Buchanan, George: Service no. 171047

CVWM Page

Digitized Service Record

Source: Lichfield Crater (C. B. 2A) post.

Find-A-Grave

4013897_10
Newspaper Clipping – From the Toronto Star. Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me. Source: CVWM

CIVIC EMPLOYEE KILLED

Pte. George Buchanan, popularly known at “Poole” Buchanan, was killed on April 9, according to a cable received by his father, Mr. W. Buchanan, 85 Claremont street. Pte. Buchanan was 25 years of age. He enlisted in August 1915 with the 83rd Battalion and went overseas with a draft in September the same year and had served one year in the trenches. Prior to enlistment he was in the employ of the city in the Street Commissioner’s Department. He was one of three brothers serving.

Source: Undated newspaper clipping circa April 1917.

Summary of Service for Private John Buchanan, reg. no. 171047

DateEventRemarks
April 7, 1893BornBorn Toronto, Ontario to Mr. William and Mrs. Margaret Buchanan.
August 7, 1915Enlists22-year old teamster George Buchanan enlisted at the armouries with the 83rd Battalion at Toronto, Ontario on this date. He listed his mother, Mrs. William Buchanan, as his next-of-kin and at the time of his enlistment he stood 5’8.75” tall and was listed as having a medium complexion, blue eyes, and brown hair. He weighed 130 pounds. He practiced Anglicism as he indicated he was a member of the Church of England. He had no prior military experience.
September 25, 1915SailedSailed to England from Montreal, Quebec aboard the SS Corsican.
October 5, 1915Arrives in England 
October 1915TransferredTransferred to 39th Battalion. No record of this in service file.
December 24, 1915AdmittedAdmitted to hospital, Shorncliffe, England. Probably Moore Barracks Hospital.
January 7, 1916Transferred and AdmittedTransferred to 1st Northern General Hospital, Newcastle.
January 7, 1916DischargedDischarged from above.
January 20, 1916Completed WillCompleted will.   “In the event of my death I give the whole of my property and effects to   Mrs. W. Buchanan
85 Claremont St.
Toronto Ont Canada [signed] George Buchanan
Private 171047
Jan 20th 1916
May 7, 1916TransferredTransferred to 18th Battalion.
May 8, 1916ArrivesArrives at the CBD, Etaples.
May 31, 1916Proceeds to Join Unit 
June 2, 1916TOSTOS in the field with the 18th Battalion.   The War Diary notes on that day:   “BEDFORD HOUSE   Position as of yesterday. CAPT. S.M. LOGHRIN admitted to hospital. 2 o.r.s admitted to hospital. 1 o.r. returned from hospital. 14 o.r.s arrived as reinforcement.”
April 9, 1917Killed in ActionKilled in action during the attack on Vimy Ridge. He was serving with “B” Company. The Circumstances of Death Card relates:   ““Killed in Action.”
He was instantly killed by enemy shell fire during the advance and capture of VIMY.”   A Burial Report relates:   “Buried at A.10.G.1.17. Sheet Thelus, N.W. (in Zivy Crater) Grave serial no. CB-1.   The War Diary relates of the action that day:   “At Zero hour, vis 5.30 a.m., the advance was made. Simultaneously with the opening up of the Artillery Barrage the Battalion left the “Jumping-off” trenches and attacked the German front lines. Very little opposition was met with whilst capturing the first line system of trenches. The enemy barraged “No-man’s-land” for about 15 minutes, after which his Artillery fire became very indiscriminate. The support line was captured without any difficulty and the Battalion Objective (black), a line of trench from A.11.1.70.31/2. To A.11.45.75., finally reached. At 6.05 a.m. a message was received at Bn. H.Q. saying that the Black Objective had been captured and was in the act of being consolidated.   The casualties up to this point had been very slight, considering the magnitude of the operations. Major C.C. Gwyn, on of the most popular and efficient of Officers was killed by a M.G. bullet, about 100 yards from the objective and Lieut. W.J. McLean was also killed while leading his men across “No-man’s-land”. After the death of Major Gwyn, Lieut. P. Jerdan[iv] assumed Command of “B” Company, and did splendid work in consolidation and reorganization, as also did Lieut. D.A.G. Parsons[v] who Commanded “A” Company.   An act of conspicuous gallantry[vi] performed by Sergt. E.E. Sifton of “C” Company. A M.G. was holding up his Company and doing considerable damage. Sergt. Sifton, single-handed, attacked the Gun crew and bayoneted every man, but was unhappily shot by a dying Boche.   At 10.50 a.m. a message was received from Major W.J. Gander, now senior Officer of the line reporting that the consolidation of the objective and reorganization of the Battalion was complete. Telephone communication from the Report Center, which was established in the PELSENKELLER WEG, to Bn. H.Q. and Brigade, was successfully maintained throughout. A tunnel with a 4’ gallery was dug beforehand, with an exit in the PHILIP CRATER, within 20 yards of the German front line, and telephone lines laid to this point before Zero [hour].   Lieut’s W.H. Lewis and V.M. Eastwood secured much valuable information, and established an advanced Bn. H.Q.’s at A.10.b.85.35.   Major K.H. McCrimmon finally established Bn. H.Q.;s at A.11.d.1.8. and performed most efficient work in handling all information and superintending the process of reorganization.   Several large straw-stacks were discovered just ahead of the Black Objective and were found to have been the means of hiding concrete M.G. emplacements. The night of 9/10th being spent in the Black Objective and funk-holes being the only shelter, the straw was a great help to the men in making their shelters comfortable. The approximate casualties for the whole operation were:- 2 Offices killed (already mentioned). Lieuts. W.G. Worth, S.C. Kirkland, C.E. Tuck, W.K. Rooney (Wounded). 40 O.R.’s killed and 120 wounded.[vii]   He is buried with 53 other soldiers. Of these men, 14 of them where members of the 18th Battalion and all of them died on the same day. He is buried in a common grave in the crater and is recognized on Panel 1. Column 3.
Circa Apil 1917Toronto Telegram News ClippingCIVIC EMPLOYEE KILLED   Pte. George Buchanan, popularly known at “Poole” Buchanan, was killed on April 9, according to a cable received by his father, Mr. W. Buchanan, 85 Claremont street. Pte. Buchanan was 25 years of age. He enlisted in August 1915 with the 83rd Battalion and went overseas with a draft in September the same year and had served one year in the trenches. Prior to enlistment he was in the employ of the city in the Street Commissioner’s Department. He was one of three brothers serving.   SOURCE: UNDATED NEWSPAPER CLIPPING CIRCA APRIL 1917.
May 1917Assigned PayA note in May of 1917 for a special remittance of $100.00 to Mrs. William Buchanan of 85 Claremont Street, Toronto, Ontario was made. This is an unusual entry and may have indicated that a previous record of his instructions for assigning pay to his mother was missed and the payment was for approximately 5-months of his overseas service.
May 23, 1921DespatchedDeath Scroll despatched to Mrs. Margaret E. Buchanan of 85 Claremont Street, Toronto, Ontario. Reqn. No. Z44636/
September 27, 1921DespatchedPlaque despatched under Reqn. No. P8901 to William Buchanan, Esq. same address.
November 19, 1921DespatchedMemorial (Silver) Cross despatched to Mrs. Buchanan. Reqn. no C 31816.
Note on Medal CardEligibleEligible for the Victory and British War Medal.

