Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Hedley was born in Mount Gambier on the 10th October, 1909 to Gertrude Sarah and Archibald Buchanan. He was the youngest of four sons Harold, Robert and John Smith (Jack).
Hedley lived in the rural community of Square Mile in the south-east of South Australia. As an eight-year-old, Hedley attended school during the ‘Great War’ years, which had considerable effect on the students. At the end of year school picnic in 1917, two wagons left the school to take the excited children on a picnic in one of the local’s paddocks at Glenburnie. Parents also attended, helping with the sports events where the Buchanan boys showed their speed with Hedley winning the Grade III event, Jack the Grade IV and Bob the combined grades V and VI sprint. The successful day concluded with cheers for the King and the ‘boys at the front’. By 1921 Empire Day was being celebrated at Hedley’s Square Mile School. The Head Teacher addressed the students about the building of the Empire, which was followed by the singing of several patriotic songs. The flag was saluted, and all students observed, with bowed heads, two minutes silence in respect for the soldiers who fell in the war. The National Anthem was then sung. At the afternoon sporting events, Hedley and Jack again excelled in the flat races with Hedley also winning the standing jump.
Similarly, the Yahl Methodist church held their Sunday School Anniversary picnic on a local park ground. Hedley’s father, Archie was the official starter for the children’s races. The Buchanans again excelled with Bob winning the Senior Boy’s race, Hedley’s team winning the Relay race and Harold’s team came second. Both Hedley and Jack were successful with their partners in the three-legged races before Hedley cleared the high jump at 3 ft 11 inches (around 120 cms).
Hedley later attended the Mount Gambier High School where he first gained his Qualifying Certificate in ’24 before gaining his Leaving, performing well in both Literature and Geometry. Besides his academic success, Hedley also continued to perform well in athletics, particularly the high jump where he cleared 4 foot 9 inches (around 140 cms). Hedley was also particularly interested in Coursing and racing of the young puppies. At the first anniversary St Ledger race he was involved with a high performing puppy called Ben Bolt, which resulted in a fine duel between that puppy and an Adelaide trained dog.
Aged 22, Hedley was the delegate for the Blue Lake Football Association, which their Yahl and Square Mile club decided to join, with the choice of black guernseys with a yellow sash. One of the local men offered the use of his paddock on the Factory Road for playing whist others donated poles and time to mark out the boundary lines. Archie was elected as a vice president, Harold Buchanan as secretary and delegate with Hedley on the general committee and Association committee. Hedley also proved to be a reliable and talented footballer, frequently appearing in the best player list as were Jack and Harold. Hedley also played for South Gambier when the team was at its peak of skilled players. He was to meet up with the captain and coach in quite different circumstances in future years.
Hedley was 26 when his 68-year-old father, Archibald died in June ’36. He was buried in the local ‘New Cemetery’. Two years later, acting as a driver, Hedley took two Bordertown men eight miles along the Penola road, to scrub where they hoped to find game. Hedley remained waiting for the men until dark but assumed they had become lost and returned with passing motorists. When they had not returned to the town, Hedley and the police, returned and began searching, but the wet ferns and scrub hampered their efforts which were halted at midnight. The missing men found their way to the Penola road, returning to Mount Gambier a little the worse for their experience and with no game. Fortunately, realising they were lost, they had found a disused hut, spending the cold and wet night in sheltered surroundings. Their main concern was having gone without food for the length of their adventure.
Hedley’s uncle, Walter Buchanan had served in WWI and this may have influenced Jack and Hedley’s decision to enlist two years after Walter’s death. (He and Jack had both been pall bearers at the funeral.)
Hedley had been working in Bendigo when he returned home, making the decision to enlist on the 29th June ’40. He was 30 and hoped to be able to join his 32-year-old brother Jack who had enlisted the week prior as SX6471. Just prior to this Hedley attended a function at Mount Gambier where he met up with Ron Drew who became SX4811 with the Corps of Signals and Private James Saxon SX2442, a Sapper. The three had not seen each other for many years when they all played together in the old South Gambier football team when that combination was at its zenith. Ron Drew was formerly captain and coach of the team, and James and Hedley were among the most prominent players.
