Name
John (Jack) Buckley
1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/07/1916
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
12911
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
POZIERES BRITISH CEMETERY, OVILLERS-LA BOISSELLE
III. D. 8.
France
Headstone Inscription
GOD KNOWS BEST DEEPLY MOURNED BY MOTHER
UK & Other Memorials
St Mary's Church Memorial, Apsley End, John Dickinson & Co Memorial, Apsley Mills, Apsley, Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, St Mary & St Joseph Roman Catholic Church Memorial, Boxmoor
Pre War
John (Jack) Buckley was born in Shandrum, Cork, Ireland, in 1894 the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Buckley and one of five children.
Soon after his birth the family emigrated to America and landed at Philadelphia (they had relatives in New York). Jack's three sisters were born in Cambridge, Boston, Massachussetts when the family lived at 119 Fourth Street. They eventually returned to Ireland in 1900 and his young brother Bryan was born in Cork. On the 1901 Census the family were living at Water Lane, Cork, Ireland, where his father was working as a Carpenter.
His mother Elizabeth Buckley was listed on the 1911 census as being a domestic servant living at the Oddfellows Arms, Apsley, Herts, although it is not known where the rest of the family were living. Subsequently, they lived at 32 Winifred Road, Apsley End. It is believed the family attended the Roman Catholic Church of St Mary and St Joseph, Boxmoor.
Prior to enlistment, John worked at John Dickinson & Co (Paper Manufacturers), Apsley Mills.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hemel Hempstead, Herts in August 1914 and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment. He was sent to Andover, Hampshire, for training on Salisbury Plain. Jack was posted to the 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment and left Southampton on the SS Empress Queen, arriving at Le Havre on 30 July 1915. They were initially based north of Albert, spending most of their time in trenches or billets.
He was killed in action at the Battle of Bazentin Ridge, Somme on 15 July 1916 when the 112th Brigade were in trenches south of Contalmaison and the 6th Battalion, took part in an attack on Pozieres. They were held up by hostile machine guns and dug in about 100 yards south of the Pozieres village boundary. There were heavy casualties and Jack was one of those killed in action . He was 22 years old and is buried at Pozieres British Cemetery, Ovillers-la-Boiselle. (His body was initially buried elsewhere but later 'concentrated' along with others from the 6th Battalion in May 1919. )
Additional Information
His mother, Mrs E Buckley, Winifred Road, Apsley End, Hemel Hempstead, Herts., ordered his headstone inscription: "GOD KNOWS BEST DEEPLY MOURNED BY MOTHER". His mother received a war gratuity of £8 10s and pay owing of £1 10s 11d. She also received a pension of 3 shillings a week.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, parish.rcdow.org.uk/St-Mary-and-St-Joseph-WW1, www.hemelheroes.com.
