William Buckingham

This article is about the Victoria Cross recipient. For the U.S. Senator from Connecticut, see William Alfred Buckingham.

William Buckingham
Private William Buckingham
Born	February 1886 Leicester, England
Died	5 September 1916 (aged 28) Thiepval, France
Buried at	Remembered on the Thiepval Memorial
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1901-1916 †
Rank	Private
Unit	Leicestershire Regiment
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	Victoria Cross

William Buckingham VC (February 1886 – 15 September 1916) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Background

Buckingham was born in Leicester. He spent his childhood in the care of the local county council.

Military career

Buckingham joined the 2nd Battalion of The Leicestershire Regiment in 1901, at the age of 15, and served in Egypt and India.^[1] The 2nd Battalion, was posted to France during the First World War. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on 10 and 12 March 1915 at Neuve Chapelle during which he was wounded in the chest.

The citation reads as follows:

For conspicuous acts of bravery and devotion to duty in rescuing and rendering aid to the wounded whilst exposed to heavy fire, especially at Neuve-Chapelle on 10th and 12th March 1915.^[2]

He was killed in Thiepval on 15 September 1916, during the later stages of the Battle of the Somme.^[1][3]

Medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Leicestershire Regiment Museum Collection in the Newarke Houses Museum, Leicester, England.

References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• VCs of the First World War - The Western Front 1915 (Peter F. Batchelor & Christopher Matson, 1999)
• Pte Buckingham visits Countesthorpe Cottage Homes where he grew up