The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
- Butcher
- First Name:
- Manson William Frank
- Rank:
- Private
- Regimental #:
- WX17755
- Company:
- 'E' Company, Special Reserve Battalion
- Enlisted:
- 24.11.1941
- DOB:
- 18.09.1922
- Place of Birth:
- Palmyra, Western Australia
- Father's Name:
- Frank Gunn Butcher
- Mothers's Name:
- Francis Elizabeth Butcher (Kenack) sister to Bessie Page, mother of Ron Page.
- Religion:
- Church of England
- Pre-war Occupation:
- Trainee School Teacher
- Memorial:
- Epitaph, Singapore Memorial, Column 136, Age 19.
- Cause of Death:
- Missing believed killed in action
- Place of Death:
- South-West Bukit Timah
- Date of Death:
- 11.02.1942
General Description
Manson’s parents Frank Gunn Butcher and Frances Elizabeth formerly Fitzell (nee Kenack) married 1921 Perth.
Frances Elizabeth Butcher (nee Kenack) is sister to Bessie Page (nee Kenack) mother of 2/4th’s Ron Page WX4934 who died Ranau Feb 1945 aged 26 years. The Kenack family lived at Boulder.
Frances Elizabeth married 1907 John S Fitzell at Boulder, her first husband and father of her daughter Valmai, Fitzell was a miner and died in May 1917 whilst at the Wooroloo Sanatorium aged 37 years.
Above: the names of John’s wife and daughter are not the same as Frances and Peggy. It is not known if this notice was placed by another person who was not familiar with the wife and child.
Above: John Fitzell’s father died in 1920.
The Butcher family resided Marmion Street, East Fremantle.
Below: Valmai is step-sister to Manson. She had a great interest in music and theatre.
It is believed Valmai Fitzell married Stanley C Gorringe about 1942.
Manson’s mother Frances died in 1944 at East Fremantle aged 63 years. His Father Frank Gunn Butcher died in 1956 at Shenton Park aged 70 years.
Above: Manson’s cousin Keith Page was also a casualty of WW2. Keith Page is also brother to Ron Page of 2/4th, who died Ranau 1945.
Manson attended East Fremantle Primary School and later Perth Modern School. He played Junior Football with East Fremantle Football Club. He also had an interest in music. He entered Teachers College 1941.
Below: Manson successfully passed his exams, the results known after he enlisted.
Manson Butcher was selected for Officer Training at Northam.
He enlisted AIF 24 November 1941 and had tragically lost his life aged 19 years within three months of enlisting during the battle for Singapore.
As a reinforcement Manson joined 2/4th MGB boarding ‘Aquitania’ which sailed for Singapore on 16 January 1942. He lost his life on 11th February 1942 during a Japanese ambush at South West Bukit Timah.
Read further about ‘E’ Company.
Also please read about Ron Page – his first cousin of 2/4th.
Below: Brother to Francis Butcher and Bessie Page. It is possible Francis named her son Manson William – after her brother.
