Military Medal : Sergeant F A Butterworth, 30 Battalion, AIF

Military Medal (Geo V). Impressed around edge with recipient's details.

Frank Alexander Butterworth was born at Hay, NSW, in 1895. After completing his schooling he trained and worked as a carpenter. He also served with his local militia unit, 25 Australian Infantry Battalion. He enlisted for service in the First World War on 5 August 1915, at the age of 20, and was posted as a sergeant to D Company of the original draft of 30 Battalion AIF with the service number 1249. He was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry at Petillon, near Fromelles, France, in July 1916. The recommendation for the award reads, 'At PETILLON, on the 19th/20th July 1916 this N.C.O., under heavy Artillery fire, rifle and Machine Gun fire worked hard in conveying munitions and stores to our temporary position, and later - though severely wounded in the head - assisted an officer to reorganise the men after withdrawal from enemy trenches'. In 1917 Butterworth transferred to the Australian Flying Corps, where he was commissioned and trained as a pilot before being posted to 4 Squadron. He was killed in action a month before the war's end, in October 1918. His brother, Rupert, had been killed at Polygon Wood in 1917. Frank Butterworth was the first pilot that the town of had Hay produced. Almost every eligible man enlisted for war service from Hay and its surrounding district, a total of 633 men. Frank and his brother were among 103 soldiers who did not return.