Frank Buckle. Died 30 September 1915
- Enlisted 7/10/1912
- HMS “Lowestoft” 3/9/14-22/7/15
- Chatham Division 23/7/15-17/8/15
- Embarked RM Brigade 18/8/15-30/9/15
- 1st RM Bn. 2/9/15-7/9/15
- 1st (RN) Field Ambulance
- Pneumonia, Invalided to UK 18/9/15 Enteric.
Served as Buckell, True name “Buckle” ; CWGC = Buckle, HMS “Lowestoft” R.N. Div. ; Photo in “Berkshire and the War” = Buckle ; GRO = Chatham Bn. ; GRO, Attestation papers & signature = Buckell ; His medals are named “Buckell”, but his Bronze Memorial Plaque reads “Buckle” ; b.Reading 24/7/1895(1896).
It would appear that he enlisted under-age, declared his Date of Birth as 1895, when it was 1896 and mis-spelt his name. His 1901 Census shows him aged 4 and his birth registration shows “Wantage, September Quarter 1896” Son of James & Sarah Ann Buckle, Fernside Cottages, Forest Rd, Wokingham.
Frank died of pneumonia on 30th September 1915 and is buried at Haslar, Portsmouth. This was the site of one of the main UK naval hospitals.
http://www.qaranc.co.uk/haslarroyalnavalhospital.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Lowestoft_(1913)
In another record we have found reference to a wife Sarah Ann but we cannot confirm this. A Frank Buckle certainly married Eva Turner in April 1915 in Wallingford, but we do know that this was our Frank. Possibly the names of his mother and wife became mis-written.
From the Reading Mercury October 1915:
“Frank Buckle aged 19, the youngest son of Mr and Mrs Buckle of Fernside Cottages, Forest Road has died from enteric and diptheria at Haslar hospital, only 4 days after his arrival from the Dardenelles.”
This is interesting as it tells us that Frank’s service had been at Gallipoli .