Maurice Vincent Buckley, VC, DCM (13 April 1891-27 January 1921) was an Australian soldier serving under the pseudonym Gerald Sexton who was awarded the Victoria Cross during the First World War. This is the most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Details

He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on 18 September 1918, at Le Verguier near St. Quentin. His unit was advancing under cover of a creeping barrage but was held up by German machine gun posts. Buckley attacked them with his Lewis gun section and captured 30 German prisoners of war. When the advance was again held up by machine-gun fire, Sergeant Buckley, supported by another platoon, put the enemy guns out of action. Later, he again showed conspicuous initiative in capturing hostile posts and machine-guns. According to the citation, he was “to the fore dealing with enemy machine-guns, rushing enemy posts, and performing great feats of bravery and endurance without faltering or for a moment taking cover”.

Further Details

Buckley was born at Upper Hawthorn, Melbourne, Australia and was educated at the Christian Brothers’ School in Abbotsford. He joined the 13th Light Horse Regiment on 18 December 1914 shortly after the outbreak of the First World War at Warrnambool, Victoria. He was sent to Egypt but was subsequently returned to Australia in September 1915 where he deserted on 21 January 1916 from Langwarrin Camp.

On 6 May 1916 he enlisted again, using the name ‘Gerald Sexton’ — his brother’s first name and his mother’s maiden name. He was sent to France in early 1917 where he fought on the Western front. Following the award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal he was promoted to sergeant in August 1918 and involved in the advance on the Hindenburg Line.

The award of the VC was originally gazetted under the name Gerald Sexton, but he had disclosed his real identity by the time that it was given to him by King George V at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 29 May 1919. He returned to Australia in September and was discharged in December 1919.

He was severely injured in a riding accident at Boolarra in Gippsland on 15 January 1921, and died on 27 January. Ten Victoria Cross winners were pallbearers at his funeral, and is buried at Brighton Cemetery in Melbourne.

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Australian War Memorial (Canberra, Australia).

Reference

• Monuments To Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)

This page has been migrated from the Victoria Cross Reference with permission.