force and British Columbia Provincial Police

Air Force Cross, G.V.R., unnamed; British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. W. J. Butler, R.A.F.); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 (Flt. Lieut. W. J. Butler, R.A.F.); Canadian Voluntary Service Medal 1939-45, with overseas clasp; War Medal 1939-45, silver; Royal Canadian Mounted Police L.S. & G.C., E.II.R. (W. J. Butler, A.F.C.); British Columbia Provincial Police L.S. & G.C. (Regtl. No. 417 Det. Sergt. W. J. Butler) mounted court style for wear, generally good very fine and a unique combination of awards (8) £3500-4000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

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Ex Ron Penhall Collection, D.N.W. 22 September 2006

A.F.C. London Gazette 8 February 1919

Wilfred John Butler was born in London, England in September 1896 and was educated at Lipson School, Plymouth prior to being commissioned into the Royal Engineers as a 2nd Lieutenant in September 1914. He subsequently served in the U.K. with an appointment in No. 1 Company of the Devon Fort R.L. CF.F.), and attended a course at the Southern Command School of Military Engineering in September 1915, from which he would would later state he was 'ordered overseas before completion', which may very well be so, and probably to Egypt, but his MIC entry clearly indicates that he did not win entitlement to the 1914-15 Star - even though he chose to wear the appropriate riband in uniform in later years

In September 1916 he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, attending No. 3 School of Aeronautics in Egypt, and on completion of his pilot training he served in No. 23 (Reserve) Squadron and as a flying instructor at No. 16 Training Depot at Aboukir, 1917-18, work that no doubt contributed to his award of the A.F.C. the following year

But service of a more active nature was very much on the agenda when, as a recently appointed Acting Flight Lieutenant, he joined the strength of No. 31 Squadron on the outbreak of the Third Afghan War in 1919. One of four pilots posted to an advanced base at Tank, he flew reconnaissance and bombing raids on a virtually daily basis, often in the direction of Wana, the scene of a recent mutiny of the local Militia, who had seized the posts of Wana, Sarawaki and Tanai, aided by the Wazirs and Mahsuds. Maximum temperatures at the time reached 120 degrees in the shade and owing to the shortage of spares the unit's B.E. 2Cs were frequently flown without tyres, many landings being made "on the rim". Added to which, on occasion, the heat also prevented the aircraft gaining sufficient altitude for such a mountainous region, Butler falling victim to just such a problem (among others) when ordered to Dakka, via the Khyber Pass, with 1st Air Mechanic George Haynes as his passenger

They covered 20 miles, then hot soot and oil spewed back in their faces. The pilot [Butler] asked L.A.C. Haynes what he should do, George saying, or rather yelling above the roar of the engine, that they should return to Risalpur. On landing it was discovered that someone had turned on the spare oil tank which had resulted in the engine becoming flooded with oil. Had they carried on, the engine would have either stopped or caught fire. The engine was fixed but not properly, so that when they took-off again, they just cleared the edge of the airfield, having gained 300 feet, when the engine stopped. The B.E. dropped and the under-carriage was smashed but both men were unhurt. Taking to the air for a third time in another B.E., they finally made progress, but when about 16 miles up the Khyber the pilot found, now that the heat of the day was at its height, that he could not coax the machine over the mountains. He tried four or five times but each time the B.E. would fall away in the thinner air. Finally Butler gave up and flew to the landing ground at Peshawar. “You’re too bloody heavy, that’s your trouble,” was Butler’s terse comment on landing. Then one of the B.E’s tyres exploded! He later flew the B.E. up to Dakka leaving George to carry on by road

On resigning his commission in the Royal Air Force in May 1920, Butler appears to have set up a fruit growing business, possibly in Canada. More certain is the fact he did enlist in the British Columbia Provincial Police (B.C.P.P.) as a probationer in April 1930 and had risen to the rank of Corporal by the time he purchased his discharge in September 1940, on being appointed to a commission in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Butler served in the latter capacity, as an administrative and legal officer, until being discharged at Vancouver in the rank of Acting Squadron Leader in February 1945, having served in the U.K. between August 1943 and January 1944

Rejoining the British Columbia Provincial Police he was advanced to Detective Sergeant in November 1947 and to Sub. Inspector in April 1950, in which latter rank he entered the Royal Canadian Mounted Police at Prince George when the B.C.P.P. were absorbed. He finally retired as an Inspector in December 1956, having been stationed at Vernon, Victoria, Ottawa and Ontario, among other locations. Butler died in June 1970.