BUCHANAN, PTE THOMAS – Regimental #6775
Thomas Charles Buchanan was a brother of Art Buchanan who ran the general store in Dunchurch. Thomas was born October 31, 1871 in Goderich, Ontario. He enlisted September 15, 1914 along with Roy Macfie. Thomas’ attestation papers were signed Sept. 15, 1914 with his enlistment September 22, 1914.
Tom Buchanan can be seen standing on the right. Roy Macfie (standing on the left) is still wearing his miltia uniform in this picture taken at Valcartier in 1914.
Thomas served with the Ist Infantry Battalion[1] in Canada, Britain, France, Belgium, Germany from 1914 to 1919.
Thomas Buchanan
Thomas was reported as suffering from ‘infection and exposure’ June 15, 1915.
This followed the Battle of Ypres when the decimated units of the 1st Canadian Division, reinforced by volunteers from the Cavalry Brigade, marched south to join in the Allied offensives which were already under way. While the British mounted diversionary attacks in French Flanders, the French launched an only partially successful attack in Artois. Although the British were partly successful at Neuve Chapelle and bloodily repulsed at Aubers Ridge, the offensive continued, chiefly as a support for French operations further south, and for the Canadians who were thrust into the fighting at Festubert in May 1915 and Givenchy in June. The fighting followed the grim pattern of frontal assault against powerful enemy defences, and although the Canadians achieved some of their objectives the gains were negligible and the cost in lives extremely high. The Canadians suffered 2,468 casualties at Festubert and a further 400 at Givenchy.In what was referred to as the Second Action of Givenchy, British and Canadian forces attacked northwest of La Bassée, France and captured the front line, but were pushed back by German grenades and a shortage of ammunition.)
Thomas suffered a severe gunshot/bomb wound May 24, 1918 at Etaples and was hospitalized for 7 weeks. The injury would appear to have severely permanently affected his left foot making walking difficult.
As identified in the note below, Thomas was wounded during an air raid while stationed in Etaples, France.
The railway at Etaples with its network of connections across the north of France, became of strategic importance during World War I. Étaples became the principal depôt and vast Allied military transit camp and also the point to which the wounded were transported. The town's medical prominence did not escape the attention of the German military high command, which duly organized a number of air raids on the town. Four such attacks in May 1918 were launched using incendiary bombs directed against the various hospital sites.
Among the atrocities of the war, the hospitals there were bombed and machine-gunned from the air several times during May 1918. In one hospital alone, it was reported, 'One ward received a direct hit and was blown to pieces, six wards were reduced to ruins and three others were severely damaged. (Wikipedia)
At time of discharge he was identified as being in the 23 Battalion. Thomas was discharged as medically unfit Feb 18, 1919.
More of the particulars of Thomas's service follow:
