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Cenotaph record

William Twaddle Frickleton Buchanan

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Photographed 23 February 2015 Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch, New Zealand

Grave of William Twaddle Frickleton BUCHANAN M.B.E., M.M.

Image may be subject to copyright restrictions. [email protected]

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    William Twaddle Frickleton AWMM
  • Surname
    Buchanan AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    10065 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    17 April 1917 AWMM AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    Unknown AWMM C/o Mrs Frickelton, Boundary Street, Greymouth, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
    Security officer Public - Sarndra - Researcher - 28 February 2015 - Christchurch City Council online cemetery database; http://heritage.christchurchcitylibraries.com/Cemeteries/interment.asp?id=30258 ; accessed 27 February 2015
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    Mrs Margaret Ella Buchanan (wife), 441 Selwyn Street, Addington, Christchurch, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    • Unknown AWMM Married AWMM
    • Married to Shirley Ann at time of death Public - Sarndra - Researcher - 28 February 2015 - William's headstone

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
    World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
  • Campaign
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    10065 AWMM
  • Military service
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    • Military Medal (MM) AWMM
      22 July 1943 AWMM
      'On the night of 19-20 April 1943 in the attack on TAKROUNA, Tunisia, Private Buchanan was a regimental aid post orderly with the advancing troops. Throughout the night under the heaviest machine-gun, grenade and rifle fire he rendered excellent first aid to the many wounded with complete disregard for his own safety. Even after daylight when any movement was followed by steady, well-aimed fire from enemy snipers he carried the badly wounded into a cave where they were safe from further injury. In a manner so cheerful and encouraging that it was an example and inspiration to all, Private Buchanan continued to give outstanding service both by immediate assistance to fresh casualties and patient care of those who had fallen during the night.'. (Source: The National Archives. Recommendation for Award for Buchanan, William Twaddle Frickleton. (Ref. WO 373/25/475). Military Medal. AWMM
    • War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
    • New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM
    • Military Medal Public - Sarndra - Researcher - 28 February 2015 - Supplement to the London Gazette, 22 July 1943, pg 3315; https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36102/page/3315/data.pdf; accessed 27 February 2015
    • Mentioned in Despatches 1942
      “for gallant and distinguished service in the Middle East during the pe Public - Sarndra - Researcher - 28 February 2015 - National Library of New Zealand - Paperspast website; New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24464, 23 December 1942, Page 5; accessed 27 February 2015

Training and Enlistment

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
    Confirmed as POW in Greece July 1941 Public - Sarndra - Researcher - 28 February 2015 - National Library of New Zealand - Paperspast website; Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 25, 29 July 1941, Page 9; http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19410729.2.97.1&srpos=17&e=-------10--11-byDA---0william+frickleton+buchanan-- ; accessed 27 February 2015
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
    Confirmed safe in NZEF base December 1941 Public - Sarndra - Researcher - 28 February 2015 - National Library of New Zealand - Paperspast website; Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 294, 12 December 1941, Page 8; http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS19411212.2.112&srpos=18&e=-------10--11-byDA---0william+frickleton+buchanan-- ; accessed 27 February 2015
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes

Last known rank

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  • Last rank

Biographical information

Biographical information

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    • Lance Corporal W. T. F. Buchanan, MM, m.i.d.; born NZ 17 Apr 1917; lorry driver; p.w. 23 May 1941; escaped Nov 1941. (Source: Davin, D.M. Crete. p.253.)

      'Leckie left without his Medical Officer, Captain Stewart, however. For, although the walking wounded in 23 Battalion RAP had gone back before full daylight, Stewart still had some sixty stretcher cases under his charge. These men came from 20, 22, 23, and 28 Battalions. The Medical Officer of 22 Battalion, Captain Longmore, had been taken prisoner along with the rest of his RAP on 21 May; Captain Gilmour of 20 Battalion had no facilities; Captain Mules of 28 Battalion had been wounded; and Captain Moody, who had come back with the survivors of 22 Battalion, belonged to 5 Field Ambulance. Stewart took the hard decision that it was his duty to remain with those of the wounded who could not be moved and see that they were properly treated by the enemy; for at that time it was by no means certain that the Germans would follow the usages of war with regard to prisoners as punctiliously as they did on the whole in the Mediterranean theatre.
      Captain Griffiths, the 23 Battalion chaplain, decided for similar reasons to remain with Stewart. And their two orderlies, Privates Walsh and Buchanan, also elected to stay, as did Corporal Collie, a medical orderly from 20 Battalion. To the two officers fell the grim task of explaining to the wounded that capture was inevitable.

