Sergeant William Cairns Butler

Sergeant William Cairns Butler, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He was killed on an Air Operation to Cologne on 29th June 1943 aged 22. He was an Air Gunner with 51 Squadron, Royal Air Force. In October 1942 the Squadron was re-equipped with the Handley Page Halifax bomber flying from R.A.F. Snaith in Yorkshire. Sergeant Butler, nicknamed “Jam ” was the son of Robert and Alison Butler of Town Yetholm  and is buried in Schoonselhof Cemetery, Antwerp, Belgium. Before enlisting he had worked for his father as a slater. ( His father had a builders business in Yetholm ). He was also a well known cricketer and played for Yetholm.