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Find details of my Father

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Kerry

Kerry Report 11 Jun 2025 15:01

My Father 'William Kenneth Butler' known as Ken, was in the 8th Army and served under Montgomery in the tank division, I believe he was a Sargent Major. one of his medals has a gold bar on the ribbon. I would like to know more about his service, but when alive, he wouldn't talk about it at all. My Mother said he had nightmares for a long time after. Many thanks Kerry (Son).
Marked As Answer Marked as Answered

ErikaH

ErikaH Report 11 Jun 2025 15:12

WW2 records are not online

You will have to apply for them

https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-records-of-service

ErikaH

ErikaH Report 11 Jun 2025 15:23

I KNEW this rang bells!!!!!!!

https://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/military_chat/thread/1403309

OP didn't return to the above...............

Kay????

Kay???? Report 11 Jun 2025 17:05

View Record
W K Butler
xxxxx

No full military details will be given just an award listing.but lots have been written about the 8th .



Military

Awards & Decorations of Honour
UK, Recommendations for Honours and Awards, 1935-1943
This collection is an index of information related to honours and awards for military personnel in the British armed forces and the armed forces of allied nations between 1935 and 1990.
Record Location

Fold 3 access required via Ancestry........if it was a deed award it usually is mentioned in dispatches within the online records at National Archives.

nameslessone

nameslessone Report 11 Jun 2025 17:52

The bar on the ribbon shows that your father was given the same award twice for different actions and as you can’t have another medal the bar is added to the ribbon.

If you know his division you can research online to see what they were involved in but you can only get his own details by applying for them.

It always takes time to get the records but zI read somewhere recently that the wait is now up to about 18 months or more.

Added: I wonder if the Tank Museum at Bovington could help