Jim

My Brother Sean passed me copies of the emails he exchanged and asked me to let you have any more details I have on our Dad's career.

I enclose the following which you are welcome to chop and change and use as you see fit.  I also enclose a few photos including a later one of him in KDG uniform. It would be very nice to hear from anyone who knew him or knew of him or to receive any further information available. However I suspect that time is probably not in favour of that.

 

My Dad Joined the regiment I believe in Cardiff in March 1927 having come to England from West Cork to join the Navy. I understand that the Naval recruiting officer was pretty anti Irish and gave my Dad a hard time so he went next door instead. It is strange how  things like that can change ones whole life.  I cannot remember the chronology of his postings but remember that at various points he was stationed at Hounslow, Canterbury,Colchester, Tidworth and went on exercises( or manoeuvres as the were then known) on Salisbury Plain. I believe that those were some of the happiest days of his life. Being a country lad he loved horses and often spoke of early morning rides out from Hounslow , he certainly would have  a problem doing that today. In 1936 the regiment sailed for India and was stationed at Sialkot. Interestingly whilst on passage to India they were used as extras in a film being made on board. The Film starred Leslie Banks and Flora Robson. It was called "Farewell Again" in the UK and was released as "Troopship" in the US. Unfortunately it was not a great success. I think the ship was the "Somersetshire".

 

As will you will know,after two years in India the Regiment was mechanised to the great disappointment of most cavalrymen including Dad.

In 1939 he was on home leave in the UK when war broke out and he along with a few others from the Regiment were assigned to the Kings Dragoon Guards rather than return to India. After a short period in Northampton and Wimborne Dorset they embarked for North Africa and became involved in some of the very early battles with the Italians in the area of Tobruk and El Aghelia, where Dad as a Squadron Sergeant Major won the DCM. They were equipped with  South African built Marmon Herrington armoured cars whose armour was practically useless.

 

Whilst with the KDG's he was very close to a Lt Cubitt who was another "refugee" from the 3rd Carabiniers. I remember him saying that they often got together to share reminiscences and news of the regiment in India. On the very first action against the Italians at Beda Fomm regrettably Lt Cubitt was killed with his crew when their Marmon Herrington armoured car was hit by anti tank fire. He had spoken to my Dad literally minutes before from the turret of the armoured car as they went forward into action. My dad retrieved his gold collar dogs intending to give these to his widow  who I believe was one of the Wills tobacco family but unfortunately they were stolen from him whilst in hospital in Cairo. This whole event was a great sadness to him and one which he frequently recalled.

 

After the first siege of Tobruk he was invalided back to Cairo  with sever stomach ulcers and then came back to the Uk. He went to the palace for the investiture of his DCM by the King. Unfortunately from his point of view his career started to go down hill as continuing poor health precluded him from returning to the KDG's. In June 1944 rather than be discharged he transferred to the RAOC as RSM where he served somewhat unhappily until 1948 when he retired back West Cork where he died in 1984.

 

Continuing the family military tradition I joined REME  as an Apprentice in 1961 and retired as WO1 (ASM) in 1984. Whilst at the Army Apprentice College Carlisle my Company Commander was Major Davenport 3rd Carabiniers who remembered my father very well from the 30's.  My younger brother has just completed a 20+ year career in the French Foreign Legion.

 

 

Tim Buckley

Poole Dorset

02/01/2004

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CITATION

401150 Warrant Officer Cl. II Cornelius Timothy Buckley, Kings Dragoon Guards
won the DCM on 5th and 6th February 1941 at Sidi Saleh with the following
recommendation:
"During the Battle at Sidi Saley, on February 5th and 6th, SSM Buckley set a
magnificent example of resource, boldness and courage. On several occasions, by
his fearlessness and determination he captured with his own armoured car,
unsupported by other vehicles, large numbers of prisoners amounting to 2 or 3
hundred. Two instances of his behavior are outstanding.
On the evening of 5th February, SSM Buckley who had taken some prisoners back,
was ordered to escort, with his Armoured Car, the echelon up to his Squadron,
who had been ordered to hold a position off the main road leading south from the
battlefield. It was just dark and the situation was complicated by the number
of small enemy parties who were moving across country in an effort to break
through to the south. SSM Buckley missed the Squadron, went on in the dark for
a further 10 miles south towards the enemy, thinking that the squadron might
have moved. In doing so, he encountered an enemy party. Although he was
followed by four unarmed lorries, SSM Buckley attacked with such speed and
determination that after a number had been killed the enemy surrendered. SSM
Buckley then turned his convoy around and brought it, and his 100 prisoners
back. All this was done in the dark without lights.
The following morning, February 6th, SSM Buckley was sent back down the road to
bring in a few of the prisoners that he had not been able to the night before.
On his way he attacked the Fort of Sidi Farag with his A/T Rifle and caused the
garrison of fifty to surrender. These, with several others, he put in a
derelict lorry and towed them back to the Regiment behind his Armoured Car.
In both of these instances Sergeant Major Buckley was acting alone, without
wireless, in a country where there were armed mechanized parties. But the
knowledge of this did not affect his determination to capture every Italian he
could find and he set a magnificent example to his Squadron."