The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (527) Air Mechanic Class II Guy Bucknall, Australian Flying Corps, First World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Meredith Duncan, the story for this day was on (527) Air Mechanic Class II Guy Bucknall, Australian Flying Corps, First World War.

527 Air Mechanic Class II Guy Bucknall, Australian Flying Corps
DOD 4 December 1917
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 5 September 2016

Today we remember and pay tribute to Air Mechanic Guy Bucknall.

Guy Bucknall was the only son of Guy and Isabel Bucknall of Victoria. He and his five sisters grew up on the family farm “Kilgobbin” near Cotswold. He worked as a farmer and had trained as a motor mechanic before his enlistment in the Australian Imperial Force in May 1916.

Bucknall was transferred to the Australian Flying Corps some months after enlisting and was posted to the 69th Australian Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps, based in Lincoln, England, as a mechanic.

In 1917 Bucknall’s health started to fail. In March he suffered from a bout of influenza, and returned to duty shortly afterwards. However, in June he became more seriously ill, and after a month in hospital was struck off the strength of the 69th Squadron.

While in hospital, Bucknall was regularly visited by friends who brought him gifts of fruit, and one nurse made him special treats. Nevertheless, his condition deteriorated and he became increasingly depressed. Eventually it was decided that, should he be able to maintain his strength and a suitable ship become available, he would be returned to Australia. He wrote home to say that he would see his family by Christmas.

In November 1917, Bucknall’s condition deteriorated further, and he was taken to the No. 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Harefield, near London. He arrived as a stretcher case, seriously ill and emaciated. He never regained enough strength to return to Australia, and died on 4 December 1917.

Guy Bucknall was buried in the nearby Anzac Cemetery within the church cemetery at St Mary’s. He was buried with full military honours; a procession of 20 patients and a number of staff from the hospital was accompanied by a gun carriage, a firing party, and a bugler. He was 22 years old.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with more than 60,000 Australians who died during the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Air Mechanic Guy Bucknall, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section