View source for Leonard Henry (Lennie) Buckingham MM

{{infobox soldier
| image           = [[File:Buckingham_Leonard_Henry.jpg|border|400px]]
| caption         =
| image2          =
| caption2        =
| dateofbirth	  = 28 Jan 1891
| placeofbirth	  = Perth, Western Australia
| death	          = 8 Jun 1960, aged 79
| placeofdeath	  = Bassendean, Western Australia
| enlistmentage	  = 22 years, 7 months
| description	  = 5' 7" (1.70m) tall; weight 145 lbs (65.8 kg); dark complexion, brown eyes, brown hair
| height          = 5' 7" (1.70m)
| weight          = 145 lbs
| complexion      = dark
| eyes            = brown
| hair            = brown
| descriptionnote = 
| occupation	  = Driver (horses)
| religion	  = Church of England
| address	  = 'Wattledene' East Jandakot (Forrestdale), Western Australia
| relation	  = Father 
| nextofkin       = Mr. John Buckingham
| regnumber	  = [https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3152772 1778]
| enlistmentdate  = 17 Aug 1914
| rank	          = Lance Corporal
| unit     	  = 8th Field Artillery Battery / 3rd Field Artillery Brigade, transferred to the 11th Battalion / 1st Division
| embarkationdatefrom = 20 Oct 1914 
| embarkationdateto = 5 Dec 1914
| shipembarked	  = [[HMAT A7 Medic]]
| embarkedshipnote = ship sailed 2 Nov 1914
| embarkationdatefrom2 = Fremantle to Alexandria
| embarkationdateto2 = 
| shipembarked2	  = 
| embarkedshipnote2 =
| dateofreturnfrom = 10 Mar 1918 
| dateofreturnto  = ?? Mar 1918
| shipreturned    = [[HMT Durham Castle]]
| shipreturnednote = England to Cape Town
| dateofreturnfrom2 = 19 Apr 1918
| dateofreturnto2  = 4 May 1918
| shipreturned2    = [[SS Orontes]]
| shipreturnednote2 = Cape Town to Fremantle 
| fate1	          = Wounded in Action 7 Apr 1917 Bullecourt area
| fate2           = Returned to Australia
| fate3           = 
| fate4           =
| monument1	  = [[Armadale War Memorial]] 
| monumentnote1   = (West Armadale panel)
| monument2	  = [[Armadale and Districts Roll of Honour]]
| monumentnote2   =
| monument3	  = 
| monumentnote3   =
| monument4	  = 
| monumentnote4   =
| monument5	  = 
| monumentnote5   =
| monument6	  = 
| monumentnote6   =
| monumentawm     =
| monumentawmnote =
| monumentother   =
| monumentothernote =
| medal1	  = [[Military Medal]]
| medal2          = [[1914-15 Star]]
| medal3          = [[British War Medal]]
| medal4          = [[Victory Medal]]
}}



==Pre War==
Attended Leederville Primary and Perth Boys Schools, and was living in Forrestdale at the time of his enlistment. Prior to the war he had served in the Militia's 11th Australian Infantry Regiment.

==War Service==
Enlisted as an original member of the the [[3rd Field Artillery Brigade]]'s 8th Field Battery as a Driver, and although his early records are missing it would appear that he travelled to Egypt aboard [[HMAT A7 Medic]], departing Fremantle on 2 Nov 1914 and arriving in Alexandria on 5 Dec 1914. Leonard and his unit joined the Middle East Expeditionary Force on 4 Apr 1915, and they departed Alexandria aboard [[HMAT A10 Karoo]] on 9 Apr 1915 for Mudross, arriving there on 12 Apr 1915. As they were to be the first battery ashore, they began practicing landing drills while remaining in Mudross harbour. At 1:30am on 25 Apr they left Lemnos for Gallipoli , arriving late on the first day, and landing in the afternoon of day 2.  On 14 Sep 1915, illness at Anzac Cove required Lennie to be evacuated via 25th Casualty Clearing Station and [[HMHS Dunluce Castle]] from Mudross on 24 Sep 1915 to St Paul's Hospital on Malta where he was admitted on 27 Sep 1915. After assessment he was sent on to England aboard [[HMHS Panama]] on 31 Oct 1915 where he was admitted to the 3rd Southern General Hospital on 9 Nov 1915. Following his recovery he was sent to Monte Video camp at [[Weymouth]], from where on 6 Jul 1916 he was posted to the [[3rd Training Battalion]] at [[Perham Downs]] to retrain for infantry. On 18 Jul 1916 he was absent from the 2:00pm Parade. Found guilty he was punished with three days confinement to camp.

On 25 Jul 1916 he proceeded overseas to France and entered the 1st Division's Base Depot in Étaples. On 9 Aug 1916 he was transferred to, and taken on strength by the [[11th Battalion]], joining them in billets at Bonneville, France as they rebuilt after their heavy losses at Poziéres.  Lennie was appointed Lance Corporal on 8 Dec 1916.

