Name
‘Dick’ Buckett
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
The North Herts Mail of February 15th 1917 reported that ‘Dick’ Buckett of Pirton was in France. Parish and census records have so far failed to provide any further corroboration for this man, but he seems to have been a compassionate man. He had found a photograph on the battle field and returned it to the man’s mother. She wrote the following letter, which had been passed to the paper;
‘52 Garmoyle Road
Sefton Park, Liverpool
‘Dear Private Buckett, I feel I would like to write a few lines to thank you for a photograph which was found on the battlefield by you on the 4th July, and recognised as belonging to me.
It is a photograph of my dear son of the (Liverpool Scottish) who was killed in that terrible charge at Hooge, June 16, 1915, and was in the pocket of his friend J F Arrowsmith (Liverpool Pals) who was killed on the 1st July. The photo of the little girl, also found by you at the same time (which I have given into the hands of her parents), was his cousin. I am very grateful to you, though it came as a great shock when the Sunday paper of the beginning of November was shown to me.
This is a very terrible war, and I am one who has known the greatest sorrow that anyone was ever called upon to bear, I have lost two dear sons, within three months of each other, two of the best on earth. The eldest, twenty-three years of age, was in the City of London Yeomanry – killed at Gallipoli, on 23rd Sept 1915. The second whose photograph you found was twenty-one. Both were clever men, with fine prospects and careers before them. I have still another son (my only child left now) aged nineteen, who is exempt till January 31st and I am afraid he will have to go then. It is too dreadful, and will not bear thinking of. I intended writing you when I first received the photo, but have had such a breakdown in health through my awful sorrow and loss, that I have been unable to collect my thoughts. If this letter reaches you kindly reply and send your full regimental address. I would like to send you a parcel; also, I should like to know if you are a Liverpool man, or anything else about yourself you may care to tell me. Again thanking you and wishing you a safe return home, I am yours faithfully, Mrs F Rimmer.’
A later report dated April 4th 1917 shows him to also be a man of strong opinions and reports ‘Private Dick Buckett, Bedfords says that tribunals are too easy in letting off men, declaring that a bomb ought to drop on some of the tribunals to teach them the seriousness of war.’
Acknowledgments
Text from the book ‘The Pride of Pirton’ by Jonty Wild, Tony French & Chris Ryan used with author's permission
