William M. Butler was believed to have been born in England around 1877.
It is believed that he was a grocer by occupation, and it is unknown when he went to the United States of America, where he resided, and for how long he was there, either for business or leisure.
In the spring of 1915, he had been in New York, City when he decided to return to his homeland. He booked third class passage on the May sailing of the
Lusitania which was scheduled to leave New York for Liverpool at 10.00 a.m., on 1st May 1915.
Having joined the vessel at the Cunard berth at Pier 54 in New York in time for the sailing, he had to wait until the early afternoon of that day for what became his last sight of America. This was because the
Lusitania had to wait to embark passengers, crew and cargo from Anchor Liner the
Cameronia which the British Admiralty had requisitioned for war service as a troop ship, at the end of April.
Six days out of New York on the afternoon of 7th May, and within sight of the coast of southern Ireland, the
Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-20. At that time, she was only about 250 miles away from her destination. William Butler was killed as a result of this action. He was aged 38 years.
As his body was never recovered from the sea and identified afterwards, he has no known grave. Some time later, William C. Run, Beech House, Forge Hill, Lydbrook, Glostershire, wrote to the Cunard Steamship Company enquiring about his friend, William Butler, whom he stated was travelling with another friend, Moses Hales. There is no record of anyone by the name of Moses Hales being on board the fateful journey.
Cunard Records, PRO BT 100/345, UniLiv D92/2/242, Deaths at Sea 1871 – 1968, Graham Maddocks, Geoff Whitfield, Michael Poirier, Jim Kalafus, Cliff Barry, Paul Latimer, Norman Gray.
Copyright © Peter Kelly.