No 653674, Rifleman, Donald William BUCK
Aged 19
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Donald William BUCK was born on 23rd November 1897 in Kirby Cross, Essex (Tendring Q4-1897 4A:636) , son of Herbert and Ellen Mary BUCK (née WEBB).
1901 census...Aged 3,he was at Station Road, Kirby le Soken, Essex with his father Herbert BUCK, [36] railway station master born White Cole, Essex; his mother Ellen Mary [34] born Walpole; brother Alan Herbert [9] born Diss. He was admitted to Cookley and Walpole C of E Voluntary School on 1st October 1901, his guardian being recorded as William WEBB of Walpole. Admitted to Cookley and Walpole School on 24th May 1909, (from Wrabness) guardian William WEBB of Walpole. This seems to imply he was as much looked after by his Grandfather as his parents and sometime between 1901 and 1909 had been living in Wrabness. 1911 census...Aged 13, he was at Beccles College, Ballygate Street, Beccles. His parents were at the Railway Station, Clare with his brother Alan Herbert (booking clerk) and his sister Margaret Dorothea [4] born Wrabness. |
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He enlisted in Camberwell. His entry in De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour reads :- BUCK, DONALD WILLIAM, Rifleman. No.653674, 1/21st Btann.(!st Surrey Rifles) The London Regt.(T.F.), attd.8th (Serive)Battn.The East Surrey Regt.. s.of Herbert Buck, stationmaster on the G.E.R. Railway at Clare, co.SSuffolk, by his wife, Ellem Mary, eldest dau. of William (and Mary) Webb,of The Elms, Walpole: b.Kirby Cross, co.Essex, 23 Nov.1897' educ.Village School, Wrabness, co.Essex and Beccles College, co.Suffolk, where he took several distinctions; was subsequently employed in the Bank with Messrs Cook and Sons, Ludgate Circus, London E.C.; enlisted 9 Sept. 1914; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from 25May 1917, being attached to the 8th Battn.East Surrey Regt, as First Class Signaller, and was killed in action near Passchendaele 12 Oct. following, while laying a wire under heavy fire. Buried near Gloucester Farm, between Passchendaele Ridge and the Poelcappelle Road. His Commanding Officer wrote: "He was a fine lad, and had he lived, would have been recommended for a decoration for bravery". umm. The 8th battalion of the East Surreys was in action just SE of Poelcappelle. They lost 89 killed that day. Their guides got them lost at the start, no time was available for company commanders to consult after last minute alterations to plans, NCO never even got to see a map. , the weather was very wet and our barrage was too light, hardly affecting the enemy machine gunners. |
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