A Fine Collection of Medals to Officers Who Died During The Two World Wars

Five: Flight Lieutenant J. B. Buckley, Royal Canadian Air Force, killed in June 1943

1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Defence & War Medals, silver issues; Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, with overseas clasp, together with Canadian Memorial Cross (F.L. J. B. Buckley, J6013) and official silver named memorial plaque, extremely fine (7) £200-250

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Medals to Officers Who Died During The Two World Wars.

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John Bowyer Buckley was the son of Sidney Earl and Joan Isabel Buckley, of Woodcroft, Northamptonshire. He was educated at Rugby and Rhode Island School, and enlisted into the R.C.A.F. in 1940, being commissioned as acting Flight Lieutenant in July 1941. He was subsequently appointed as Personal Assistant to the Air Officer Commanding, Western Desert. He was posted missing, presumed killed, on 3 June 1943, when on a flight with senior officers in a Hudson. They were en route from Portreath to Gibraltar, returning from an invasion planning meeting, when their aircraft failed to arrive at its destination and all personnel on board were posted missing, assumed lost at sea. The ten personnel on board at the time included a Group Captain, three Wing Commanders and three Squadron Leaders.