Buckland Albert Frank 1898-1974

Albert Frank Buckland

1898-1974

Father Nm: Albert Edward Buckland 1873

Mother Nm: Elizabeth Sophia Blinco [460] born Mar Q 1871 Eton died Oct 1961 Eton

Marriage Dt: 31.7.1920 Tollsbury, Essex

K comments: Father Albert served in WW1 with the Rifle Brigade. 3 Brothers that also served: Edward Ernest served in the 1/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion and 2/4th Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. William Alfred served with the Royal Fusiliers. Frederick Charles served with the 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion

Spouse comments: Annie Lily Lazyell (1896-1969)

Children. Albert W Buckland 1923

BORN  2nd August 1898 slough

1911 Census

9 Grays Place, Stoke Road,  with Family.

WW1

Buckland Frank Private 267731   Labour Coy, 3rd and  8th Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry

1914

• Enlisted 1st September at Aylesbury and attested on the E501 Territorial Form making a commitment to just 4 years service. A Territorial didn’t have to serve overseas so this may be why Albert doesn’t go Overseas until 1918

1917

• 30 June. Posted to the 385 HS Labour Coy.at Plymouth.
• 21 Nov. Transferred to the 3rd Bn. Oxon and Bucks Light Infantry at Dover.

1918

• 23 January 1918. Departed with the 3rd Bn Oxon and Bucks to Salonika in Greece..

• 10 March. Transferred to the 8th Bn Oxon and Bucks. The Battalion were in the Field under Canvas by August they are at Mihalova.

  

• Aug-Oct. This extract from the battalions war diary for the period gives some idea time spent up to and after the Battle of Dorian.
  “All surplus kits of officers and men of every unit were stored in tents or huts in the camp of the unit. Afterwards, officers’ kits were moved to the Divisional Theatre for storage, and ultimately were sent to the base Depot at Salonika, whence some were eventually recovered and some were not!
  September 6th
  A Company moved from Caussica to Crow Hill (front line), to carry out the preparation of a track across No Man’s Land for the use of transport in the advance.
  September 12th-19th
  Battalion H.Q. moved to Grand Ravine (near Caussica), preparatory to the advance; but, owing to the postponement of the attack, moved back again to Mihalova on the 19th.September 20th
  C Company moved from the Crag at Caussica to Gully Ridge on the Vardar front to operate with the 78th Infantry Brigade and were joined the same day by B Company from Karasuli.
  September 22nd
  B Company moved forward to the Bulgar front line, Mulberry Hill, on the east bank of the Vardar, and D Company from Grand Ravine to Watch Ravine in No Man’s Land.The advance of the whole force, from Seres Plain to Monastir, had commenced.
  THE ATTACK AND ADVANCE.
  On the nights of 18th/19th, September and 19th/20th September Allied attacks took place along the whole front from the Struma River to Monastir. The 26th Division had the 77th Brigade (attached to the 22ndDivision) operating on the Doiran Front, and the 78th and 79th Brigades on the Vardar Front. The attacks were carried out with magnificent courage by troops who had already made two attempts on the same heights, and the losses were heavy. The formidable peak known as the Grand Couronne was captured by Greek troops (with British officers acting as guides), and on the famous P. Ridge a substantial advance was made, in spite of mines, Flammenwerfers, and the concentrated shellfire of the Bulgar artillery. On the Vardar Front, the two Brigades carried, out demonstrations. Meanwhile, the Serbs on the west of the Vardar had tremendous success, and finally succeeded in breaking through, thanks to the concentration of large masses of enemy troops on the Doiran Front to resist our attack. On the morning of 22nd September, news came through that the Bulgars had evacuated their positions between Doiran and the Vardar. That day began the great advance into Bulgaria, which lasted continuously day by day
  never halting more than a short night until the Armistice was signed on 30th September. After the Armistice, the Division rested for four days in the neighbourhood of Petralic and then resumed the advance to occupy Bulgaria a march of six weeks’ continuous movement. During the advance the role of the Battalion was to keep as far forward as possible, repairing broken bridges, improving roads and tracks, and easing gradients, to enable the supplies for the Division to keep pace with our regiments. Rations were reduced to bare necessities, i.e. bully beef, biscuits, tea, sugar, and very occasionally a little milk. Fresh meat was only issued when obtainable locally from Bulgar cattle; vegetables were sometimes obtained by “private enterprise”; as also were eggs and pork. Bread, made from Bulgar flour, was sometimes issued but had to be made under trying conditions, the bakers, recruited from units of the Division, borrowing Bulgar ovens in the villages wherein to do their baking. Rations for animals were extremely short, and all hay on the line of march was commandeered daily to make up the shortage”
• In November Albert is transferred to the UK to the 4th Reserves Bn.and may already be infected with Malaria.

1919

• 1 August Albert is discharged unfit to serve any longer suffering from a foot problem and Malaria. Discharge medical report states both little toes amputated as well as Malaria pension awarded.

Medals

 

Sources

1. Army Records
2. Ancestry
3. RECORD OF THE 8th (SERVICE) BATTALION (PIONEERS).1st July 1917 to 31st December 1918. www.lightbobs.com2. Compiled by Steve Berridge
4. Clints roll of honour 

After the War

1939 Census

 

Death 1974

Name:	Albert Frank Buckland
Birth Date:	2 Aug 1898
Date of Registration:	Mar 1974
Age at Death:	75
Registration district:	Eton
Inferred County:	Buckinghamshire
Volume:	6a
Page:	1171

Gallery

Note there 20 service records for this man available via National Archives