The following is a brief story about two of our Tunnelling Heros from the Goldfields – Courtesy of John Reading of the Tunnllers.Org NOTE: Although all the brothers returned from Australia all died young the oldest being John at age 44yrs. Do you have a tunneller in your family? You can search the nominal roll and see if he is listed
@ www.tunnellers.net
THE BUCK BROTHERS
LANCE CORPORAL JOHN NICHOLAS BUCK – 4285 – 3rd Tunnelling Company
John Nicholas Buck was born at Dunolly (Goldborough), Victoria in 1877 to William and Elizabeth (nee Webber) Buck. He was a miner residing at 59 Hopkins Street, Boulder, W.A.
He enlisted in the A.I.F. on 18 Feb 1916 at Boulder, WA, stating his age as 39 years 8 months and his trade as miner. He was not married. He was considered Fit for Active Service – except for teeth – and was appointed to the No. 6 Tunnelling Coy at Belmont on 1 May 1916.
John was 5ft 7½in tall and weighed 147lbs. He was of fair complexion with blue eyes and brown hair. He named his mother, Mrs Elizabeth Buck of Boulder, as his Next of Kin. This was later changed to his ‘only’ brother Mr W. Buck, also of Boulder, although John had at least one other brother serving with him. It was also noted that “Parents stated to be deceased” – but there is no date for this entry. (His mother may be the Elizabeth BUCK buried in the Boulder Cemetery in 1920).
John embarked at Fremantle on 1 June 1916 on board HMAT A69 Warilda. He proceeded overseas to France on 28 August and was taken on strength of the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company on 30 September. He worked with the unit until 13 April 1917, when he was hospitalised with debility in the 2nd Southern General Hospital at Briston. He was transferred to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital on 5 April, and on the 12th of that month was evacuated to England.
Grave of John and Frederick BUCK, Kalgoorlie Cemetery
John left England on 21 July 1917 on board HMAT A14 Euripides for return to Australia, disembarking in 5th Military District (Western Australia) on 11 September 1917. He was admitted to the No. 8 Army General Hospital at Fremantle and was treated there for emphysema and bronchitis, irregular heart and debility until 8 November when he was transferred the Camp Details. It was accepted that his disability had been aggravated by his military service.
John was discharged from the A.I.F on 23 November 1917, entitled to wear the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He was granted a War Pension of 30/- per fortnight from 24 November 1917. John Nicholas Buck died on 23 August 1920 aged about 44 years and was buried in the Methodist Section of the Kalgoorlie Cemetery in grave no. 5175 on the 24th August, 1920. He is in the same grave as his brother Frederick.
SAPPER FREDERICK THOMAS BUCK – 4286 – 3rd Tunnelling C0
Sapper Frederick Buck
Frederick Thomas Buck was born at Avoca, Victoria in 1884 to William and Elizabeth (nee Webber) Buck.He enlisted in the A.I.F. on 22 Feb 1916 at Boulder, WA, stating his age as 32 years 5 months and his trade as miner. He was not married. He was considered Fit for Active Service and was appointed to the No. 6 Tunnelling Coy at Belmont on 1 May 1916. Frederick was 6ft 1in tall and weighed 172lbs. He was of fair complexion with blue eyes and brown hair. He named his mother, Mrs Elizabeth Buck of Boulder, as his Next of Kin. This was later changed to his ‘only’ brother Mr W Buck, also of Boulder, although Frederick had at least one other brother serving with him. It was also noted that ‘parents stated as deceased – but there is no date for this. There is a burial in Boulder for an Elizabeth Buck which may be his mother.
Frederick embarked at Fremantle on 1 June 1916 on board HMAT A69 Warilda. He proceeded overseas to France on 28 August and was taken on strength of the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company on 30 September. He worked with the unit until 27 December 1916, when he was hospitalised with bronchitis and on the 12th January 1917 he was evacuated to Brook War Hospital, Woolwich, England.
At No. 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield Park on 22 February 1917, Frederick was diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis, which was, in the opinion of the Doctor, caused by exposure, climate and active service. Frederick was returned to Australia on board the Miltiades, leaving Devonport, England on 1 May 1917 and disembarking in Western Australia on 12 September. Doctors in Australia confirmed the Harefield diagnosis, and Frederick was discharged (medically unfit) on 2 November 1917, entitled to wear the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He was granted a War Pension of 60/- per fortnight from 3 November 1917.
He was a patient in the Wooroloo Sanatorium for four months treatment but never recovered his health. Frederick Thomas Buck died on 30 October 1918 aged 34 years and was buried in the Kalgoorlie Cemetery within the Methodist section in grave no, 5175.
SAPPER ORPHEUS BUCK – 4287 – 3rd Tunnelling Company
Orpheus (Gordins) Buck was born at Avoca, Victoria in 1886 to Elizabeth Buck, (father not recorded). It is strongly believed that Orpheus was the brother of John and Frederick Buck. He married Margaret E Murphy in Boulder, WA, in 1912.
He enlisted in the A.I.F. on 25 Feb 1916 at Boulder, WA, stating his age as 29 years 9 months and his trade as miner. He was considered Fit for Active Service – except for teeth – and was appointed to the No. 6 Tunnelling Coy at Belmont on 1 May 1916. Orpheus was 5ft 5½in tall and weighed 137lbs. He was of fair complexion with grey eyes and brown hair. He named his wife, Mrs Margaret E. Buck of Nedlands, WA as his Next of Kin. Orpheus embarked at Fremantle on 1 June 1916 on board HMAT A69 Warilda. He proceeded overseas to France on 28 August and was taken on strength of the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company on 30 September.
He suffered no wounds and only minor illnesses and appears to have been working well within the company until 13 October 1918 when a Court Martial found him guilty of joining in a mutiny and he was sentenced to 1 year I.H.L. (imprisonment with hard labour?)
17 October 1918, a second Field General Court Martial, held at Braquemont, also found him guilty of joining in a mutiny and he was sentenced to 2 years I.H.L. The ‘mutiny’ involved 13 members of the 3rd Tunnelling Company and involved the carrying of paybooks in the front line. On 3 November the sentence was suspended, possibly to allow the men to return to the front.
Orpheus left France on 2 April for repatriation to Australia, leaving London on 5 June 1919 on board HT Somali and disembarking in 5th Military District on 8 July 1919. On 20 June 1919, the findings of the F.G.C.M. were overturned and the sentence remitted. He was discharged from the A.I.F. on 22 August 1919, entitled to wear the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
He and Margaret named their son Orpheus Christopher who was born on December 28, 1921. In 1925 their residence was 55 Wellington Street, East Perth with his occupation as a labourer. Orpheus Buck died at Melville on November 9, 1925 at 39 years of age and is buried in the Anglican Section of Karrakatta Cemetery, Portion MA, grave number 358.
Moya Sharp
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