Monthly Archives: April 2017

Wakefield Express – Butel Brothers

Wakefield Express – Butel Brothers

Extracted from the Wakefield Express June 1944.

BROTHERS WOUNDED – Cpl. B butel and Pte. J. Butel, Dorsetshire Regiment, sons of Mr P.A. Butel, of la Moye, Jersey, Channel Islands, now living at 16, St John’s North, Wakefield, have been wounded in Normandy.

Butel brothers via Wakefield Express June 1944

Butel brothers via Wakefield Express June 1944

Although not a very good photocopy of the Butel brothers – the image was very dark. You can get an impression of the young men.

What were the Butel brothers doing in Wakefield.

Quite a few people from the Channel Islands came to Wakefield during WW2, leaving their home as the islands had been taken over by the German Army.  Were the brothers part of this migration to safety? Or, had they already left to join the British Army? Does anyone know?

Photographs – Who are You?

Photographs – Who are You?

A while ago I was donating somethings to charity – my chosen charity shop was closed, and as the items I wished to donate were in my car I stopped off at another charities shop to pass on the items. While in the shop one of the staff, I think it was the deputy manager, started talking when he spotted my interest in a framed photograph. It was old, in a wooden frame and was of a couple and looked to be from the first 20 years of the 1900’s. I love old photographs but I wish people would write on the back – passing on the information of who is who. My mum was an example of non-writing on photographs, well, why should she, she knew who the people were.

DSCF6080Anyway, moving on. I walked out of the shop armed with an envelope containing a handful of WW2 photographs and one of a lady who looked to have been captured in time a little earlier. I also had a simple wooden frame securing a grey board, upon the board was a printed military crest. Below the crest was the name, service number and regiment of a man written in what looked like a pencil, with the passing of time had faded and only the faint indentations of the writing implement were visible…………..that is another story!

I was told in the charity shop that they came from a house clearance in the Castleford/Normanton area.

Now is the time to try and link names to a lady and a few soldiers.

Starting with the lady, as you should in polite circles. Her dress looks to be from around the second decade of the 1900’s. Her hair is in a simple off the face style and she has a wistful look that could be tinged with sadness. Her dress or top is buttoned through and finished off with a brooch which looks to be in the form of a bow and a long securing pin. The photograph was taken by Muller Portrait Co., 4 Silver Street, Halifax.

DSCF6092 lady cropped 20170417_102406

The photographs of the soldiers seem to be taken in various places including Talbot Studios (T H Louden) 61 Talbot Road, Blackpool; Swift Studios in either Plymouth of Exeter; Modern Studios, 11 Boar Lane, Leeds; Pictorial Studios, The Esplanade, Redcar; T  E Cox, Ripon and a couple in Bombay that look like pictures taken by fellow soldiers.

A few of the photographs have names on the back, as if sent with a letter, while others are blank.

Who to start off with?  The man at the top.  A soldier with his cap at a jaunty angle and no signes of a regiment apart from a cap badge.  On the reverse are the words ‘Plows Histon 170 Street (?)’.

Eric on the left and Mr Plows on right

Eric on the left and Mr Plows on right

Next is a man who writes on the reverse of his image ‘To Forrie and Harold with love from Eric’. At least we know this young mans name!

Following on is a man serving in the RAF and written on the reverse is ‘Mr Plows’ – could he  be a relative of the soldier at Histon?

Florrie and Harold must have been well known and liked in the area as the photographs from Bombay are for them and they received two photographs within a month.  ‘To Florrie and

Raymond, Bombay 1945

Raymond, Bombay 1945

Raymond, Bombay 1945.

Raymond, Bombay 1945.

Harold from Raymond xxxxxx, Bombay Aug 45′ and then ‘ To Florrie and Harold from Raymond xxxxx Bombay 15th Sept 45’.  What connection had Florrie and Harold to Raymond and our first young man? On close inspection of the coloured photograph, it looks like it is hand coloured as his cap badge on the left clearly shows it should not be red and the pink/red colouring runs in two places onto the white border.

The following pictures have no names or clues except the group image was taken by a photographer from Ripon. Do you know who these men are, if you do, let me know!

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10 WW1 things to do in Northern France and Belgium

10 WW1 things to do in Northern France and Belgium

1 Toc H and the Shot at Dawn Post – Poperinghe

2 Lijssenthoek CWGC Cemetery and Visitor Center

3 The Blochaus de Eperleques

4 Tyne Cot CWGC and Visitor Center

5 Langermark German Cemetery

6 In Flanders Field Museum

7 Vimy Ridge and Visitor Center

8 Le Carriere eWellington

9 Passchendale Museum

10 Victoria Cross: The Heroes’ Trail

Before you visit – check for opening times, entrance charges, facilities and access.

If you are going to look for a specific soldier or place, do a little bit of research before you go, it will be worth the pre-planning.