Roll of Honour 2023

P AGE 144

W ORLD W AR II

S T . E DWARD ’ S S CHOOL , O XFORD R OLL OF H ONOUR

Name JAMES WILD BUTTERFIELD (Sgt Pilot)

Lef SES 1939

Set / House F

Roll Number 3213 Died 20:12:1942

Arrive SES 1937

Where OVER YORK Serving with 169 SQD, FIGHTER CMD R.A.F.V.R.

Age 19

Buried Hampstead Cemetery, London Remembered The St. Edward’s School WW2 Memorial

Born in London 1923, he was only at the School two years, with the war intervening. ‘The early promise he showed at School was amply fulfilled in his short life. His unfailing courage and cheer were evident not only at work and games but in his companionship’ (Chronicle). He was in the Lower Modern VIth Form. He joined up in 1940 and by 1942 was a Sergeant Pilot in 169 Squadron, Fighter Command RAFVR, flying Mustangs. Shortly after qualifying as a pilot was killed in an aerial accident after taking off with his squadron over York. The Squadron was in the process of moving its base from Clifton, near York, to Duxford when shortly after take-off Butterworth’s plane dropped out of formation and was seen trying to return to Clifton at a low height then hitting a Blister-Hanger, failing to gain height and crashing into railway sidings near the Vicarage of St. Barnabas’s Church, York just over the River Ouse from the airfield. He was pulled from the wreckage by an engine driver, seriously injured and died soon afterwards. The investigation that followed put the cause down to pilot error.