#OTD in 1917, Pte William Boynton Butler, 17th W.York.R was in a trench mortar bay when he saw the fly-off lever come off a Stokes Bomb. With soldiers passing along the trench he knew that in seconds there would be devastation and loss of life if he just threw it over the 1/4

parapet. He picked it up and shouted for everyone to take cover. Then he threw it over the parados, and it fired almost as soon as it left his hands. It caused much damage to the trench but only Butler was slightly hurt. For his courage and 2/4

willingness to sacrifice himself to protect others, he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
He served in the Home Guard during SWW, in the Leeds Corporation Gasworks unit commanded by Maj George Sanders VC MC, and with Capt W Edwards VC, making it the only HG unit to have three VC 3/4

recipients in one unit. He died in Leeds in 1972, and is the only Leeds born VC to be buried in the city. His grave is in Hunslet (New) Cemetery. 4/4

A remarkable image of William Butler VC talking toi the Duke of Edinburgh at a Palace garden party for the VC&GC Association in the late 1960s. Remarkable because WBB VC was 5'2" tall. His wife to his left, even with her hat is considerably shorter than him...

Yorkshire Evening Post 23 November 1942.
Capt Wilf Edwards VC was not on parade.