Butler, Anthony Danvers Cavendish (Tony)
Lieutenant
No. 103008, Royal Armoured Corps and No. 3 Commando
Killed in action on Wednesday 14 July 1943 (aged 27)
Buried:
Catania War Cemetery, Sicily (Grave I. B. 16)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
3 Commando Roll of Honour
Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club Memorial Plaque
Kinawley Church of Ireland Church War Memorial, Derrylin, Co Fermanagh
Family grave headstone in Kinawley Church of Ireland Graveyard
BIOGRAPHY
In the CWGC Debt of Honour website Lieutenant Anthony Danvers Cavendish Butler (No. 103008) is recorded as being a son of Henry Cavendish Butler and Blanche Cavendish Butler of Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. In different records there are some variations in the form and spelling of their names.
Anthony Danvers Cavendish Butler-Danvers was born on 13 January 1916, and he was a son of Major Henry Halpin Cavendish Butler-Danvers and Lucie Sophia Blanche Cavendish Butler-Danvers (nee Hales) of Innisrath, Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh who were married on 9 January 1908. Major Henry Halpin Cavendish Butler-Danvers was a son of the Hon Henry Cavendish Butler-Danvers and Cecilia Agnes Butler-Danvers (nee Taylor). Lucie Sophia Blanche Hales was a daughter of Major-General Arthur Hales.
Henry Halpin Cavendish Butler-Danvers gained the rank of Major in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, he held the office of High Sherriff of County Fermanagh in 1913, he was awarded an MBE in 1939 and he died 10 July 1966 (aged 81).
Major Henry Halpin Cavendish Butler-Danvers and Lucie Sophia Blanche Cavendish Butler-Danvers (nee Hales) had three children:
Lieutenant Colonel Henry Arthur Brinsley Cavendish Butler-Danvers who was born on 11 May 1909
Maureen Mary Butler-Danvers who was born on 26 May 1913 and died on 5 May 1945
Anthony Danvers Cavendish Butler-Danvers who was born on 13 January 1916
As a young boy in 1928, Anthony and his sister Maureen received an Award of Honour from the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA) for rescuing a dog from Lough Erne.
During the Second World War Lieutenant Anthony Danvers Cavendish Butler (No. 103008) served with the North Irish Horse and Royal Armoured Corps before joining No. 3 Commando. He died during a commando operation in Sicily as part of Operation Husky. He was a member of No. 5 Troop engaged at Malati Bridge. Later this bridge was named ‘3 Commando Bridge’.
Lieutenant Anthony Danvers Cavendish Butler (No. 103008) was buried in Catania War Cemetery and there is an inscription on his CWGC headstone:
“ONE COULD NOT BUT BE
HAPPY IN HIS PRESENCE”
FROM A FRIEND’S LETTER