Public Contributions:

Submitted by: Shona Young

Relationship to casualty: Great Grandniece

According to John's war record, handwritten on the top of the second page, was the statement "discharged with ignominy 1900/2442, 19/4/1900". Reasons for court martial not stated. He is also document...ed (1st page of war record) as being in Brabant's Horse supposedly after being discharged from the 3rd Contingent, Rough Riders. He is also documented in "Rough Riders at War", by Richard Stowers, pg.39, as "Formerly of the 3rd Contingent, 624 Private J. Butler, (court marshalled (sic) and discharged 19/4/00, with no "New Zealand" named medal issued), killed at Winberg, 27/8/00." Read More

Submitted by: Phil Beattie

Relationship to casualty: None

This is my brief biography on John Butler. Corrections welcome: 624 Trooper, 5 Company, 3rd NZMR Contingent Killed in action 27/8/1900 at Winburg Born ~1872 at Bald Hill Flat, Otago. Son of John and ...Mary Butler. Employed by William Woffatt on his station at Beaconsfield near Timaru prior to volunteering for service in South Africa. Enlisted 10/2/1900 at Addington. Sailed on the Knight Templar 17/2/1900. On arrival at East London, the men of the Third Contingent entrained for Aliwal North to prepare for their first trek. It was here that Butler was sentenced by Field Court Martial to be "discharged with ignominy". The reason for this remains unclear. Butler subsequently joined the Queenstown Rifle Volunteers (QVR), a locally-raised unit who were serving in the same column as the New Zealanders, marching to relieve the siege of Wepener. On 27th August, the QVR were at Winburg when they were attacked by a force of some 1500 Boers, supported by artillery. During this engagement Butler was killed in action - one of three men of the QVR killed that day. Butler appears on the QVR medal roll as 783 Private E Butler, and is entitled to the Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps; "Cape Colony" and "Wittebergen". A note on the roll says "retain pend. appr." suggesting his prior ignominious discharge held up medallic recognition of his later sacrifice. It is not clear if the medal was ever issued. Read More

Submitted by: Shona Young

Relationship to casualty: Great Grand Niece

Photo of headstone in Winburg, S.A.