BX February 1, 1916

Life in Trenches is Exciting One – Pte. Samuel Buckley Writes Interesting Story From the Firing Line – Close to Enemy

Life in the trenches, 90 yards from the enemy has one virtue – that it leads to excitement. Bugler S. Buckley writing to a member of the Expositor staff says:

December 10, 1915

406041 No. 3 Co.
First Canadians, First Brigade
C.E.F., France,
Billets

Dear Friend,

Just a few lines to let you know I am O.K., and still alive, I read about Com. Sergt.-Maj. Mack is dead. I came across him once here. I can’t tell you where I am, but it is in the same place that he got his, and believe me, they sent them over by the carloads at night. You can see them at daybreak, and also see the trench mortar in the day time. But whatever you do when you duck is, make sure you’re quite a few feet from them. There is a grave just outside the front line trenches, with a wooden cross on it, and the words inscribed on it “here lie the bodies of three unknown French heroes’.”  There are also over 1000 graves nearby. Each battalion fighting has a little land as a grave yard. There is one of the 18th Battalion boys there. I think he was one of your old buglers. His name is “Humph” Hogan, the right hand pal of “Bike” Evans. I see the Expositor’s photo of the draft of 2nd Mounted Rifles that one is Bill Hannaford, another bugler.

By this time you will have very few old-timers left. If I have the luck to see Brantford again, we’ll go for the Tea Pot Inn with the bugle band for a good feed, which is a thing of the past out here. We have had no snow out in our part of the line, but lots of rain also lots of water in the trenches. We hear the Niobe and the Rainbow are idle. Say if they sent them through our front line, they sure would do a little good.

Do me a favor by telling the I.O.D.E. I saw in the Expositor that they were going to send winter comforts to the Brantford boys. There are over 30 of us with the 1st Battalion also some with the 4th, 15th, 18th, and 19th Battalions so you see the ones in the 1st Battalion will not get theirs as there is no company from Brantford in it. But, believe me; we need them more than the Brantford boys in England as we are standing in water all the time. So you see we have a few hardships to face yet. We are only 90 yards from their front line. The “listening posts” can see each other at times, when the flares go up. We have to stand to at 4.30 p.m. and stand down at 5.30 a.m., two hours on and one hour off; one hour and a half in the day time, then sleep all day. That is, if your close friends will let you. Sometimes they get mad and bite just a shade too hard. Then you have a “crumb up” in which they surrender. But the best way to get rid of them is to give them each a little pinch of salt, then put your shirt by the stream, and when they go to quench their thirst grab the shirt and run. I will have to close now as it is time to go on a working party, of which there are many here. Give my regards to the rest of the bugle band, also the rest of the boys. I remain your old time bugler,

S. Buckley

BX March 18, 1916

Cold Weather in the Trenches – Bomber Samuel Buckley Tells of a Night's Work at the Listening Post – A Chilly Task
 
Life in the front line trenches, with a night's work at the "listening post” when there are three inches of snow on the ground, is a chilly business, but the "boys” seem to like it well. Mrs. G. Gardiner, 18 Marlborogh Street, has received an interesting letter from her son, Bomber Samuel Buckley, formerly of the Dufferin Rifles bugle band, now with the first contingent in the trenches. He writes:
 
Just a few lines to let you know that all the Brantford boys in the first battalion are as well as can be expected. We were in the trenches for six days and nights. The cold was fierce. I was the only 36th man in our platoon on listening post. We laid on snow three inches thick, with a fierce wind blowing in our faces which nearly killed us. I was a bomber, so I took three Mills bombs with me. We were about 80 yards from the front line trench of the Huns. We heard a little noise in some wire so I signalled for a flare light to go up. The N.C.O. was not at his post, but a flare went up about six boys distant and we saw the figures of three Huns as plain as day. I crawled through our wire to our machine gun and they simply played fire over there. We heard a few groans and then all was silent once again. By and by the moon came up and it was a little too light to be out there, so we started to come in. We were seen then. It was their turn to play the game, and believe me they sure did. No one was hurt, however, as we all fell in a shell hole, but my hat is still out in No Man's Land, also one of my bombs. We all are safe, so we should worry.

I will try to tell you how we all enjoy ourselves at night, as we "stand to” all the night long.  We do sentry at night when it is too light for listening post.  This is the way it goes:  You sentry all the night long by doing two on the firing board and four walking to keep warm. You are nearly frozen when a fellow comes along with a couple of stripes who has been in the dugout by the fire. He is about to make his round for his report, which goes in every hour. He comes along singing "This is the Life." Some say "Hit that guy with a brick."  Some say "Throw him over to Fritzie," and so on till he moves his beat to some other bay. That is the way they pass the time till about 5.30 a.m., when the man who is called the "Little God of Kindness" comes along. He has the rum. You get your half ounce ration. Then "Stand down" is passed along the line.
 
