Robert Buchanan
Died 4 May 1915
- Service number
- WWI 8/319 AWMM
- Also known as
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- WW1 Private AWMM Otago Infantry Battalion AWMM
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Robert AWMM
- Surname
- Buchanan AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- —
- Service number
- WWI 8/319 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- —
- Religion
- —
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- —
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
- —
- Address before enlistment
- Unknown AWMM Fox Street, Avenal, Invercargill, New Zealand AWMM
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- Mrs Christina Buchanan (mother), Fox Street, Avenal, Invercargill, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- Pre 16 Oct 1914 AWMM Single AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
- Campaign
- 1915-1916 AWMM Gallipoli AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- WWI 8/319 AWMM
- Military service
- —
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- —
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- —
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- WW1 Unknown AWMM
- Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW1 16 Oct 1914 AWMM
HMNZT 5 or HMNZT 9 AWMM Vessel was Ruapehu or Hawkes Bay AWMM Private AWMM Otago Infantry Battalion AWMM Main Body AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
- —
- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- Died of wounds, Cause of Death AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- WW1 Private AWMM
Otago Infantry Battalion AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Son of William and Christina Buchanan, of South Riverton, Southland, Invercargill. Native of Waimatuku, Invercargill. AWMM
- Attack on Baby 700
With me in our group was …. Bob Buchannan. We in our hearts knew the attack had gone awry but had no thought of retreating but wondered what we could do under the circumstances.
We apparently were in a slight depression with the bullets passing over us where we lay. Presently Bob Buchannan who was beside me made a movement causing me to ask, "Are you hit Bob?" There was no audible reply but I soon found that he had a great wound cutting an open track from his eye to ear. We carried field dressings conveniently placed inside our tunics but they were not so easy to apply as the big shell dressings stretcher-bearers carried later on. When we left our valises behind at our first dig in I put a good clean towel in my haversack. Haversacks were taken from the side of the equipment and put in the place of the pack on the back. I used this towel to tie around Bob's head.
We had been consulting what we should do in the situation and now it was suggested that one of us should take Bob back and see if there was someone back at the Aussie trench with the rank of authority to say, "What next?" …... I suppose because I was alongside Bob the others advised me to escort him.
As he couldn't see at all and getting to our feet would make us sure billets for the bullets, I told him to follow me and by my voice I would guide him between the bushes. I think a slight dip in the area between the Aussie trench and where we were lying saved us, for we presented a better target crawling than flat out. There was no one at all belonging to our battalion to be seen and I waited with Bob seeing there was nothing more I could do.
The Turks thoroughly aroused, kept up a heavy fire all night but while in the trenches with Bob none of our attackers returned. Going forward was impossible but so was retiring unthinkable, in spite of being convinced of the futility of further action.
With so rough a path to the Dressing Station I didn't venture further with Bob till the first light of dawn appeared. With my help he was able to make his way on foot, and with care descending the hill we had no further trouble getting to the station. ……..
He couldn't speak but when we reached the dressing station he patted me on my shoulder to convey thanks for my care of him. Bob Buchannan died of his wounds.
A sequel to that episode occurred ….. Our neighbour during the war had a store at Waimatuku. One evening just before closing time a number of surrounding farmers happened to drop in and were yarning together when word came through that Bob had died of wounds. All present were hushed by the news …...Public - Ross - 12 November 2016 - Memoires of William Anderson, 8th Company, Otago Battalion
About death
- Death
- 4 May 1915 AWMM
Age 23 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- Died of wounds AWMM
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
- —
- Cemetery name
- —
- Grave reference
- —
- Obituary
- —
- Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- Lone Pine Memorial, Lone Pine Cemetery, Anzac, Turkey AWMM
Sources
- External links
- Military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R21889449
Further Reference - A Street Near You record
https://astreetnearyou.org/person/719980/-
Further Reference - Commonwealth War Graves Commission Casualty record
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/719980
Further Reference
- Military personnel file
- References
- New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
Vol1: 90 - Beattie, P.J. & Pomeroy, M. (2013-2020). Onward : portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (vols 1-5). Auckland, New Zealand: Fair Dinkum Publications
Vol. 1: Includes portrait - Waite, F. (1919). The New Zealanders at Gallipoli. Auckland, N.Z.: Printed and published under Authority of the New Zealand Government by Whitcombe & Tombs.
- New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.
Online Cenotaph Data by Auckland War Memorial Museum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.