Cpl 16768 Reginald Buckley

• Age: 29
• From: Fleetwood
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

16768 Corporal Reginald BUCKLEY, 18^th Battalion, KLR.

Reginald was born on 26th March 1887 in Fleetwood, the only son of Louise Buckley who later married mariner William Wright in 1895.  His father died when Reginald was a small child. 

The 1891 Census shows Reginald as a four year old boy living with his mother and cousin at 12 West Street, Fleetwood. His mother is 32 years of age and is a Draper born in Marston, Cheshire. His cousin is Amy Raynor a 15 year old  drapers shop assistant born in Cheshire.

By the time of the 1901 Census his mother has has remarried (in 1895) to William Wright, a 50 year old master mariner born in Wharton. His mother is now 43 and described as a fancy draper. They are still living at 12 West Street, Fleetwood. Reginald is 14 years of age. He now has a younger half sister Edith Sara aged 2 and born in Fleetwood. Also present is a boarder Edith Alexander who is a drapers shop assistant. 

The 1911 Census finds the family are now living at 51 London Street, Fleetwood. Reginald is 24 and is employed in the good checking department of Cheshire Railway Company.  Step-father William aged 57, is working on the dock gate for a Railway Co., mother Louise is aged 49 and they have been married for 15 years and have had one child from the marriage. This is Reginald's half sister Edith Sarah aged 12.  

Reginald enlisted on 02^nd September 1914 at Liverpool joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 16768. He was aged 27 years 160 days and gave his occupation as clerk and his next of kin as his mother. He is described as being 5'4" tall, weighing 128lbs, 37” chest,  with a fresh complexion,  grey eyes and light brown hair. His religion is stated as Church of England. He also stated that he had already served 3 years with the 1^st North Lancashire Volunteers. His NOK was mother Louise Wright 75 London St, Fleetwood, formerly 9 Hesketh Place. 

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. On 18^th September 1915 he was appointed Lance Corporal (unpaid). He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

Shortly after arriving in France, he was appointed Lance Corporal (paid) on 13^th November 1915 and between 7^th and 18^th April 1916 attended 30^th Division Grenade School.

On 19^th June 1916 he was promoted to Corporal.

Reginald was killed in action during the attack at Montauban on 01^st July 1916.

18^th Battalion Diary

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks. 

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.  

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter  wrote in the conclusion of his account of the days action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.    

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257.

Reginald was amongst the casualties.

His body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916. 

On 01^st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

His death was reported in the Blackpool Gazette on 28th July 1916: 

A GALLANT GENTLEMAN.  

FLEETWOOD CORPORAL KILLED IN FRANCE.  

The sympathy of the Fleetwood public will be extended to Mrs. Wright, of London Street, who on Friday last received official intimation that her only son Corpl. Reginald Buckley (29) of the King’s Liverpool Regiment, had been killed in action in France on the 1st July. Sergt. Ashworth, of the same regiment, in letter to the bereaved mother, writes: "It is my painful duty to inform you of the death of your dear son, Corpl. R. Buckley. He was killed in action on July Ist. He was a brave soldier and a gallant gentleman, and was loved by all his comrades, who acutely feel his loss and ask me on their behalf to tender you their deep sympathy. It is difficult to express one's feelings, but I take the opportunity of saying that I was in training with him from the beginning, and found him a fine chap in every way and a brave soldier. These sentiments are endorsed by the remainder of his comrades. His body was interred on the battlefield near to where he fell. Again, on behalf of his comrades and myself, I tender to you our deepest sympathy." Corpl. Buckley joined the Liverpool "Pals" in September, 1914, and had been in France since last November. At the time of his enlistment, he was a storekeeper at the Electricity Works, Waterloo, Liverpool, but was well known in Fleetwood. 

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Louisa Wright. 

By the 1921 census Louise is widowed and still living at London St with daughter Edith, William died, aged 72, in January 1921. 

His death was reported in the Fleetwood Chronicle on 07th January 1921. 

The funeral of the late Mr. Wm. Wright. of 75. London-street took place at the Fleetwood Cemetery on Wednesday. The Rev. W. Roden. curate of the Parish Church. officiated. The deceased, who had been employed in the Dock Master's Department at Wyre Dock was greatly respected. The mourners were Mr. Jno. Wright, Mr. W. C. Allport and Mr. Frank Michelbach, Mr. Jas. Maskell, Mr. W. Gerrard, Mr. Geo. Cowell, and Mr. Alec Moses. The bearers were Messrs. H. Parkinson, R. Wright, J. Garry, W. Parker, and G. Hammel. Wreaths were sent by Mrs. Wright, daughter and Billie; Mr. and Mrs. J. Wright and family, Mr. and Mrs. J. Wills and Milly (Liverpool), Mrs. Michelbach and family, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Michelbach, Mr. and Mrs. Allport (Manchester), Mr. and Mrs. J. Robinson, Workmates and friends at Wyre Dock. The funeral arrangements were in the hands of the exors. of A. Harrison.  

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