British Army Veterinary Corps
William Arthur Irvine BUCHANAN
Captain
Died 24 July 1917 · Aged 25
His story
Captain William Arthur Irvine Buchanan MRCVS was the son of John Gerald and Annie Elizabeth Buchanan of Fintona, County Tyrone. He attended the Royal Veterinary College of Ireland, where he was a Staff Sergeant in the college OTC, and he qualified in July 1914, gaining the class medal for medicine. He immediately volunteered his services on the outbreak of war and was given a commission as a Lieutenant in the Army Veterinary Corps in August 1914. He went to France in October and served with 7th Division during the battles of First Ypres and Neuve Chapelle and subsequent actions.
He was Mentioned in Dispatches by Sir John French in June 1915. He returned to England in November 1915 to take command of the 50th Mobile Veterinary Section attached to 39th Division and was promoted to Captain in February 1916. He was sent back to France in March 1916 and served with his Division until he was killed in action between Poperinghe and Elverdinge on 24th July 1917.
He was 25 years old and is buried in Poperinghe New Military Cemetery.
Captain Buchanan’s death was reported in The Veterinary Record on 11 August 1917.
Photographs and documents
Before the war
- Nationality
- British
- Date of Birth
- 24 May 1892
- Place of Birth
- Fintona, County Tyrone, Ireland
- Veterinary College and Date of Graduation
- Dublin - July 1914
Military service
- Last Rank
- Captain
- Regiment/Service
- British Army Veterinary Corps
- Secondary Regiment
- 39th Division
- Secondary Unit
- 50th Mobile Veterinary Section
- First Theatre of War
- France October 1914
Medals and commemoration
- Name on RCVS Honour Board
- Yes
- Name In Officers who died in Great War
- Yes
- Medals and Awards
- British War Medal 1914-1918; Victory Medal
Death and burial
- Date of Death
- 24 July 1917
- Age at Death
- 25
- Place of Death
- Poperinghe, France
- Cause of Death
- Killed in action caused by shell fire
- Cemetery
- Poperinghe New Military Cemetery
- Location
- Poperinghe, France
- Grave Reference
- II.C.30
- Commonwealth War Grave
- Yes - CWGC Headstone
- Emblem or Badge on Headstone
- British Army Veterinary Corps
Sources and further reading
- CWGC casualty and commemoration record
- Find a Grave memorial
- The Veterinary Record, 11 August 1917 — cited in the earlier biography
- War diary entry of Buchanan's death — reproduced document
- The Belfast Newsletter August 11,1917 — reproduced document
Cite this biography
Graham Hodgkins and Pete Matthews, “William Arthur Irvine Buchanan”, Veterinary Virtual War Memorial, https://vetsremembered.org/people/william_arthur_irvine_buchanan/.
Contribute information
Can you add a letter, family photograph or document that tells us more about his life before service? Please give its source and any permission needed for display.