74 Squadron
group picture taken at Deurne airfield, Belgium
in January 1945. W/O Ivan Butler is in the
middle
row, second from the right (picture courtesy of
74squadron.org.uk)
On 25 February the squadron
was based at Schijndel airfield, the Netherlands.
W/O Butler was tasked to fly and armed
reconnaissance mission, probably into Germany,
in support of ground troops. W/O Butler took off
from Schijndel at 08.30 in Spitfire LF.IX PV311.
W/O was shot down after attacking a train. Ivan
survived and was picked up by the US 29th
Casualty Clearing Centre and brought to the 24th
Evacuation Hospital near Brandenburg, Germany.
He died of his wounds the next day.
He had logged 645 hours
flying.
Initially he was buried at
Margraten American Military Cemetery. After the
war he was reburied at Nederweert War Cemetery.
W/O Ivan Butler is
buried at Nederweert War Cemetery, grave IV. D.
5.
Nederweert, The Netherlands
See also:
Other
casualties of
74
Squadron buried in the Netherlands
Acknowledgments:
74squadron.org.uk
Portrait picture courtesy of
Auckland War Memorial Museum
Martyn, Errol W., For Your Tomorrow, Volume II,
Christchurch: Volplane Press 1999
Directions to
Nederweert War Cemetery
Posted 23 February 2010
If you have any suggestions, comments or
additional information, please
contact me.
This website is
dedicated to the men and women who died
and/or are buried in The Netherlands during
World War II.
Home |
Search |
Research |
About
