Buckland Frederick C. J. 1896

Frederick Charles John Buckland

1896- 1984

Father Nm: Albert Edward Buckland 1873

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

Marriage Dt: October 1919 Eton

K comments: Father Albert served in WW1 with the Middlesex Regiment.  Three Brothers that also served  Edward Ernest served in the 1/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion and 2/4th Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. Albert Frank served with 3rd and 8th Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. William Alfred served with the Royal Fusiliers

Spouse comments: Victoria Woodward born 23 MAY 1896 died OCT 1973 • Windsor,

Children. Dennis F Buckland 1920-, Betty B Buckland 1923-, Victor C Buckland 1935

BORN  9 October 1896 slough

1911 Census

9 Grays Place, Stoke Road,  with Family. Butchers Boy.

WW1

Buckland Frederick Private 1955  1/4th Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 1/1st Buckinghamshire Battalion.

Synopsis

Frederick age 18 in 1914 was undoubtedly a Territorial soldier who probably joined on or about his 18th birthday on 9 October 1914. He seems to have joined up at about the same time with his younger brother John Edward (Ernest) only 16 in 1914. The brothers with only 601 numbers between their regimental numbers indicate a few weeks or a month or so after each other. In any event, they went to France on the same date and sometime after both joined the 1st/1st Battalion Bucks this is evidenced by the award of the 1916 period onward medals to the I/ist Bucks Bn. Further, we know that Frederick was discharged in August 1916 setting the date before that.

There are two possibilities why Frederick was to be honourably discharged in August 1916; he was either sick as his discharge record indicates or wounded as Newspaper articles indicate.

I have tried to look at the two possibilities considering we do know some key facts

1. He was with the 1st/1st OBLI regiment in 1916
2. He was judged unfit to serve by early August 1916

Frederick enters France in February 1915 seemingly to join an OBLI battalion at the front. It seems likely that the first battalion for the two brothers (they have similar 1915 star awards) was the 1/4th OBLI. They transferred to the 1/1st Bucks Bn. shortly after that, it seems.

He is discharged on 9  August 1916. He was either wounded or sick again suggesting that his injuries occurred in the March to July timeframe and more likely May or June it seems to me. I think this because the time to get to a French hospital and then to be transported back to England may be a month in delay then a decision to discharge him possibly at best another month in delay so working back from 9 August is more like around mid-May 1916.

1914

The Battalion mobilised in Aylesbury on August 4th, 1914. On August 5th, it travelled to Portsmouth and on August 6th, it joined the 145th Infantry Brigade of the 48th (South Midland) Division at Swindon. From there, it travelled via Dunstable to Chelmsford, where it remained for training until March 1915.

1915

• • 30 March. Brothers Ernest and Frederick enter France. It seems likely with the 1/4th Bn OBLI.

At some point, they join the 1/1st Bn Bucks OBLI.

The 1/4th OBLI and the 1/1st Bucks Bn were part of the 145th Brigade, 48th Division proceeded to France at the end of March and spent three months in the line near Ploegsteert (3 miles south of Ypres in Belgium)

• April. Initially at Bizet south of Ploegsteert in billets. Several spells in trenches at Ploegsteert Woods for the next 10 weeks.  1st Bn records 5 men killed and 6 wounded in the month.
• May. Casualties for the month 1 killed 10 wounded.
• June. The 145th Bde. and its battalions moved from Ploegsteert back into France to Romarin. Then on to Allouagne just south of Lillers and a period of rest before the next campaign. The Brigade WD reports that 6 men of 1st Bucks were killed in the month and that since arriving overseas lost 9 killed and 59 wounded, the battalion numbers totalled 895 down from the initial 1004 men.
• July. Moved  to the Hebuterne Sector of the Somme, where it spent a year

  

• July. Just to demonstrate the risks associated with all army operations, on July 12 at the Bomb Training School in Noeux-les-Mines, 20 soldiers from the 1st Bucks, 1/5th Glosters, and 1/4th Qxfords were injured when a no. 5 Mills bomb (grenade) exploded as it was being thrown. Note Remember that this kind of grenade was newly introduced; was it faulty or misused?

  

  Note: It seems to me that this was given in the early days of training a miscommunicated instruction about the use of the trigger mechanism and not a faulty bomb. The thrower would draw out and remove the Safety Pin to arm the grenade while maintaining a tight grip on the Striker Lever to keep the Striker in the loaded position.

  The Striker Lever ejects and flies off when the thrower releases the grenade and throws or lobs it at the target. The sprung Striker then fires down, striking the Percussion Cap and lighting the time delay fuse, which ignites the Detonator and ignites the High Explosive inside the grenade.
  The Time Delay Fuse was initially set to a 7-second delay, but this proved to be too long, giving the enemy time to hide, take cover, or even toss back the grenade. Eventually, this delay was decreased to a 4-second delay.

• 15-25 July. The 145th Bde. and battalions moved to Hebuterne over this period. The 1st Bucks entered the trenches on the 25th and captured two German soldiers who were on patrol.
• August In trenches Hebuterne in spells. Casualties for 1st Bn 1 killed 6 wounded.
• September. 1st Bn moved by Bus to Couin. In trenches Couin in spells. Casualties 7 Wounded
• 11 October. Moved to the front line at Hebuterne at map ref K10. Casualties No Casualties
• November. In trenches Coin in spells.Casualties 1 Wounded
• December.In trenches Hebuterne in spells. Casualties for the year 87 wounded and 10 killed. The 1st Bn finished the year 200 men under strength at 808.

