This limited biography is dedicated to the memory of Reginald George Buckell; my wife's 1st cousin 1x removed. Reginald was born on 15th November 1893 to George and Eliza Buckell nee Arnold at High Street, Great Marlow, Bucks, where his father was the manager of a Grocery Stores. He attended Sir William Borlases School, Marlow, Bucks and was a sporty lad from photographs we hold - he represented the school at both football and cricket. 1911 Census shows that Reginald was working in London as a Commercial Clerk in the Port of London. He was a boarder living with a family at 18 Duncan Terrace, City Road North, Islington, Middx. Reginald is recorded as enlisting in London during 1914 and called up to colours when the Royal Bucks Hussars were mobilised on 5th August 1914. Finally, after an extensive training programme lasting 8 months they sailed from Avonmouth on 5th April 1915 arriving at Alexandria in Egypt on 19th April. The journey by boat was not a happy experience with many suffering seasickness from both human and equine cargo. The Royal Bucks Hussars were moved overland to Cairo and remained training until early August when orders were received to take part in the Gallipoli campaign. The soldiers were dismounted and infantry equipment was issued. On the 15th August they left their horses behind and set sail as part of the 2nd Mounted Yeomanry Division together with the Berks and Oxon Yeomanry. The Royal Bucks supplied some 250 soldiers and 10 Officers towards the total force of 800 soldiers and 30 officers. The Division arrived late in the evening of 18th August 1915 in complete darkness on the southern edge of the Gallipoli peninsular at Suvla Bay. The ships were anchored offshore so required the aid of landing craft to get the troops ashore, immediately coming under Turkish shell fire on their way to the beaches where they dug in. It was here that the Royal Bucks Hussars took their first casualties. On the 21st August 1915 the Royal Bucks were ordered to march across the loose sand of Suvla Bay before finding cover and protection behind the hill of La Baba. They were then ordered to march across the salt lake - a distance of 1.5 miles. Leaving the relative safety of La Baba they came under intense shell fire and from machine guns - the Turkish army held all of the surrounding high ground - giving them easy pickings. Many young men from Buckinghamshire lost their lives on that day. It appears very likely that Reginald Buckell was one of those killed on his first day in battle when the Royal Bucks Hussars attacked a Turkish army who had all the advantages of height as well as better prepared leaders. Reginald George Buckell Killed in Action - Gallipoli. 21st August 1915 aged 21 years. He has no known grave. The following commemoration forms part of the Helles memorial on the Gallipoli peninsular in Turkey. "Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives... You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country, therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours... You, the Mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears,your sons are now lying in our bosom and are at peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons aswell."  ATATURK 1934

Colin Robson