Alexander Henry Buckley VC

Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....

 (1891 – 1918) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross

Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....

, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 and Commonwealth

Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...

 forces.

Biography

Buckley was born on 22 July 1891 to James and Julia Buckley at Gulargambone, New South Wales, Australia. One of four children, he was home schooled on his parents' property "Homebush" during his childhood. During the First World War, Buckley enlisted in the First Australian Imperial Force

First Australian Imperial Force

The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...

 on 3 February 1916 and, after completing basic training, in June he was sent to England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 among a draft of reinforcements and allocated to the 54th Battalion, which was attached to the 14th Brigade

14th Brigade (Australia)

The 14th Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Australian Army. Formed in 1916 as part of the expansion of the 1st AIF it served on the Western Front in France and Flanders during World War I. Between 1916–1918 it consisted of the 53rd, 54th, 55tth and 56th Battalions and was assigned to the 5th...

.

Joining the battalion in November 1916 at Flers, France

Flers, Somme

Flers is a commune near the northern edge of the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.It lies to the south of the D929 road, between Albert and Bapaume.-History:...

, Buckley served with them as they manned defensive positions along the Somme during the winter months. The following year he took part in the fighting around Bullecourt

Battle of Arras (1917)

The Battle of Arras was a British offensive during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British, Canadian, New Zealand, Newfoundland, and Australian troops attacked German trenches near the French city of Arras on the Western Front....

, Polygon Wood

Battle of Polygon Wood

The Battle of Polygon Wood took place during the second phase of the Battle of Passchendaele in World War I. The battle was fought near Ypres, Belgium, in an area named the Polygon Wood after the layout of the area...

 and Broodseinde

Battle of Broodseinde

The Battle of Broodseinde was the most successful attack of the Battle of Passchendaele. Using the "bite and hold" tactic , the Allied forces conducted an attack on well-entrenched German forces and showed that it was possible for the allies to overcome even the stoutest German...

 and in November 1917 he was promoted to temporary corporal

Corporal

Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....

. In August 1918 the 54th Battalion took part in the initial stages of the Allied Hundred Days Offensive

Hundred Days Offensive

The Hundred Days Offensive was the final period of the First World War, during which the Allies launched a series of offensives against the Central Powers on the Western Front from 8 August to 11 November 1918, beginning with the Battle of Amiens. The offensive forced the German armies to retreat...

 around Amiens. On the night of 1/2 September 1918, at Peronne, France, Buckley performed the deeds that led to him being posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.

Citation

Medals

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Australian War Memorial

Australian War Memorial

The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of all its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in the wars of the Commonwealth of Australia...

 (Canberra, Australia).

Medals: Victoria Cross, British War Medal, Victory Medal

Further reading

• Monuments to Courage
  Monuments to Courage
  Monuments to Courage: Victoria Cross Monuments and Headstones is a two-volume book by David Harvey on the last resting places of 1,322 of the 1,350 recipients of the Victoria Cross. The 896 page book has over 5,000 illustrations and a large index enabling one to cross reference with ease. There is...
  
   (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross
  The Register of the Victoria Cross
  The Register of the Victoria Cross is a reference work that provides brief information on every Victoria Cross ever awarded: it provides a summary of the deed, along with a photograph of the awardee and the following details where applicable or available; rank, unit, other decorations, date of...
  
   (This England, 1997)