Buckley, Edmund Graham, son of Edmund Frazer Buckley, of Chelsea, barrister-at-law, by Helen Margaret, daughter of Edward Castle, Q. C., of South Kensington and sister of Reginald Wingfield Castle (q.v.); b. May 5, 1901; adm. Jan. 14, 1915 (G); left July 1919; R. M.C. Sandhurst; 2nd Lieut. 3rd Batt. Rifle Brigade July 14, 1921; Lieut. July 14, 1923; seconded under the Colonial Office to the Iraq Levies May 14, 1923; Capt. 3rd (Assyrian) Batt. Iraq Levies July 4, 1923; mentioned in despatches for services in Iraq April-May 1927; M.B.E. 1933; Major Aug. 1, 1938; served with B. E. F. in Greece and as a liaison officer with Greek troops in Egypt; Gold Cross of Royal Order of George I with Swords 1942; m. Oct. 14, 1933, Margaret Elisabeth, daughter of Frank Bailey, of Chelsea; d. of wounds received in Greece Jan. 21, 1943.
Edmund Graham Buckley was born at Chelsea, London on the 5th of May 1901 the son of Edmund Frazer Buckley, a barrister at law, and Helen Margaret (nee Castle) Buckley of 2, Carlyle Gardens, Cheyne Row, Chelsea in London. He was christened at Holy Trinity Church, Chelsea on the 2nd of June 1901.
He was educated at Westminster School where he was up Grant’s from the 14th of January 1915 to July 1919. He was a member of the 1st Cricket XI in 1918 and of the 2nd Football XI in 1917 and 1918. He was a member of the Officer Training Corps and was promoted to Lance Corporal in January 1918. He was appointed as a Monitor in September 1918. On leaving school he attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst from where he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort’s Own) on the 24th of July 1921. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 14th of July 1923 and was seconded to the Colonial Office for service with the Iraqi Levies on the 14th of May 1923, setting sail for Basrah on board the SS Rotenfels on the following day. He was promoted to Captain on the 4th of July 1923 and was attached to the 3rd (Assyrian) Battalion, Iraqi Levies.
He was Mentioned in Despatches for “distinguished services” during operations in the Penjwin area of Iraq for the period April to May 1927, which was announced by the Air Ministry on the 23rd of March 1928. He was awarded the MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours List, which was announced in the London Gazette of the 6th of June 1933. He was promoted to Major on the 1st of August 1938
He was married on the 14th of October 1933 to Margaret Elizabeth (nee Bailey) and they lived at Old Rectory, Boscombe in Wiltshire. He was a member of the Cavendish Club.
During the Second World War he served in Greece and as a Liaison Officer with Greek troops in Egypt for which he was awarded Gold Cross of the Royal Order of George I with Swords (Greece) by King George of the Hellenes shortly before his death.
He was later appointed as the commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion of his Regiment.
He died at the Military Hospital for Head Injuries, St Hugh’s College, Oxford.
He is commemorated on the war memorial at Boscombe.
He is commemorated at Oxford Crematorium on the left hand column.