      Prisoners of War - In October a New Zealander and two companions rowed across the Aegean to Turkey in an open boat, a remarkable feat of daring and endurance. Two others, Brand and Buchanan, both escapers from Salonika, who had made their way to Agion Oros, seized a boat and put to sea on 30 October when they heard of a large German patrol coming to search the area. Their party of seven made the island of Imbros and reached Turkey on 10 November. Another party of seven, including four more New Zealanders from Salonika, also seized a boat about the same time, sailing to Lemnos and Imbros and reaching Turkey a day behind the others. Private J. McR. Brand (23 Bn), awarded MM, and Lance Corporal W. T. F. Buchanan (23 Bn); Buchanan won the MM in Tunisia in April 1943.; 23 Battalion - The walking wounded had been evacuated during the night but some sixty stretcher cases remained in the 23rd RAP, which was situated in a natural air-raid shelter in a dry watercourse with steep banks. Here, the battalion MO, Captain Ron Stewart, and the Padre, Bob Griffiths, had worked strenuously on both NZ and German wounded. These officers and their orderlies, Privates Walsh and Buchanan, felt it their duty to stay with the wounded and see that they got the best of treatment. Giving priority to the interests of others as they did, they were rightly described by Major Thomason as ‘brave and courageous gentlemen’. On the other hand, from the point of view of the battalion's continuing needs and the problem of replacing them, this was an unnecessary sacrifice of officers and men.' (Source: Davin, D.M. Crete. p. 253.; Mason, W.W. Prisoners of War. p. 81.; Ross, A. 23 Battalion. p. 73.) AWMM
    • William is possibly the son of Mary BUCHANAN formerly SYMONS nee FRICKLETON who was Samuel FRICKLETON 6/2133 V.C.’s sister, thereby making him Samuel’s nephew.

      William does appear on the 1938 Westland electoral roll and the Frickleton’s and Buchanan’s were Coasters.
      “Mary Freckleton [sic], married Peter Symons in Scotland, and had four children. He died about 1915, and Mary emigrated to New Zealand with her children to live with her mother. She married James BUCHANAN of Blackball, and had three more children.”

      Samuel FRICKLETON also had a brother William Twaddle FRICKLETON who was killed on the Somme 28 September 1916. It is then possible that William Twaddle Frickleton BUCHANAN who was born in 1917 was named after him. Public - Sarndra - Researcher - 28 February 2015 - ~ancestry.co.uk; NZ Electoral roll, Westland; accessed 27 Feb 2015

      ~ 'Samuel Frickleton VC'; http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/samuel-frickleton, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 6-Nov-2014 ; accessed 27 Feb 2015

      ~ Information on William Twaddle FRICKLETON; http://messines1917.blogspot.co.nz/2012/01/nz-vcs-in-flanders-samuel-frickleton.html ; accessed 27 Feb 2015
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    20 April 1986 Public Source
  • Date of death
    20 April 1986 Public - Sarndra - Researcher - 28 February 2015 - Headstone

    Christchurch City Council online cemetery database; http://heritage.christchurchcitylibraries.com/Cemeteries/interment.asp?id=30258 ; accessed 27 February 2015
  • Age at death
    69 Public - Sarndra - Researcher - 28 February 2015 - Headstone
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
    Waimairi Cemetery
    Christchurch, New Zealand Public - Sarndra - Researcher - 28 February 2015 - Christchurch City Council online cemetery database; http://heritage.christchurchcitylibraries.com/Cemeteries/interment.asp?id=30258 ; accessed 27 Feb 2015
  • Grave reference
    Block: Lawn Plot: 1990 Public - Sarndra - Researcher - 28 February 2015 - Christchurch City Council online cemetery database; http://heritage.christchurchcitylibraries.com/Cemeteries/interment.asp?id=30258 ; accessed 27 Feb 2015
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

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Sources

Sources

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  • External links
    • 'The KING has been pleased to approve the following awards in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East.' (London Gazette, 22 July 1943, p.3315.). Military Medal.
      http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/36102/pages/3315
      Further Reference
    • 'On the night of 19-20 April 1943 in the attack on TAKROUNA, Tunisia, Private Buchanan was a regimental aid post orderly with the advancing troops. Throughout the night under the heaviest machine-gun, grenade and rifle fire he rendered excellent first aid to the many wounded with complete disregard for his own safety. Even after daylight when any movement was followed by steady, well-aimed fire from enemy snipers he carried the badly wounded into a cave where they were safe from further injury. In a manner so cheerful and encouraging that it was an example and inspiration to all, Private Buchanan continued to give outstanding service both by immediate assistance to fresh casualties and patient care of those who had fallen during the night.'. (Source: The National Archives. Recommendation for Award for Buchanan, William Twaddle Frickleton. (Ref. WO 373/25/475). Military Medal.
      http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D7361694
      Further Reference
    • http://www.freckleton.org/freckweb/history/fightingFrickletons.pdf Public - Shelley - Other Relative - 25 April 2015 - internet
  • References
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1941). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 2 (Embarkations to 30th June, 1940). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      WW2 2: WW2 27 AWMM
    • Davin, D. (1953). Crete. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM
      p.253. AWMM
    • Mason, W.W. (1954) Prisoners of war. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM
      p.81. AWMM
    • Ross, A. (1959). 23 Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM
      p.73. AWMM
    • http://www.freckleton.org/freckweb/history/fightingFrickletons.pdf Public - Shelley - Other Relative - 25 April 2015 - internet

Contributors

Command item
Command item
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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
25 April 2015ShelleyBrisbaneOther Relative
28 February 2015SarndraAuckland, New ZealandResearcher

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