Following a huge recruiting drive in the South-East, Hedley enlisted with 47 others from his area. The local paper listed their diverse occupations which included solicitors, scoutmasters, bankers and sportsmen like Hedley. He spent his initial days in the cold of the Pavilions, now part of the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds, before he and other new enlistees headed to Woodside for preliminary training. By October, Hedley returned home briefly to a farewell at St. Andrew’s Church where he, Leading Aircraftsman Colin Arthur 407110, Private Hedley Buchanan, and Private Allan Pegler SX7727 also of the 2/48th Battalion, were given a formal send-off in church. (Of the three, Colin did not survive the war, being killed in a flying accident in February ’41 when his training aircraft crashed into Georgian Bay, Canada. His body was never recovered.)
The residents of Square Mile and surrounding districts also gave Private Hedley a rousing farewell in the Yahl Memorial Hall. As Hedley arrived at the Hall he was greeted with the singing of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" and cheers. Dancing, a card tournament and a delectable supper followed. Following a toast to the King by the President of the Square Mile Farewelling Committee, he then spoke of Hedley’s popularity in the district as did other leaders who spoke of his sportsmanship, which was of a fine quality, and of the part he was taking in defence of the British Empire. The Border Watch reported that ‘Private Buchanan was then presented with a silver cigarette case and £5 note and was wished God speed and a safe return. Hedley suitably responded. "Auld Lang Syne" and "God Save the King" were sung and cheers brought a happy evening to a close.’
Following pre-embarkation leave Hedley and his 2/48th Battalion headed overseas for the Middle East, in February 1941 and disembarked on the 23rd March. The young men then completed a few months training at Amiriya. Henry Kennedy SX7784 also of the 2/48th Battalion, wrote home with his letter published in the January ‘42 edition of the Border Watch. He had been at a training battalion, waiting to return to the 2/48th when he met up with many of his old friends from Mt Gambier. They included Angus ‘Angy’ Underwood SX6789, Hedley Buchanan SX7066 and Gerald Bellinger SX8878, all from the 2/48th Battalion. When Driver Hedley was later home on leave in April, he also reported seeing Drivers A. B. Pegler, A. A. Underwood, Les Ahearn and Corpls. Ben Hunt and Henry Kennedy whom he reported were “all well”.


By ’43 those back home had been actively supporting The Soldier Honour Group campaign for War Savings in Mount Gambier. This had proved to be an exceptional success and constituted a record in South Australia. Local businesses formed groups in honour of boys in the services with the local A. H. Buchanan's Garage nominating Jack S. Buchanan and Hedley D, Buchanan, of the A.I.F. The Mayor was reported as commending this movement to all, saying that “This scheme has been splendidly organised, and it now remains for us to do for our soldiers what we can in return for the sacrifices they are making for us.”
Hedley’s brother, Corporal Jack Buchanan had been serving ‘at a Northern battle station’ with the Army Canteen Service until he was discharged in April ’44 when he returned to take up land at Square Mile. The Border Watch reported that ‘Jack saw service in the Middle East and since his return has been stationed in a northern camp in Queensland.’ Hedley was discharged two months later in June.
Post war, Hedley retuned to working in Victoria for several years as a packer for Burns Phillips from Jan ’45 until July ’47. When his brother, Jack married Joan McMorron in March ’48 at Mount Gambier, Hedley acted as groomsman. Two years later, in February, Hedley married Betty Elsmere Naismith, also from Mount Gambier at the St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. They welcomed their son on Armistice Day that year and a daughter, Janet Elsmere in June ’53.
Aged 78, Hedley died in the Repatriation Hospital at Daws Park on the 21st October 1987. He is remembered with a plaque at Centennial Park in the Derrick Gardens. Betty Elsmere died on the 25th Sept 2013 and is buried at Enfield Memorial Park.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion