Ernest V Butchers

Ernest Victor Butchers enlisted into the General Service Corps at Colchester in March 1943.

He volunteered for airborne forces attended parachute training course number 81 at RAF Ringway between 6 and 16 September 1943. His course report stated: ‘Pte Buther [sic] Cheerful, quick and cool headed, jumped well.’

Private Butchers was then posted to The 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion (12 Para Bn) and jumped into Normandy on 6 June 1944.

Pte Butchers also saw active service in the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge. He jumped on the Rhine Crossings during Operation Varsity and the advance across Germany to the Baltic.

After the end of The Second World War he went to the Far East and served in the Weapon Training Section, No.1 Parachute Regiment I.T.C.

Corporal Butchers was demobbed in June 1947.

By Wendy George

1943
12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion (Corporal)
1943
8 platoon C Company 12th(Yorkshire) Battalion (Corporal)

Operations

Event

Ardennes

After the Allied landings in Normandy and subsequent advance through France and Belgium, the German Army had succeeded in stalling the Allied offensive along their line of defence at the German border - the ‘Siegfried Line’.

Event

Far East

The 5th Parachute Brigade was sent to the Far East in preparation for a potential invasion of Japan. However, only the advance elements of the Brigade had reached the Far East prior to the Japanese surrender.

Event

Normandy (Operation Overlord)

Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of occupied Europe commonly known as D-Day, saw the 6th Airborne Division for the first time.

Event

Rhine Crossing (Operation Varsity)

Operation Varsity was the largest single airborne operation in history. On a single day, over 16,000 men were inserted by glider and parachute into western Germany. Around 8000 of those came from the British 6th Airborne Division, flying aboard 243 C47 aircraft and 440 gliders.

Solo photos_1

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Cpl Butchers, Weapon Training Section, No.1 Parachute Regiment I.T.C c1945-46.

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Group photos_2

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Group Photograph of Weapon Training Section, No.1 Parachute Regiment I.T.C c1945-46

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Group Photograph of 12th Parachute Battalion, February 1944

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Corporal Ernest V Butchers

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Service History