Searching for my brother

First World War Audio Archive

Searching for my brother

Transcript

And as I was about to get into our headquarters, I asked where

Picture of Mr. Butterworth as a young soldier.

Dick was. “Hell, Jim, I heard he was missing, last seen wounded.” So alone, I went unbeknown to anyone else, I went back and I spent the whole night looking for Dick. I won’t go into details as to how, but you go around shell holes and you see a body, and you see a body here, you see a body there, and you touch them and feel them, no that isn’t Dick and I was thankful I didn’t find Dick. However, on towards morning I see a German, possibly one of the artillery, looking through a telescope and there was only one way he would be looking, towards our line. That gave me direction and I fumbled my way back, on the crawl, all the way until I come, what I considered close to our former line, which in the meantime had been occupied by British troops. And as I approached this line, I said a little over a whisper, “Hold your fire, hold your fire, hold your fire,” meaning, “Don’t shoot, don’t shoot.” And evidently I was heard and two or three of the British soldiers surrounded me and as I approached saying, “Don’t fire, don’t fire,” two of them grabbed me, one on each shoulder, “Who the bloody hell are you?” “46th Canadians Battalion.” “Ok come on, lets get the bloody hell out of here.” I was led back to the commander of the company concerned with the British army, and he says, “What were you doing on the ground out there all alone?” “I was looking for my younger brother, sir.” “Oh, oh, that’s sad. I hope you didn’t find him.”

Mr.Butterworth in his later years.

“No sir, I didn’t find him, and I do not think he is there.” “Ah, ok, you’re going back so and so and so and so. Just sit down for a few minutes. We have a limber going down that way. It will give you at least a ride part way.” I took this limber later on and then I walked. And I was almost dead on my feet and I hadn’t gone far when I see the galloping major. “Hi there Jim, where the hell have you been?” “Oh God, Major, I can't tell you." “Here you sit right down where you are, I’ll be back in a minute.” So he came back with a - what we used to have to measure

Mr.Butterworth and his wife sitting outside.

rum was a 50 cigarette tin. And he came back with that about three parts full. “Here, drink this, it’ll do you good.” So I downed it, had a few more words. He says, “I was talking to Dick just a little while ago. He’s down there somewhere. I’ll go and hunt him up for you.” As I proceeded, I hadn’t gone very far when down I go. Of course I was already tired and the rum just knocked me out. I don’t know how long I was there, but when I woke up, I was on Dick’s lap and he had my head in his arms. “Jim, Jim, waken up, damn it! Waken up, sober up! Where the hell have you been?” He slapped my face gently from side to side, “Jim, damn you, waken up!” So I eventually became sober. “Where the hell have you been?” I said, “I was out looking for you.” “Why, you dizzy... you should have known I’d have been all right. Did you have a look at yourself? Here!” He pulled out his little steel glass he used as a mirror. “Have a look at yourself!” I hadn’t known this, but I had a cut just below the eye and blood had trickled down on my cheek and onto my tunic. “You’re a pretty looking sight to be running around!" and he chewed me out.

Description

Mr. Butterworth describes sneaking onto the battlefield at night in search of his brother who was rumoured to have been killed, but eventually finding him safe in camp.

James Howcroft Butterworth

James Butterworth was born in England and emigrated to Canada in 1907 with his Parents and syblings. His family moved to Alberta where they became farmers. Mr. Butterworth remembers an act of great sacrifice and kindness by a German farm family in Alberta which was to affect his attitude for life. He enlisted on October 27, 1915, with the 65th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, and joined the 46th Battalion. He served in France and was wounded in the foot and knee (accidental). He left the service on February 26, 1919, at rank of private. On June 21, 1926, Mr. Butterworth married Gertrude E. Wilson and they had three children. He was a farmer and worked as a grain buyer for United Grain Growers and later for the Veterans’ Land Act, both in Alberta. He retired in 1961 and settled in Calgary where he died on January 4, 1976.

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