THE story of an officer who fought at Gallipoli during the First World War has been revealed by his granddaughter who lives in Hereford.

This year marks the centenary of the Gallipoli campaign, where Allied powers tried to gain control of the sea route from Europe to Russia.

Captain Walter James Butler took part in the major land invasion of the Gallipoli peninsula on April 25, 1915, as part of the 4th battalion of the Worcestershire regiment.

He fought during the campaign until October, when he was wounded and transferred to Egypt.

Lynne Butler, from Hereford, learnt more about his story as she approached her 70th birthday in February.

She said: "It was only recently I started to realise how important it all was- it was quite a surprise.

"I had heard my dad always talk about his dad, who had a very strong character and personality. I feel very proud and it is a story that has got to be told."

In the Sunday Mercury Captain Butler wrote about the day his fleet landed at W beach on April 25 at Cape Helles and came under heavy Turkish machine gun fire.

The Allied position by the end of April 25 was not an encouraging one- landings had been achieved but they had not advanced.

Turkish troops quickly surrounded the Allies, who were forced back.

Captain Butler wrote: “Pushing on to the top of the ridge, we came under our first wisp of fire, with casualties dropping here and there. No blank ammunition there. No enemy could be seen, but there was a continual snapping of rifle fire with an occasional splutter of shrapnel.”

Captain Butler was awarded many medals during his military career between 1887 and 1919, serving in India, Burma, Africa and France. He was made an officer in 1913 in Burma.

He was born in Oxford in 1871, and married Lily Simpson in India in 1899. They went on to have 11 children, including Ms Butler's dad, George.

In 1920 Captain Butler came to Hereford and started the Academy Hall Boxing Rooms in Union Street. He was an army heavyweight boxing champion from 1893 to 1894 and 1898 to 1899.

During the Second World War he was commandant of the special constabulary in Hereford. He died in 1948.

Ms Butler added: "This is what has brought it all to me- it is my 70th birthday, which I was dreading. I look at all this and what they all went through and think I am so lucky to have got my health and a good life."