More about Andrew Buck

Son of Mr & Mrs Buck, 13 West Dock St, Dundee.

Andrew Buck   ZX/26   Hood Bn   R.N.D.

DEATH OF NAVAL RESERVIST.

A POPULAR BANDSMAN.

Another Dundee home has been plunged into grief by the startling intelligence of the death of Mr Andrew Buck, a bandsman in the Dundee Corps of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, which has occurred in Deal Hospital.

Buck, who resided at 47 Lyon Street, took his departure from Dundee along with his corps some three or four weeks ago.  At that time he was not just feeling in the best of health, but he hailed with delight the prospect of taking his share in the defence for his King and country, and was amongst the first of the bandsmen to volunteer to accompany the Reserves.

Shortly after the corps reached their destination in the South of England, however, it was seen that he was far from well, and he was taken to a marine hospital in Deal.  Some days after his admission his illness was diagnosed as enteric fever.  Later he contracted bronchitis, and passed away on 21st inst.

Buck was a very popular and proficient bandsman and his funeral, which took place to Walmer Cemetery two days after his death, was attended by all his comrades in the Dundee Division of the Volunteer Reserve, and a representative from the Glasgow Corps.  The funeral was of a naval nature and the coffin, which was borne on a gun carriage drawn by a number of companions, was covered with the Union Jack and several floral tributes.

Deceased was barely 21 years of age, and deep sympathy is expressed for his sorrowing mother, who received a similar severe blow only a year ago, when her husband, Mr Charles Buck, who was employed in Messrs Stephen’s tannery, was brought home a corpse from his work.

Andrew was the oldest son, and a brighter, cheerier, and more obliging lad a mother could not have wished.

Dundee People’s Journal 26th September 1914

Family Background:

Andrew`s father, Charles, was a Leather dresser with Messrs Stephen`s tannery who died suddenly at work in 1913. The family lived at 47 Lyon Street and then 13 West Dock Street Dundee. Both Thomas and Joseph also served in the war.

 Service History:

Andrew was a volunteer bandsman who enlisted at the start of the war. He was unwell on his way to Camp at Betteshanger in Kent and diagnosed with enteric fever. He then contracted pneumonia and died in the Royal Marine Hospital in Deal.

Andrew Buck was the son of Mr and Mrs Buck, 13 West Dock Street, Dundee and played in HMS Unicorn’s Brass Band. The Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve was established in Dundee in 1905 and the men trained onboard HMS Unicorn in the Earl Grey Dock on drill nights and weekends. To promote the unit’s morale and public image a band was formed from volunteer musicians who, although they wore Naval Uniform when performing, they were not enrolled in the RNVR. Over 160 men of the Dundee RNVR were mobilised for service in the Royal Naval Division, created by Winston Churchill from Royal Marines and Royal Navy Reservists. The Unicorn Band members all volunteered to go with them and joined the Hood Battalion in Kent, changed their name to the Hood Band and began training as infantry men and stretcher bearers. Band members served in Antwerp, Gallipoli, the Somme, Gavrelle, Passchendaele, Welsh Ridge, the German March Offensive and the Last 100 Days. Some of the Band’s First World War instruments are on view onboard HMS Unicorn. Andrew Buck became ill whilst under canvas in Betteshanger Camp and died in the Royal Marine Infirmary, Deal. He was buried in Deal Cemetery, grave number 4-1716. He was the third fatality in the RND and over 10,000 other officers and men died whilst serving in the Division. His name is also on a memorial onboard HMS Unicorn to remember the pre-war RNVR Officers and Men who died in the First World War.