Robert Buchanan

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Rank	Private 4447
Medals	British War Medal, Victory Medal
Regiment	Australian Infantry 13th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force
Military Service	Buchanan enlisted on 16th July 1915 at Liverpool, NSW. He became part of the 14th Reinforcement for the 13th Battalion, AIF and embarked at Sydney of HMAT Ballarat A70 on 16th February 1916 landing in Egypt on 22nd March 1916. On 29th March he went sick and did not join his battalion until 28th May. He sailed from Alexandria on 1st June and reached Marseilles on the 8th where he disembarked. He was posted missing on 14th August during the attack on Mouquet Farm, part of the Somme offensive.
Born	14th May 1883, Glasgow
Death	14th August 1916
Circumstances of Death	Killed in action A Court of enquiry was held on 23rd January 1917 which formally found that Buchanan had been killed in action.
Age	33
Burial	A I F Burial Ground, Flers, XV. O. 24 Buchanan was originally buried on the battlefield about 1 mile east of Thiepval and his body was not recovered and reburied in the AIF Burial Ground, Flers until 1925. He was identified by his identity disc which was sent on to his next of kin.
CWGC Information	Son of Marion Gills (formerly Buchanan), and the late James Buchanan. Born at Glasgow, Scotland.
Parents	James Buchanan (c1849-1918) & Marion Gills (c1851-1923)
Father's Occupation	Blacksmith & Ironmonger
Siblings	Margaret, Mrs Gills (c1875-), Jessie (c1877-), Mary (c1879-), Marion (c1881-), James (c1884-1941), Jane (c1886-), Lulubelle (c1888-1937)
Spouse	Unmarried
Education	Not known
Occupation	Not known
1891 Census	Boyd Street, Largs
1901 Census	22 Ardrossan Road, Saltcoats, Ayrshire
1911 Census	Not found
Home Address	1917 – 51 Castle Street, Townhead, Glasgow
Glasgow Necropolis	Compartment Omicron Lair 78
Other Memorials	Scottish National War Memorial – not listed
Other Information	On 20th September 1916, after being notified that their son was missing, James and Marion Buchanan wrote to the British Red Cross asking for their help in trying to establish the fate of their son. On 21st March 1917 they received word confirming that their son had been reported officially as ‘killed in action’.
Acknowledgements and Sources	Much of the information on which this profile is based is drawn from various internet sources which are listed below. The Friends of Glasgow Necropolis also wish to make full acknowledgement and thanks for the permitted use of any information or images generously supplied specifically for exhibition, publication or display in connection with The Roll of Honour and accompanying profiles to Ancestry, and Find my past. Commonwealth War Graves Commission Family Search Scotlands People The Long, Long Trail The Scottish War Memorials Project De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour, volume 2 Australian Army Service Records for Robert Buchanan at the National Archives of Australia website (http://www.naa.gov.au/) Australian Red Cross Society Wounded and Missing Bureau files, 1914-18 War, 1DRL/0428, 4447 Private Robert Buchanan.

Gallery

Robert Buchanan Monument - Omicron

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Credits

Compiled by Morag Fyfe, Historical and Genealogical Researcher for The Friends of Glasgow Necropolis.

A Registered Scottish Charity: No SC037918
Photographers: Ruth Johnston, Scott Kerr, David Hanlon, John Gair