Pte 36765 William Henry Buckley

• Age: 19
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 7th August 1916
• Commemorated at: Flatiron Copse Cem Marnetz
  Panel Ref: I.B.23

William Henry Buckley was born on the 14^th December, 1896 in Liverpool and was baptised on the 21^st February, 1897 at St Chrysostom's, Church of England, Everton. He was the son of James Ellison Buckley and Eleanor Anna Buckley (nee Cardas), of 19 Cathedral Road, Anfield, Liverpool who had married at St Mary's Church, Edge-Hill, Liverpool 1887.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 2 Reservoir Street, Everton, Liverpool. His father, James, is aged 36, occupation upholsterer and his mother Eleanor aged 35, has no occupation listed. At the time of the Census they have 6 children in the household; Richard aged 12, Annie aged 10, James aged 8, Frederick aged 5, William Henry aged 4 and Elizabeth born 1900. They also have their grandmother Annie Cardas a widow aged 63, born in 1838 in Ireland living at the address. 

The 1911 Census shows the family have moved and are living at of 19 Cathedral Road, Anfield, Liverpool. His father, James, is aged 46, born 1865 occupation upholsterer and born in Liverpool as were the all his family. His wife Eleanor aged 45, born 1866 no occupation listed. They have been married for 23 years and have had 8 children. Those listed at home are: Annie aged 20, born 1891 is a boot assistant, James aged 18, born 1893 is a fruit clerk, Frederick aged 15, born 1896 is a office boy in a sugar refinery office, William Henry aged 14, is a clerk in a sugar refinery, Elizabeth aged 10, born 1901 and Albert aged 7, born 1904 are both at school and Harold aged 2, born 1909. They also have Annie Card the widowed mother in law aged 72, born 1839 a resident of Cork in Ireland and a visitor Ellen Gutteridge aged 37 born 1874 staying at the property.

William Henry enlisted in Liverpool and was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 36765 when he was killed in action on the 7th August, 1916 aged 19 during the Somme offensive.

He now rests at Flat Iron Copse, Mametz, France where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"UP THE FAR HILLSIDE LIKE A SWEET SURPRISE LIETH THE QUIET FOLD"

Flatiron Copse was the name given by the army to a small plantation a little to the east of Mametz Wood. The ground was taken by the 3rd and 7th Divisions on 14 July 1916 and an advanced dressing station was established at the copse. The cemetery was begun later that month and it remained in use until April 1917. Two further burials were made in August 1918 and after the Armistice, more than 1,100 graves were brought in from the neighbouring battlefields and from smaller cemeteries. Almost all the concentrated graves are those of men who died in the summer and autumn of 1916. There are now 1,572 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in this cemetery. 420 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 36 casualties known or believed to be buried among them, and nine buried in Mametz Wood Cemetery whose graves were destroyed by shell fire. The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

His family paid tribute to William in the Liverpool Daily Post on 09th August 1917:

BUCKLEY - In loving memory of William Henry Buckley, Liverpool Pals, dearly beloved son of Eleanor and the late James Buckley, killed in action on the Somme, August 8 1916.

They have seen Him in His garden,

His face with grief is marred,

He bindeth up the broken,

And His Hands, too, are scarred.

He passeth down the furrows,

To tend each mother's son,

For He maketh up his garland

And needeth every one.

(Ever remembered by his Mother, Brothers and Sisters.)

Soldiers Effects and Pension to his mother Eleanor Ann.

He is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 14 left 

St Saviour C. of E. Church Memorial, Everton

We currently have no further information on William Henry Buckley, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.