ecil William Buckley was born in Eccles, now part of Greater Manchester, in 1830, according to the cross on his grave — although the Dictionary of National Biography records 1828 as his year of birth. Whichever date is correct, Buckley was still in his twenties when he was featured in the London Gazette of 24 February 1857, as the recipient of the very first award of the Victoria Cross for "bravery performed ... before the Enemy." He had served in the Royal Navy since at least 1845, perhaps even earlier (see Best 16), was promoted to Lieutenant in 1854, and was sent to the Crimea in 1855. The "Act of Bravery" for which he was put forward was described in the Gazette as follows:
Lord Lyons reports that–“Whilst serving as junior Lieutenant of the Miranda, this Officer landed in presence of a superior force, and set fire to the Russian stores at Genitchi;” and “he also performed a similar desperate service at Taganrog.” The first service referred to occurred after the shelling of the town of Genitchi, on the 29th May, 1855. After mentioning that the stores were in a very favourable position for supplying the Russian Army, and that, therefore, their destruction was of the utmost importance, Captain Lyons writes: “Lieutenant Cecil W. Buckley, Lieutenant Hugh T. Burgoyne, and Mr. John Roberts, gunner, volunteered to land alone, and fire the stores, which offer I accepted, knowing the imminent risk there would be in landing a party in presence of such a superior force, and out of gun-shot of the ships. This very dangerous service they most gallantly performed, narrowly escaping the Cossacks, who all but cut them off from their boat.”
(Despatch from Admiral Lord Lyons, 2nd June, 1855, No. 419.)
Hugh Talbot Burgoyne (1833–1870), and Cecil William Buckley (1830–1872), by Louis William Desanges (1822–1905). 1855. Oil on canvas. H 83 x W 108.3 cm. Accession no. 1, presented to Wantage Town Council by Robert Lindsay, Lord Wantage (1832–1901), in 1900. Image credit: Wantage Town Council. Reproduced here, with thanks, for research purposes.
As shown above, the mission was the subject of a dramatic and atmospheric painting by the war artist, Louis Desanges (1822-1905). But the risky act of sabotage, from which the two men beat their hasty retreat, was not the only heroic deed cited by Lyons. According to the Gazette,
The second volunteer service was performed while the town of Taganrog was being bombarded by the boats of the Fleet, and is thus recorded by Captain Lyons:–“Lieutenant Cecil Buckley, in a four-oared gig, accompanied by Mr. Henry Cooper, Boatswain, and manned by volunteers, repeatedly landed and fired the different stores and Government buildings. This dangerous, not to say desperate service (carried out in a town containing upwards of 3,000 troops, constantly endeavouring to prevent it, and only checked by the fire of the boats’ guns), was most effectually performed."
Having proved himself with such fiery distinction, Buckley continued with his naval career, serving as the commander "on the Cape station, and for some time in the Forte. He was advanced to be captain on 16 April 1862, and during the years 1868-70 commanded the Pylades on the Pacific station" (J.K.L(aughton) 213). His record was not without its occasional black marks, once for having neglected gunnery practice, and, on another occasion, for the way in which he wrote to the Board of the Admiralty (see Best 19-20). He was probably quite a character. But he did progress, and his last appointment, in December 1871, was as commander of the Valiant, a coastguard ship at the mouth of the River Shannon in the south of Ireland. However, his health was failing by now and he had to retire in the following year, dying in Madeira that October, at the early age of 42. He had been married to his wife Catherine since 1865, and two sons are buried with him in the English cemetery there, one, poignantly, having died in infancy the following year, the other not until 1899. It would seem that the family, now just his wife and their first child, a daughter named Cecil Isabell, stayed on Madeira.
Left: The cross on the Buckley grave. Right: Inscription to Buckley and two sons. Photographs by Tim Willasey-Wilsey.
You may use the last two images without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.
Bibliography
Best, Brian. "Cecil William Buckley: The First Gazetted VC." The British Historical Spciety of Portugal. Thirty-Fourth Annual Report and Review, 2007. 15-20. The British Historical Sciety of Portugal. https://www.bhsportugal.org/library/articles/cecil-william-buckley-the-first-gazetted-vc
Laughton, J. K. Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. VII: Brown-Hurthugge. Ed. Leslie Stephen. London: Smith, Elder, 1886. Google Books. Free ebook.
The London Gazette, 24 February 1857. No. 21971: 649. thegazette.co.uk. Web. 28 August 2024.
Created 28 August 2024