Name
James (Jim) Buckley
1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/03/1915
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
1390
Royal Field Artillery
5th London Bde.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Searched but not found
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD (HEATH LANE) CEMETERY
Z. 14.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
R.I.P.
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial
Pre War
James Buckley was born in 1892 in Paddington, London, the son of Daniel and Bridget Buckley.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at 173 Droop Street, Queens Park, Paddington, but had moved to 8 St John's Terrace, Paddington, by the 1911 Census, when his father was working as a stone mason and James was a bricklayer.
His mother died in early 1914 and when James enlisted later in the year, he was said to be working as a harness maker and living at 8 St John's Terrace, Kensal Green.
His father's address on pension records was given as 267 Kensal Road, North Kensington, later amended to 31 West Row, North Kensington.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in in August 1914 and served with the Royal Field Artillery, 5th London Brigade as a Corporal Saddler.
There was a court of inquiry on 23 December 1914, enquiring into the circumstances in which James became injured when he suffered a kick on the forearm by a horse.
He was riding on a wagon with other soldiers when the blanket on one of the horses became loose. He was ordered by a Sergeant to dismount and put it right. As he did so, the horse kicked out and tried to bite him. When he made a second attempt the horse again kicked out and caught him on the forearm. Although a serious injury, it was decided that no one was to blame.
There was a second court of inquiry in Hemel Hempstead on 10 March 1915 into a bicycle accident.
He was returning from duty and riding a bicycle. As he was turning the corner, his brakes failed and he lost control. The bicycle hit the kerb and he fell off and hit the wall opposite. The bicycle was examined and the back wheel was buckled, a crank bent and the brake was jammed against the wheel, but both front and back wheel brakes appeared to be in good working order.
The court found that he had been injured accidentally by losing control of his bike.
A passer by had found him lying on the pavement with his bicycle, in a semi-dazed condition. He was seen by an army medical officer at 6 p.m. on 9 March and had a scalp wound of slight nature and had hurt his right shoulder. He was told to report for duty the next morning. When he did not, he was found at his billet showing signs of a fracture of the skull and was immediately transferred by ambulance to the local civil hospital.
He died on 11 March 1915, aged 23 at the West Hertfordshire Hospital, Hemel Hempstead and is buried in Hemel Hempstead (Heath Lane) Cemetery, Herts.
Additional Information
His father, Mr Daniel Buckley, 31 West Row, North Kensington, W.10., ordered his headstone inscription: "R.I.P.". His father received a war gratuity of £4 and pay owing of £3. He also received a pension of 5 shillings a week. On the pension records another soldier is listed: Private M [Michael] Buckley, no. 9447, C Coy. Royal Irish Rifles. Discharged (medically unfit).
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
