SPRATTON LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY


Company Quartermaster Sergeant William Gander BUCKBY

2nd Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment 4605
Labour Corps 155298


William was born in Northampton in January 1878, the son of Joseph Buckby, a tailor, and his wife, Martha Ann. When William was four, the family moved to Spratton for a few years and then returned to Northampton. William worked briefly as a shoe finisher, but decided to make the army his career.

He joined the army in 1895 aged 17 and served with the Northamptonshire Regiment on the North West Frontier and India in the Tirah Campaign 1897/98. He married Edith Whitlock in 1903 and she travelled with her husband on his overseas postings before the First World War. Two of their daughters were born in India. He also served in Egypt and Malta. The family were living in army quarters in Malta for the 1911 census and a third daughter was born in Malta. William was promoted from Sergeant to Colour Sergeant in April 1913 and then to Company Quartermaster Sergeant in October 1913.

He then extended his period of service and was re-engaged. He was sent to France with the

British Expeditionary Force in November 1914 with the 2nd Northamptonshire Regiment. He was wounded in the thigh in December 1916 and after he had recovered he was transferred to the Labour Corps. He was discharged from service with an "exemplary" record in July 1917.

William was awarded the Tirah Expedition Medal & Clasp 1897-98, the Punjab Frontier Clasp, the Long Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the 1914 Star with clasp and roses, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

After the war he moved to Wellingborough and died there on 24 January 1952 aged 74.

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