Buckland, James William

James William Buckland
	28 January 1900 – 1 June 1964
	;
Place of birth	Leitrim, Ontario
Place of death	Carleton Place, Ontario
Place of burial	St. Georges Anglican Cemetery, Ottawa, Ontario
Allegiance	Canada
Service/branch	Canadian Army / Royal Canadian Airforce
Rank	WO1

James William Buckland (28 January 1900 - 1 June 1964) was a solider in the Canadian Army during the First World War and in the Royal Canadian Airforce during the Second World War.

Early Life

James William Buckland was born in Leitrim Ontario to parents Obadiah Herbert Buckland (21 Dec 1871-1 May 1945) and Annie (Granny) Fletcher Buckland (3 Aug 1878 - 15 Dec 1971).^[1]

Service

James joined the Mechanical Transport Section, Canadian Army Service Corps as a machinist on 11 May 1917. After having served 1 year 6 months, he attested for service at Ottawa on 23 November 1918 with The Signal Training Depot for overseas service. Sapper Buckland became a member of 6th Canadian Divisional Signal Company and was deployed to Siberia. He embarked in Canada on 12 February 1919 and disembarked at Vladivostok Siberia on 27 February. He spent the next 3 months as a Motor Cycle driver sometimes carrying despatches. Sapper Buckland embarked on the S.S. Monteagle on 5 June 1919 to return to Canada where he arrived on 20 June. He was honourably released in Ottawa on 5 July 1919. For his First World War service, Sapper Buckland was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal (Inter-Allied War Medal).

James served again with the Royal Canadian Engineers with their Militia Survey Division, as a Driver, from 1920 until 1927.

He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in Ottawa on 28 December 1928. He was promoted Aircraftman 1st Class on 15 June 1929 and Leading Aircraftman on 1 September 1930. James was posted to RCAF Station Dartmouth, N.S. 22 September 1930 and there promoted Corporal 1 September 1931. On 2 November 1932 he was posted to No. 1 Aircraft Depot, Ottawa. Promoted Sergeant 1 April 1938 and Flight Sergeant on 1 September 1939. In July 1940 he proceeded to No. 2 Service Flying Training School at Uplands. After having been promoted Warrant Officer 2 on 1 November 1940 he was posted back to RCAF Station Dartmouth on 2 March 1941. James was promoted Warrant Officer 1 on 1 October 1941. Subsequent postings were No. 1 General Reconnaissance School, Summerside PEI (23 March 1943), RCAF Station Centralia (24 November 1945) and RCAF Station Rockcliffe (31 March 1946). He was honourably discharged on 30 September 1947 in Ottawa.

He again enlisted with the military and joined 59th LA Artillery Regiment in Carleton Place, Ontario on 29 May 1951. He served on continuous duty with the Regular Army in the rank of Sergeant from 25 July 1955 until 28 February 1960. He was again honourably released on February 29 1960.

After Service

James joined the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires and served as a Commissionaire until he had an accident at home. Suffering from pneumonia and other complications from his fall from a ladder, James William Buckland died in Carleton Place Memorial Hospital on 1 June 1964. He is buried in the St. Georges Anglican Cemetery at Hawthorne (off Highway 31 or Bank Street) in South Ottawa.