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Lieutenant
THOMAS BUCKLEY, M.C.
Royal Engineers

by
Lieutenant Colonel Edward De Santis
©2001. All Rights Reserved.

Thomas Buckley graduated from East London College prior to the outbreak of the Great War of 1914 to 1918, after earning a Bachelor of Science Degree. He participated in the University of London Officers’ Training Corps (O.T.C.) and was commissioned a 2^nd Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers (Territorial Force). He was called to active service shortly after the start of the war and, according to the University of London O.T.C. records, he was posted to Mesopotamia in December of 1915. His service in Mesopotamia has not been verified. Neither his unit nor any details of his service in that theatre of the war has been uncovered by the author [1].

2^nd Lieutenant Buckley was transferred to the Western Front in March of 1916. He was posted to the 455^th (West Riding) Field Company, Royal Engineers, a divisional engineer company of the 29^th Division. On the 1^st of June of 1916 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant.

Lieutenant Buckley’s saw a lot of action during his time with the 455^th Field Company. The following table summarizes the major battles and campaigns in which he and the unit took part with the 29^th Division [2]:

Buckley served with gallantry and great devotion to duty while in France and Flanders. On the 7^th of April 1918 he was mentioned in the Despatches of Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig for his "gallant and distinguished service in the field."[3] Lieutenant Buckley was next rewarded for his service by receiving the Military Cross on the 11^th of April 1918. On this same date he was also awarded two certificates from the commander of the 29^th Division commending him on his gallant conduct and devotion to duty in the field at Neuf Berquin and Cambrai [4]. Second Army Orders dated the 16^th of May 1918 authorized the immediate award of the Military Cross to Lieutenant Buckley. The order reads as follows [5]:

Under authority delegated by His Majesty the King, the Field Marshal Commanding-in-Chief has made the following awards for gallantry and devotion to duty in action:-

The Military Cross

Lieutenant T. Buckley, Royal Engineers (T.F.)

The publication of this order was followed on the 20^th of May 1918 by the award of a certificate signed by General Sir Herbert Plumer, Commanding the British Second Army [6]. The certificate reads as follows:

Headquarters, Second Army

To Lieut. T. Buckley, Royal Engineers

I congratulate you on the gallant act by which you have won the

MILITARY CROSS

Lieutenant Buckley returned to England in July of 1918. The reason for his return to the United Kingdom prior to the end of the war is not known. He may have been wounded or simply transferred to a unit a home, although details of his service up to the time of his demobilization are not known [7].

On the 1^st of March 1919, Lieutenant Buckley’s mention in despatches was published in the Supplement to the London Gazette (No. 30693). For his services during the Great War he was also awarded the 1915-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal [8].

ENDNOTES:

[1] University of London O.T.C. Roll of War Service, p. 219.

[2] Battle Honours of the Royal Engineers.

[3] The original Mention in Despatches certificate is in the author’s collection. The certificate is dated the War Office, Whitehall, 1s^t March 1919. On the back of the certificate is a notation indicating that the Mention in Despatches was published in London Gazette Supplement 30693.

[4] The originals of these certificates are in the author’s collection.

[5] An original copy of this order is in the author’s collection. This order was printed by a Field Survey Company of the Royal Engineers.

[6] An original copy of this certificate is in the author’s collection, printed in France by the Army Printing and Stationery Services.

[7] Buckley was demobilized sometime in late 1919 or early 1920.

[8] His Military Cross and Great War trio of medals were last known to be in a collection in New York City.

REFERENCES:

1. University of London Officers Training Corps Roll of War Service, 1914-1919. Military Education Committee, University of London, 1921.
   
2. Battle Honours of the Royal Engineers. The Royal Engineers Journal. The Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent, 1925-1932.
   
3. The Monthly Army List, June 1919.
   
4. Documents:

a. Army Orders, Second Army, 16 May 1918.
b. Mention in Despatches Certificate, War Office, Whitehall, S.W., 1 March 1919.
c. Headquarters, Second Army Certificate, 20 May 1918.
d. 29^th Division Certificate, 11 April 1918 (Neuf Berguin).
e. 29^th Division Certificate, undated (Cambrai).