The Soldier's Details

John was an only child born14 Dec 1906 Perth to John William aged 39 years  and Edith Buckley aged 38 years.      We unfortunately know very little about John or his family, except for some newspaper items earlier on and later Electoral Rolls.

 

 

We believe John Buckley (Snr) had a drapers shop in North Perth.

 

 

 

 

 

John (Jnr) aged 25 years was recorded living with his parents in 1931 at  8 Waugh Street, North Perth working as a shearing shed hand.  In 1936 and 1937 he was recorded working as a yardman at Gifford Street Creek Station, at Gascoyne. Gifford Creek Station and Minnie Creek are closely associated.

In 1943 John had moved to Beverley working as a labourer at Country Peak.  **

 

John Buckley was much involved with the North Perth Bowls Club and as shown below, Edith Buckley also assisted.

 

Edith Buckley died in 1945 aged 77 years.
Edith had not learnt the sad news of her son’s death in 1943.

 

 

 

John William Buckley died Aug 1946.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plaque at Kanchanahuri War Cemetery, Collective Grave, Plot 3, Row D, Grave 37-40

 

John Buckley enlisted AIF 28 Aug 1941and joined 2/4th’s HQ Platoon 3 as a reinforcement at Woodside SA.

Following the fighting and surrender of Singapore, John was initially incarcerated Selarang Camp, Changi before moving To River Valley Road Camp with a work party.  He returned to Selarang Barracks.  Later selected with ‘D’ Force V Battalion to work on Burma-Thai Railway leaving Singapore after March 1943.

V Batttalion suffered some of the highest casualties on the Railway.  John died at Kuii Camp, Thailand on 19 Sept 1943 of malaria aged 36 years.

Read about  ‘D’ Force Thailand V Battalion and Kuii Camp

 

** ‘County Peak was given its name when the first surveyors drew up the original counties for the Swan River colony in 1829. County Peak was the intersection of counties York, Howick, Grantham and Minto. The peak is also known as Mt Quajabin. The name Quajabin is derived from the Aboriginal word Quabin, which means ‘good camp’.

Following European settlement the area surrounding County Peak was taken up in 1898 by the pioneering McLean brothers John, Thomas, Kenneth and Donald Jr. The brothers selected their land, including County Peak, using tree lines as their guide to indicate rich and fertile soil. Direct descendants still own and farm this land today.

In 1910 the McLean family provided land at County Peak for a school to be built. The County Peak School taught many children in the  district between 1910 and 1933. In 1966 John McLean Jr donated enough land for the County Peak Rd to be built surrounding the peak, which is now maintained by the Shire of Beverley.

The road, known as Pioneers Memorial Drive, loops around below the level of the summit so visitors can hike to the summit on foot. At 360 metres, the views from the summit are breath-taking. Points of seven shires Beverley, Brookton, Pingelly, Corrigin, Quairading, Kelleberrin and York can be seen from the top.  The hike up to the top is relatively easy but be sure to take adequate water, wear sensible shoes and keep a look out for snakes.’