A HEADSTONE HAS BEEN ERECTED OVER THE GRAVE OF DEPUTY ASSISTANT COMMISSARY OF ORDNANCE JOHN BUCKLEY BURIED IN TOWER HAMLETS CEMETERY, EAST LONDON.
16 September 2013

A headstone has recently been erected over the grave of Assistant Commissary of Ordnance John Buckley who died on the 14th July 1876 in Poplar and was buried in an unmarked grave in Tower Hamlets Cemetery, East London. It was through the efforts of the Victoria Cross Trust that John Buckley's grave has finally been marked and to make access easier to the burial plot a stone pathway has been laid with the assistance of serving soldiers from 9 Regiment, Royal Logistical Corps.

The Victoria Cross Trust is an organisation whose aim is to refurbish and / or renew the graves of holders of the Victoria Cross.


Unmarked grave:
Marked grave

For the award of the Victoria Cross

[ London Gazette, 18 June 1858 ], Delhi Magazine, Indian Mutiny, 11 May 1857, Deputy Assistant Commissary of Ordnance John Buckley, Commissariat Department ( Bengal Establishment ).

For gallant conduct in the defence of the Delhi Magazine, on the 11th May 1857.

Summary - Buckley was with seven others inside the Delhi Magazine when Lieutenant Forrest brought the news that mutineers were approaching. The men resolved to defend the Magazine until overpowered, at which point they would blow the building into the air. The gates were barricaded and two six-pound guns loaded with grape shot were trained on the entrances. The rebels began scaling the building with ladders, at which point the entire native born garrison went over to the mutineers. The nine men fired their guns ceaselessly, until, with ammunition running out and rebels forcing their way in on all sides, Willoughby gave the order for the building to be fired. Four of the men, including Buckley, survived the explosion and fled to safety.

John Buckley was invested with his Victoria Cross by Queen Victoria at Portsmouth on the 2nd August 1858.

The compliment of the Delhi Magazine comprised:

  • Lieutenant George Willoughby, Commissary of Ordnance - ( killed two days later )
  • Lieutenant William Raynor, Bengal Veteran Establishment - ( Victoria Cross )
  • Lieutenant George Forrest, Bengal Veteran Establishment - ( Victoria Cross )
  • Deputy Assistant Commissary of Ordnance John Buckley, Commissariat of Ordnance - ( Victoria Cross )
  • Conductor George Shaw, Commissariat of Ordnance - ( killed when magazine blown )
  • Conductor John Scully, Commissariat of Ordnance - ( killed when magazine blown )
  • Sub-Conductor William Crow, Commissariat of Ordnance ( killed when magazine blown )
  • Sergeant Bryan Edwards, Commissariat of Ordnance - ( killed when magazine blown )
  • Sergeant Peter Stewart, Commissariat of Ordnance - ( killed when magazine blown )

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Iain Stewart, 16 September 2013