BUCHAN, William Ferguson
| Service Number: | 4445 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 July 1915, Bendigo, Vic. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 57th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, 1893 |
| Home Town: | Bendigo, Greater Bendigo, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Violet Street State School, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Plumber |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 21 July 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
Rue-du-Bois Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix Plot I, Row B, Grave No. 1 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Bendigo Forest Street Congregational Church Honour Roll, Bendigo Great War Roll of Honor, Bendigo St. John's Presbyterian Church Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4445, 7th Infantry Battalion, Bendigo, Vic. | |
|---|---|---|
| 28 Jan 1916: | Involvement Private, 4445, 7th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: '' | |
| 28 Jan 1916: | Embarked Private, 4445, 7th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Themistocles, Melbourne | |
| 1 Apr 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 57th Infantry Battalion, Egypt | |
| 21 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4445, 57th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix) |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Larna Malone
William Ferguson Buchan was born in Bendigo, the only son of William Ferguson and Annie Helen Buchan and the grandson of Mr & Mrs A Osborne of 171 Wattle St. Known as ‘Bill’, he was a Plumber, having completed his apprenticeship with A Wilson of View St. His mother was named as Next-of-Kin so it is possible that his father was deceased.
He enlisted on 14.7.15 aged 22 years and 2 months. He was described as being 5’ 7¼ ” tall, with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. His initial training commenced on 31.7.15 when he entered the 16th Depot Battalion in Bendigo. On 19.12.15 he was appointed to the 14th Reinforcements for the 7th Battalion and allotted Service No. 4445. He embarked for overseas on 28.1.16.
On arrival in Egypt he was transferred to the 57th Battalion. (29.3.16) This was a new battalion comprising half Gallipoli veterans and half fresh reinforcements from Australia. He embarked for France on 17.6.16 and on 1.7.16 was appointed Machine Gunner.
The 57th Battalion participated in the Battle of Fromelles on 19 July, 1916. William Ferguson Buchan was Killed in Action on 21.7.16.
In a Letter dated 30th July 1916, Private Harold Dunn wrote: “We have been in the trenches for about 20 days, and things have been pretty lively . . . . We have lost Bill Buchan and 2 others from our section. Bill Buchan, being a reserve machine gunner, was called up at the last moment, and fell like a hero at his post . . . . ” [Bendigonian 5 Oct 1916]
He was buried in the Rue-Du-Bois Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix, France. (Plot 1, Row B, Grave 1) Fleurbaix is approx. 5k SW of Armentieres.
The inscription on his grave reads:
“FAR FROM HIS LOVING ONES
BENEATH ARE
THE EVERLASTING ARMS
MOTHER.”
“The Men Listed on the Roll of Honour, St John’s Presbyterian Church, Bendigo”: Larna Malone
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