Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

It is believed Francis Albert Buckley (real name Francesco Alberto Vukelich) was born about 1857 in Fiume, Italy, his father is thought to be Maxmillian Hapsburg and his mother is unknown. The early part of his life is unknown, he is believed to have moved to Canada and then to New Zealand where he married his first wife Julia Fitzgerald (it is believed they married in 1879, he used the name Frank Aicketin) and had two children Ellen (aka Queenie, 1879-1965 born in New Zealand) and Mary (1880-1957 born in New Zealand). He and his family moved to Sydney, Australia after 1880.

Francis was involved with the colonial militias in New South Wales when he moved to Australia and deployed to Sudan with the New South Wales Contingent on the 3rd of March 1885, returning to Australia on the 23rd of June 1885. Francis continued to serve with the colonial militias and deployed with the New South Wales Naval Contingent to China to fight in the Boxer Rebellion on the 8th of August 1900, returning to Australia on the 25th of April 1901.

Francis continued to serve with the fledgling Australian Navy just after the federation, earning a Naval Long Service Good Conduct Medal and supposably retiring as a Chief Petty Officer. During this period, he was involved with many shooting competitions, representing the Navy between 1903 - 1910. In January 1903, the Austro-Hungarian consulate in Sydney made placed an advertisement in the paper trying to contact Francis using his original name, it is unknown if he responded to the advertisement.  

In 1907, Francis's first wife Julia died. He married for the second time Edith Emily Murless in 1908, she was 17 at the time and he was 51, his second marriage produced one child Francis Allan Buckley in 1913. On the 13th of March 1916, Francis went to enlist in the AIF for service in the Great War, at the time he listed his age as 45 years and 8 months, when his actual age was 59 and his occupation at the time was "Gentleman". He was rejected medically due to his age and bad teeth, but he was provisionally accepted by the recruiting officer and most likely had served in the "Home Guard", but these records no longer exist. 

In October 1917, his dwelling at 127 King Street, Sydney was broken into, and his service medals were stolen, which included his Egypt Medal (Sudan War), Khedive Star, China War Medal and the Naval Long Service Good Conduct Medal. Tragedy struck Francis again, in August 1918, his grandson Private Reginald Washington McMinn, (through his eldest daughter Ellen) was killed in action in France, aged 23.

In 1922 when he found that his wife of 14 years was having an affair with a Mr Charles Lewis Crowley of South Kensington, which led to a very public and well documented divorce. Edith married Charles in 1923.

Throughout his life he was a member and took an active role in the Navy and Army Veterans Association, the United Imperial Navy and Army League and Naval Comrades Association, representing these association at functions, marches, memorials, and funerals. 

Francis died on the 22nd of May 1940, in his 83rd year, he was survived by all three of his children and ex-wife.

Courtesy of Samuel Cox.

BUCKLEY. —May 22, 1940, at a private hospital, Randwick, Francis Albert Buckley, late of 2 Hunter Street, Sydney, beloved father of Queenie (Mrs. E. P. McMinn), Mary (Mrs. M. A. Hawkes), and Allan,  aged 83 years. R.I.P.