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Pte. William Buckle
British Army 4th Btn. Yorkshire Regiment
from:Middlesbrough
(d.7th June 1917)
William Buckle was educatedat Ayresome School, Parliament Road, Middlesbrough and Middlesbrough High School In 1911 he became a Clerkat Salt Union Ltd and later at Messrs B Samuelson and Co Ltd. At Northallerton on the 1st of September 1914 he attested and joined the 4th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment (Territorial Force) for one Years Embodied Service at Home as Private Number 1999. He is described as being 21 years old, 5’ 9â€, with black hair, grey eyes, fair complexion. On the 8th of September 1914 he signed Territorial Force agreement to serve overseas in event of National Emergency In Autumn 1914 the Northumbrian Division forms and his battalion trains in Newcastle area. In January 1915 the 4 Battalion are in the Cramlington area. On the 16th of Apr 1915 the Northumbrian Division (including 4 Ballation Green Howards) are ordered to the Continent. The following day the 4 Battalion Yorkshire Regiment take the 9am train from Newcastle to Folkestone and embarked for Boulogne At 2am on the 18th they arrived in Boulogne and the next day arrived at Cassel by train and marched to Godwaersvelde and were billeted. On the 22nd they embussed to Vlamertinge. At 5pm the German Gas attack begins in the 2nd Battle of Ypres and the following day the battalion are in on the West of the Yser Canal. On the 24th of April 1915 they are shelled and suffer their first casualties). At mid day they are ordered to cross Canal (under fire) and concentrate at Wieltje. They dug in outside Potijze Chateau but then were ordered to attack through Fortuin to St Julien. They took up positions 700m south of St Julien but were ordered to retire to Potijze (Wieltje Ridge) at about 10pm. Heavy rifle and MG fire resulted in 12 killed and 82 wounded. On the 25th of April they are in trenches near the Chateau all day and retired after dark to C Camp (N of Vlamertinge), west of Canal. On the 28th they occupied trenches astride the Fortuin Road where they were again shelled. They were first gassed on the 1st of May as they repulsed attacks (34 killed and 84 wounded.) On the 3rd of May 1915 they returned to C Camp. he next day they were shelled all day and after dark marched back to Steenvorde to billets. At 3pm on the 9th they were bussed to Brandhoek and lined Reserve Trenches. On the 13th of May the Battalion is in dugouts North of Vlamertinge. and at 3am on the 14th moved to the Lille Gate area of Ypres. At 8pm on the 15th of May they marched along railway to Railway Wood, North of Menin Road. 21 were wounded over next few days and on the 21st of May 1915 they were relieved after dark and moved to Camp A south of Vlamertinge. After dark on the 23rd they moved to trenches astride Menin Road at Hooge. and at 2am the next morning were subjected to a gas attack during Battle of Bellewaarde and a day of fighting. 32 were killed and 171 were listed as wounded or missing. They were relieved after dark to hutments in rear.
On the 25th of May Pte Buckle was treated at No 5 Field Ambulance for gunshot wounds to right hip and right chest/shoulder. The following day he was treated at No 1 British Red Cross Hospital in Le Touquet and on the 28th was transferred to Military Hospital at Fort Pitt, Chatham. On the 6th of June Pte. Buckle was transferred to Lees Court Military Hospital at Faversham for 2 months.