On 24 Mar 1917 he was awarded the Military Medal (see below), fortunate enough to later receive it personally from King George V at Buckingham Palace. .  In the late evening/early morning of 6/7 April 1917, the enemy shelled the 11th Battalion which had just moved up to take their turn in the line at Morchies, north of the Bapaume to Cambrai road.  The shelling resulted in 9 killed and 8 wounded, including Lennie who received a shell wound to his left arm and left leg.  Initially treated by the [[3rd Field Ambulance]], he was passed next day to 56th Casualty Clearing Station and then transferred to the 11th Stationary Hospital at Rouen on 12 Apr 1917.
  
Evacuated to England, on 30 Apr 1917 aboard [[HMHS St George]], he entered the 1st Birmingham War Hospital on 1 May 1917 for treatment and then released to the [[3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital]] before on 6 Jul 1917 when he was sent to recuperate at No 2 Command Depot at [[Weymouth]].  While at Weymouth, on 20 Oct 1917 he was reduced to Private for breaking out of camp after tattoo (lights out) on 12 Oct 1917. Lennie returned to Australia early with asthma, and discharged 24 May 1918 at 5th Military District.

<blockquote>"..Was five months in the trenches at Gallipoli; got enteric, and was invalided to England, then transferred to France, now serving with the 11th Bn."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1756512_394.pdf |title=The Drill of the Foot-Hills |issue=1917 |location=Western Australia |date=Mar 1917 |accessdate=16 May 2017 |page=10 |via=State Library of Western Australia}}</ref></blockquote>

Initially reported ill, the 293rd Casualty List clarified that L. H. Buckingham (East Jandakot) was WIA. 
  
<blockquote>Mr. and Mrs. J. Buckingham, Forrestdale, have received official news that their son, Lance-Corporal Leonard Buckingham, A.I.F. (one of the original Anzacs), has been wounded in France. He left with the 1st Expeditionary Force on November 2, 1914, and served for five months on Gallipoli, when he was invalided to England and has been in France since July of last year.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27297308 |title=WAR CASUALTIES |newspaper=[[The West Australian]] |volume=XXXIII, |issue=4,704 |location=Western Australia |date=1 May 1917 |accessdate=30 May 2017 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}} </ref></blockquote> 
   
<blockquote>Mr. and Mrs. J. Buckingham, 'Wattledene', Forrestdale, have received further official advice that their son, Lennie has been awarded the Military Medal, and was admitted to hospital on May 1, suffering from gunshot wound in the thigh.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27299808 |title=WAR CASUALTIES. |newspaper=[[The West Australian]] |volume=XXXIII, |issue=4,724 |location=Western Australia |date=24 May 1917 |accessdate=30 May 2017 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}} </ref></blockquote>   

<blockquote>In addition to list of honours awarded to Australians recently published, it has been notified that the following W.A. members of the A.I.F. have been granted Military Medals: — Sergeant  L. H. Buckingham (11th Battalion)<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article81015189 |title=FURTHER AWARDS. |newspaper=[[The Daily News]] |volume=XXXVI, |issue=13,238 |location=Western Australia |date=23 July 1917 |accessdate=30 May 2017 |page=2 |via=National Library of Australia}} </ref></blockquote>

==Award Commentary==
Military Medal - 
<blockquote>Obtained valuable information while on patrol work, displaying great courage and endurance.(At the Maze and Le Barque between 12-28 February 1917).<ref>London Gazette 11 May 1917 page 4601, position 1.</ref></blockquote>

A more fulsome report comes from the Commonwealth Gazette No 140 dated 27 Aug 1917:
<blockquote>:From the 12th to the 28th February 1917, at the MAZE and LE BARQUE, L/Cpl BUCKINGHAM was constantly out on patrol work, and obtained much valuable information. Prior to the capture of LE BARQUE he led a patrol around the right flank of the village and obtained useful information as to the enemy's dispositions. He has shown great pluck and endurance throughout the Battalion's tour in the front line trenches."<ref>Commonwealth of Australia Gazette page 1828, position 30, dated 27 August 1917.</ref>

==Post War==
In 1922 Lennie married Beryl Clarke (?)
Electoral Roll entries - 1925 - 1926 with 'Elizabeth' at 8 Salisbury street, Balkatta; 1949 - 1958 in Derby, by himself - a manager


Served in the Citizens Military Forces during WW2 with Regimental No W47905.

==Notes==
Name is not on the Memorials at Banjup, or Spearwood.

==References==
<references />

==External Links==
*[https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=37792 AIF Project]
*[https://rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au/explore/people/216417 RSL Memorial]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckingham , Leonard Henry (Lennie)}}

[[Category:Soldier]]
[[Category:Born WA]]
[[Category:1917 WIA]]
[[Category:Returned to Australia]]
[[Category:Horse driver]]
[[Category:Church of England]]
[[Category:Armadale-Kelmscott]]