Name
Charles William Buck
1886
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/03/1920
33
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Gunner
300485
Tank Corps
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
WEMBLEY (ST. ANDREWS ANGLICAN CHURCH) CEMETERY
Anglican Ground
Canada
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Baldock memorials
Pre War
Charles William Buck was born in Baldock in 1886, the son Charles and Agnes Buck, and baptised on 17 June 1886 in Baldock.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Middle Row, High Street, Baldock, where his father was working as an ironmonger, draper, grocer and wine and spirit merchant. They remained there in 1901.
His father died on 3 November 1903 and his mother in late 1905. On 22 March 1906 he departed from Liverpool, England on the 'Southwark' to Halifax, Canada and worked as a farmer. At the outbreak of war he returned to Liverpool on the Cunard ship Lusitania from New York, USA on 12 December 1914. He gave his home address as High Street, Welwyn, UK (the address of his sister Kathleen Coulson).
After military service (see below) he married Phoebe Elizabeth Lawrence on 11 March 1918 at St Anne's Church, Wandsworth, London. At that time he was said to be living at High Street, Welwyn, Herts and working as a farmer.
Wartime Service
Upon his return to England, Charles initially enlisted on 1 January 1915 with the King Edward's Horse cavalry regiment, later transferring to the Tank Corps, and served in France from 5 May 1915.
He was discharged on 11 February 1918 because of sickness and was awarded a Silver War Badge. He then returned to Canada after marrying his wife Phoebe.
Charles died on 4 March 1920, aged 33, from pulmonary tuberculosis and is buried at Wembley (St Andrew's Anglican Church) Cemetery, Lake Saskatoon, Alberta, Canada.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £16 and applied for a pension but it was refused on the grounds that they had married after discharge.
His widow's address was given as Poplar Grove Farm, Lake Saskatoon, Alberta, Canada.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson
