Stanley Neil Butcher

Stanley Neil Butcher

Personal Information
Date of Birth	3 Oct 1920
Place of Birth	Shackleton, Western Australia
Death	16 Mar 1955, aged 34
Place of Death	York, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	20 years 5 months
Description	6'1" (1.85m) tall ; 199lbs 90.265 kg ; fair complexion ; green eyes ; fair hair ; scars on left shoulder and arm
Occupation	Farm hand
Religion	Methodist
Address	Thomas road, Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother , Mrs. Eunice Doris Douglas
Military Information
Reg Number	W20260 & 427997
Date of Enlistment	13 Oct 1942
Rank	Flight Lieutenant (Pilot)
Unit/Formation	20 & 73 Squadrons
Post War Details
Fate	Returned to Australia
Medals	1939-45 Star Pacific Star Defence Medal War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45

War Service

On 1 Mar 1941 Stanley enlisted in the Militia on a part time basis during which on 25 Aug 1941 he was appointed Lance Corporal in No. 1 Troop, "C" Squadron of the 25th Australian Reconnaissance Battalion. On 25 Nov 1941 he was promoted Corporal. After a period of leave without pay to help at home, he attended the School of Instruction +at Guildford from 29 Jan - 18 Feb 1942, leaving with a 'good pass'. His course report read "Knowledge and command, very good; personality, good - This NCO has worked hard during the course and has greatly improved. Could be considered for O.T.S. Position on Course 4 of 32 - Good Pass". On 6 Mar 1942 at Midland he volunteered to join the RAAF (in response to a recruiting drive?) and was posted short term to the 6th Australian Infantry Brigade from 14 Jul 1942 to 8 Aug 1942, before rejoining his unit. He was discharged from the Army on 2 Oct 1942 in order to enlist in the RAAF on 13 Oct 1942 at the No. 4 RAAF Recruiting Centre. At enlistment he was mustered as Aircrew (General Hand).

The next day he began a Recruit Drill Course which he completed on 5 Nov 1942 before being posted on 9 Nov 1942 to No. 5 School of Technical Training RAAF in Perth. He was posted to the No. 4 Initial Training School RAAF at Victor Harbour in South Australia on 30 Dec 1942 where on 22 Feb 1943 his designation changed to Aircrew V (P). Following training at Victor Harbour, Stan was promoted Leading Aircraftman on 27 March and sent on 8 Apr 1943 to No. 9 Elementary Flying Training School RAAF at Cunderdin in Western Australia. Continuing to progress as a trainee pilot, on 7 Jun 1943 Stan was posted to No. 9 Elementary Flying Training School RAAF at Geraldton where on 17 Sep 1943 he received his Flying Badge. He was discharged from the RAAF on being granted a Commission.

Commissioned as a provisional Pilot Officer in the General Duties Branch on 23 Sep 1943 following his completion of the No. 25 Pilots Course, Stan progressed on 2 Oct 1943 to the General Reconnaissance School RAAF at Bairnsdale in Victoria. On 17 Jan 1944 Stan was posted to No. 73 Squadron RAAF flying 15 Maritime patrols of the east coast from Nowra with Avro Anson aircraft. On 23 Mar 1944 Stan was promoted Flying Officer and from 12 - 22 May 1944 he was a patient of No. 3 RAAF Hospital. On 21 Aug 1944 he was sent back to the General Reconnaissance School RAAF for further training before being posted to No. 3 Operational Training Unit RAAF where he participated in No. 279 Course for Second Pilots between 2 Oct 1944 and 6 Dec 1944.

On 13 Jan 1945 Stan was posted to No. 2 Personnel Depot RAAF in the Northern Territory (NW Area) and was subsequently on 2 Feb 1945 posted to No. 20 Squadron RAAF. During his time with them he "proceeded on flight duty outside the mainland from 21 March to 4 Apr 1945". He was again "on flight duty outside the Mainland from 24 May until 15 June 1945 flying Consolidated PBY Catalina aircraft On 25 Sep 1945 Stan was promoted Acting Flight Lieutenant. With hostilities over, Stan was on 26 Oct 1945 sent back to the Western Australian based No. 5 Personnel Depot RAAF to undertake his discharge. During his time with 20 Squadron Stan flew 0n 13 operational missions, and 7 non operational ones, totalling 576 hours of which 222 were flown at night. He was rated as 'Above Average'. His Appointment was terminated on 24 Jan 1946.

Post War

Discharge address was Thomas street, Armadale. During 1947 Stan married Patricia Mary White. They had three children: Neil, Nita and Bruce.