Acronyms

AWLAbsent Without Leave: Generally, a soldier would be deducted 1-days pay for every day absent. In some cases, the soldier would be confined to barracks. Sometimes it was a combination of both.
A ClassificationMedical Board Classification that determined your fitness for duty. A1, A2, A3 and A4 were assigned to different units with the expectation that these men would be able to serve with active combat units. See this link for more information.
B ClassificationMedical Board Classification that determined your fitness for duty. B1, B2, and B3 were assigned to different service units such as railway and forestry corps. See this link for more information.
D ClassificationSee this link for more information.
CAMCCanadian Army Medical Corp
CBConfined to Barracks: a punishment for minor infractions.
CCDCasualty Convalescent Depot: a depot at a base where men, in their final stages of convalescing, would be prepared for duty depending on their rating.
CCHCasualty Clearing Hospital
CCRCCanadian Corps Reserve Camp
CCSCasualty Clearing Station: this facility was attached to rail transportation from the front to hospitals on the coast of France
CDCCanadian Dispatch Camp
CFACanadian Field Ambulance/Canadian Field Artillery. Most common usage would be Canadian Field Ambulance.
DAHDisorderly Action of the Heart
DRSDivisional Rest Station
GSWGun Shot Wound – this was a generic term for all projectile penetrating wounds.
In the FieldThis term relates to a soldier arriving at an active-duty unit after transporting from England, to France, and then to his duty assignment. The routing varied from soldier to soldier and could take 2-3 days to several months.
MDMilitary District
PUOPyrexia of Unknown Origin: This was a term used for any illness that could not clearly be identified and typically was related to influenza symptoms.
SOSStruck Off Strength
TOSTaken On Strength
CAMCCanadian Army Medical Corp
CCHCasualty Clearing Hospital
CFACanadian Field Ambulance
DRSDivisional Rest Station
GSWGun Shot Wound – this was a generic term for all projectile penetrating wounds.
MDMilitary District
PUOPyrexia of Unknown Origin
SOSStruck Off Strength
TOSTaken On Strength
WORDWestern Ontario Regimental Depot
This soldier is listed on this Commemorative Plaque in Old City Hall, Toronto, Ontario. Source: From his nephew via the 18th Battalion Facebook Group.
"Killed in Action." He was instantly killed by enemy shell fire during the advance and capture of VIMY.
“Killed in Action.”
He was instantly killed by enemy shell fire during the advance and capture of VIMY.
Inscription – A photograph of the memorial wall at the Zivy Crater Cemetery. May he rest in peace.(J.Stephens) Source: CVWM
Inscription – A photograph of the memorial wall at the Zivy Crater Cemetery. May he rest in peace.(J.Stephens) Source: CVWM
Zivy Crater inscription. Inscription – A photograph of the memorial wall at the Zivy Crater Cemetery. May he rest in peace.(J.Stephens) Source: CVWM
Zivy Crater inscription.
Inscription – A photograph of the memorial wall at the Zivy Crater Cemetery. May he rest in peace.(J.Stephens) Source: CVWM
Memorabilia – Commemorative Plaque (Death Penny) for George Buchanan. Originally 83rd Bn, KIA with the 18th Bn, B Coy. Submitted by BGen G Young, 15th Battalion Memorial Project Team Source: CVWM
Memorabilia – Commemorative Plaque (Death Penny) for George Buchanan. Originally 83rd Bn. KIA with the 18th Bn. B Coy. Submitted by Ben G Young, 15th Battalion Memorial Project Team
Source: CVWM
271479a
271479b
doc2063644
doc5714907

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑

%d bloggers like this: