Amos Butler
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Amos Butler was the son of James Butler and Hannah Butler (née Flint). His father James was born in 1855 in Belper, Derbyshire, the son of James Butler, a collier. His mother Hannah Flint, the daughter of William Flint, was born in 1856 also in Belper. They were married in the parish church of Duffield, Derbyshire, on 30 August 1875. James, Hannah and both their witnesses signed the marriage certificate with their marks. James and Hannah had thirteen children of whom only nine survived infancy and childhood. Nine children were named on the census between 1881 and 1911, the eight eldest were born in Derbyshire: Mary b. abt. 1877; Walter b. 1878 bap. 1879 Belper St Peter; Martha b. 1881 bap. 1884 Belper Christ Church; John b. 1882 bap. 1884 Christ Church; Elizabeth b. 1884 bap. 1885 St Peter; James b. 1891 bap. 1892 St Peter; Lucy b. 1893, Amos b. 12 November 1895 and Albert b. Kirkby 1899. In 1881 James, a collier, and Hannah were living at Openwoodgate, Denby, Derbyshire, with their three children Mary, Walter and Martha. They were still living in Derbyshire ten years later in 1891 and now had six children: Mary who was in work, Walter a coal miner, Martha, John, Elizabeth and James. Also in the household was the widowed Martha Butler who was described as the grandmother but was probably the mother of James senior; she probably died later that year. The three youngest children - Lucy, Amos and Albert - were born between 1893 and 1899, the youngest, Albert, in Kirkby. The family was registered in East Kirkby at the time of the 1901 Census; only Elizabeth who was in work, James, Lucy, Amos (7) and Albert were in the home with their parents on the night of the census. By 1911 James and Hannah were living at 36 Ellis Street, East Kirkby; only their two youngest sons, Amos a pit bank boy and Albert, were still at home. Amos' parents were still living at 36 Ellis Street when he was killed in 1916.
HMS Black Prince, Royal Navy previously Royal Field Artillery (90448 Driver). Amos enlisted in the Army at Hucknall on 28 August 1914 giving his age as 18 yrs and 270 days and his occupation as coal miner. He was posted to the Royal Field Artillery (90448 Driver). However, he was discharged from 'A' Battery 49 Bde RFA on 16 February 1915 having served only 173 days, as he was a recruit deemed 'not likely to become an efficient soldier' as in the medical officer's opinion Amos 'had a depressed fracture of skull through an accident several years ago, since when he has suffered constantly from headaches which render him quite useless for active service.' However, days later on 26 February he enlisted in the Royal Navy as a stoker on a 12 year engagement (5 years regular service, 7 years Royal Fleet Reserve). He served in the following ships and shore establishments: Victory II, 26 February 1915-29 June 1915 (Stoker 2nd Class), HMS Black Prince, 30 June 1915-31 May 1916 (Stoker 1st Class 23 February 1916). Amos died when HMS Black Prince was lost with all hands at the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1915. His Naval record was annotated: ‘NP 4065.1916. DD [discharged dead] 31st May 1916: Killed in action.' His body was not recovered for burial and he is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. The circumstances surrounding the loss of HMS Black Prince were unclear for many years because there were no positive sightings of the ship after 17.42. Recent historians hold to the German account of the ship's sinking. Black Prince briefly engaged the German battleship Rheinland at about 23:35 GMT, scoring two hits with 6-inch shells. Separated from the rest of the British fleet, Black Prince approached the German lines at approximately midnight. She turned away from the German battleships, but it was too late. The German battleship Thüringen fixed Black Prince in her searchlights and opened fire. Up to five other German ships, including battleships Nassau, Ostfriesland, and Friedrich der Grosse, joined in the bombardment, with return fire from Black Prince being ineffective. Most of the German ships were between 750 and 1500 yards of Black Prince - effectively point blank range for contemporary naval gunnery. Black Prince was hit by at least twelve heavy shells and several smaller ones, sinking within 15 minutes. There were no survivors from Black Prince's crew, over 850 being killed. The Bundeswehr Museum of Military History, Dresden: Painting, oil on canvas: ‘SMS Thueringen destroys the English cruiser Black Prince in a night battle at 2am on 1 June.’ Clause Bergen (1885-1964). Caption: 'Present given by the commander of Thueringen, Captain Hans Kuesel, to his nephew in 1921. Bergen established his reputation as a marine painter with depictions of the Battle of Jutland (31 May-1 June 1916). When the Imperial German Fleet returned home, he was in Wilhelmshaven and asked officers involved in the battle to give him detailed accounts of the events.'
Two of his brothers, John and Albert, also served in the war. John served in the 1st Bn Sherwood Foresters and died from a heart condition onboard the Hospital Ship St David on 24 September 1915. He was buried in Kingsway Old Cemetery, Kirkby in Ashfield. (See record on this Roll of Honour) Albert was under-age when he joined the Royal Army Medical Corps in August 1914 (34707 Private). He served in Gallipoli from 7 August 1915 but ten days later on 17 August suffered gunshot wounds to his chest. He was repatriated to England where his true age was discovered and he was discharged from the Army on 17 November 1915 aged 16 years and 91 days. He died on 30 November 1918 and was buried with his brother John in Kingsway Old Cemetery, Kirkby in Ashfield. All three brothers are commemorated on the Kingsway Memorial, Kirkby in Ashfield. (See record on this Roll of Honour) Amos' Army Attestation papers and the RN Registers of Seamen's Services describe distinguishing features as heavy tattoos on his right and left arms including a woman's head, sailor and a bird (left arm), a horse's head and clasped hand (right arm) and an anchor and star on the back of his right hand. Both records describe a depressed scar on the back of his head, presumably from the fractured skull which was referred to in his Army discharge documents. Mansfield Reporter 16 June 1916: ‘North Sea Battle. At present we [have] ascertained there are four Kirkby sailors who sacrificed their lives in the recent Jutland naval battle. These are: Petty Officer (-) Otter of the Invincible, who had been (-) years in the navy, and took part in the Falkland Islands and North Sea Battles, Stoker E Wood, of the Tipperary, Stoker B Atkins, of the Black Prince, and Stoker Butler also of the Black Prince. There were a number of other men engaged in the fighting, but these are all the dead [as far] as we know.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Mansfield Reporter, 11 August 1916 (extract): ‘Kirkby in Ashfield. Memorial Service. A most impressive memorial service in memory of the East Kirkby men who have given their lives in the war was held in St Thomas’s Church on Sunday afternoon … Seats were reserved in Church for the relatives of the men whose memory was being honoured and several beautiful wreaths were displayed. A special form of service was used and the lesson was read by the Rev TR Aaty (Primitive Methodist minister). The Vicar gave an address which admirably blended homage to the dead heroes, consolation to the relatives and exhortation to those left at home ... at the close a collection was taken for a memorial window in the church. The following is a list of fallen ... John Butler, Amos Butler.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