S. Buckley
Bugler, D.R.C.

BX April 11, 1917

A Newsy Letter from Shorncliffe – Corp. Samuel Buckley Recalls Experiences Under Fire in France  

Newsy and reminiscent is the letter just received by Mrs. D. Gardner of 18 Marlborough Street, from her son Corporal Samuel Buckley, who is at present with the 3rd Canadian Reserve Battalion at Shorncliffe, England. He tells of not having received a letter for some time, the overseas mail having been quarantined at Liverpool. Just before writing home he had been inoculated for the ninth time. A visit had also just been paid to Kent by the Zeppelins, but their marksmanship was poor. The 36th Battalion were defeated by the 11th Battalion for the football championship of district. He also describes a mobilization by night.

Then for the reminiscent part of his letter he recounts happenings of a year previous, when he was in France. “It was the big bombardment, just a little northwest of Messines, when we were shelled while in the supporting point, and we could not get out. That was when we lost the men, killed and wounded; I don’t think I shall ever forget it.  The 17th was quiet, but on the 18th they shelled us again while we were in the front line. They killed seven and wounded one and he died before we got him away. That night I was on sentry for a while. In the next bay they were building up the holes made by the shells. All of a sudden there was an awful rush. I looked around and there were two wounded and nine killed outright.”

Corporal Buckley was badly scared, being hit in the stomach, heart and jugular vein. After the fight at Messines he went to Ypres and the first night there the battalion received and awful shelling. After daybreak the snipers got 22 of the men. Jack Harris, he says, was the first man to get killed from “C” Company of the 1st Battalion.  From Ypres they went to Hill 60, and then to Trench 46, and here they were relieved by the 8th Battalion. This place, he says, looked quiet, but before night there was no trench left.

BX November 15, 1917

Allies Are Winning

Corp. Samuel Buckley, a local boy who has been twice wounded writes home to his mother, Mrs. D. Gardner, 98 Queen Street:

“I guess I will spend my 21st birthday here, but never mind, we’re winning, and that is the main thing. I am getting lots to eat at present, as I am back in hospital, with my head. I thought I would be able to keep this shrapnel for a keepsake, but they will have to take it out after all, as it gives me awful headaches. But don’t worry for I am having the time of my life.”

BX April 24, 1918

Reverted to Go To France – Pte. S. Buckley Wanted to Get Back to His Old Pals

Mrs. D. Gardner has received the following letter from her son, Pte. Sameul Buckley of the 4th Canadian Infantry, C.E.F., which will prove of interest to his many friends in the city:

A few lines to let you know that once again I am on my way to France. But do not worry as I will be back safe and sound to you some day. I have gone to the trouble of asking to be put on this draft to the Fourth Battalion, as I want to go back to my pals who went away a week ago today. I was on guard for six weeks at Shorncliffe and I got back here last Saturday night. Sunday I was put on this draft. You will say I was one foolish person, and I may be, but I hope you will understand. I think the world of you both, but there are also my pals, and a pal is just like a brother. So I feel it my duty to go out there once more, but by the time I get back to England again I may be able to get home to see you once more. I may be near Uncle Ben, and will, if possible, try to get in his unit. I feel just as happy as the first time I went, and so I guess I will come back OK.

I will write to you more regularly when I get there. I sent you a regular letter today with a few old photos and letters that I want you to keep for me. I am also sending you the book of verses that were written by my pals and my friends, and I want you to keep it as a birthday present for yourselves. I am sorry I forgot to send you a postcard or anything else, but I hope you will forgive me.

I don’t think much of this new camp, as all I have seen are conscripts and you find them wherever you look.

Tonight I got two of our welcome letters, dated February 26, and March 5. Do not send me anymore money, as I will get along all right. You can put it in the bank for me. By the way, you will see that I am a private again. I reverted at my own request in order that I might get to the front.

I saw Capt. Miller, who used to be paymaster with the 36th Battalion, and he certainly is looking well. I am feeling well. In fact I never was better in my life. My face is all right again. Yes, I guess I have got everything you have sent me up to the present time. The gloves are fine and will be just the thing to go back to France with. You say it was raining cats and dogs when you were writing your letter. The same applies to this place.

If you go to Sparrow Lake, please remember me to all who know “Whitey.”  I am proud of the name as the boys who named me so sure did like me.

I know all about the Lewis machine gun and all there is to know about bombs, so I guess Fritz will have no show with your little soldier. I will let you know as soon as I get the box of butter and the pipe. This will be my last from England for a little while.