1916

• 21 January. The first of the 1916 trench duties in the Hebtuerne sector, facing cold weather and little protection from the elements let alone the enemy. This may be the possible cause of illness for Frederick as undoubtedly many men succumbed in the winter of 1916 to trench-related illness.

  

 

• • January -February. Spells in the same trenches at Hebtuerne sector. Some casualties.

  • March. Was quite a difficult month for the first battalion. On 7 March a patrol was taken in the enemy territory and during this period, the Germans suffered at least 12 reported casualties, There were three casualties for the 1st Bn who were slightly wounded and all remained on duty.

    On 19 March, there was a very heavy bombardment of the trenches, and the first battalion suffered 13 casualties. This was a gas bombardment and casualties would’ve not only suffered injuries from explosions but also from inhaling the gas.

    On the very next tour of duty in the trenches beginning on the 27th, they were further bombardments over the next few days and the casualties again we are quite high. Furthermore, the trenches were also containing the 13th Yorks and  Lancs regiment which was attached to the 1st for this duty. At this particular point in time, they also suffered casualties.

    The 145 infantry Bde war diary reports totals of three killed, and 26 wounded for the 1st battalion during the month of March. It’s entirely possible that in this period Frederick was gassed. This would account for later being reported as wounded, and also sick. Very often, the man would have incurred some kind of physical injuries externally, and also their lungs would become poisoned by the gas. This in time resulted in lung disease and illness.

  • April.
    • 1 April, the 1st Bn were back in trenches and took part in a trench patrol on the enemy. Unfortunately, the enemy had gained intelligence of this raid and increased their numbers so that the party went out to face at least 50 enemy. The casualties for this particular time were two killed and four wounded. of note was the fact that to prevent the enemy identifying the dead. The wounded were bravely recovered and taken back to the trench line.
    • 8 April. Another spell in the trenches. no casualties
    • 22 April. The battalion returned to the trenches, and was heavily bombed by the enemy, just before daylight, the resulting casualties were four killed and three, wounded.
    • May 12-15.  In the trenches. on the 12th they underwent heavy shelling, resulting in 4 wounded but on 15th much more damage with 1 killed and 14 wounded.
    • At the end of May the 1st Battalion was marched out of this area

Note: At this point, I believe Frederick is wounded possibly gassed and invalided out of the front line to spend time probably in a French-based Army Hospital before being invalided to the UK. By August he is discharged so his wounds or gassing was significant enough to warrant a medical board seeing no fighting use for him.

For continuity purposes and the fact that we have no details of the timing of wounding I have included the one major battle before his August discharge, which I don’t believe he attended.21

 

July. Battle for Deville Wood. The 48th division made an attack on the night of 20/21 July. Casualties were high, 54 men were killed and its most likely Frederick wounded in this attack.

During the Somme battle of 1916 the Battalion was in action for two periods, each of about three weeks, during which its most notable achievements were a very successful attack north of Ovillers, and holding of the Sky-line Trench, immediately northwest of Pozieres.

• 9 August. Discharged from the Army.  It seems by the time he is reported wounded in the local newspapers Frederick is already discharged. Sickness is given as KR reason but note reported wounded

Note: August and September Newspaper reports. Middlesex and Buckinghamshire Advertiser 25/8/16 wounded
Bucks Examiner 25/8/16 Daily Telegraph Casualty list – Wounded
Slough, Eton & Windsor Observer 18/12/16 Hospital Birmingham – Slough Christmas gift roll; 2/9/16 wounded
Windsor, Eton & Slough Express 29/1/16 Stoke Road School roll of honour; 26/8/16 wounded

• December. Frederick either wounded or sick is reported invalided and home at hospital  in Birmingham. Newspaper Slough, Eton & Windsor Observer 18/12/15 1915

1917

Frederick returns to civilian life in Bucks and with his sickness or injuries is only able to get labouring work. By 1921 census, he and his family are living as boarders and not in their own home.

Sources

• • 1. Ancestry  and BFA database
    2. Light Bobs website
    3. 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion War Diary
    4. 145th Infantry Brigade War Diary

Medals

 

Awarded the 1914-15 Star , the British and Victory medals and Silver War Badge. He would have been entitled to wear at least one wound stripe on his dress uniform.

 

After the War

1921 census

St Helens St, Colnbrook

First name(s)	Last name	Relationship to head	Sex	Birth year	Age in years	Birth place	Occupation	Employer
Frederick	Buckland	Boarder	Male	1896	24	Slough, Buckinghamshire, England	General Labourer	Mrs Franklin, Bank Rd, Slough
Victoria	Buckland	Boarder	Female	1896	25	Middlesex, England	No Occupation	–
Dennis F	Buckland	Son	Male	1920	–	Colnbrook, Buckinghamshire, England

 

1939 Census

Frederick C Buckland Age43 Painter and decorator
Victoria Buckland Age43
Dennis F Buckland Age19
Betty B Buckland Age16
Victor C Buckland Age4

Death 1986

Gallery

The medal card confirms that Frederick was to be discharged on 9 Aug 1916 (Remarks). This is a few days before newspaper articles disclose he was a wounded casualty in the war (see the note above) The medal card says he entered France on 30 March 1915 and so qualified for the 1914-15 Star medal. Two entries for his regiment indicate he wasn’t initially with the 1st Bucks Battalion OBLI but suspect 1/4th OBLI.