Shamrocks for a Hero - Part 2

Who is Gerald Sexton?

On the 18th of December, 1914, a young Coach Trimmer from Hawthorn in Melbourne walked into a recruiting office and enlisted in the 13th Light Horse Regiment. This new recruit, although having had no military experience or training, was readily accepted, eventually being posted to B Squadron of the 13th on the 29th of March 1915. His parents were Timothy and Agnes Buckley, of MacArthur St Malvern, also a Melbourne suburb. Born on April 13,1891, he was one of a family of five sons and two daughters. His name was Maurice Vincent Buckley.

Buckley, as it turned out, was not a great acquisition for the 13th Light Horse. Although he made it as far as Suez, departing from Sydney in late June 1915, he was frequently AWOL, eventually reporting sick with what turned out to be venereal disease. As a consequence of both his behavior and the disease he was shipped back to Australia, arriving in Melbourne in late September that same year. In late March 1916, having been declared a deserter, Buckley was struck off the strength and discharged. An ignoble end to a barely begun military journey!

Buckley, keen to be part of the "big adventure", was not yet finished! Realising that his chances were not good if he re-enlisted under his real name, he borrowed his mother's maiden name and the name of a deceased brother. On the 6th of May 1916, No. 6594 Private Gerald Sexton, 13th Battalion, was born. It is also how, by this convoluted pathway, Sexton finds himself burying the body of Ernest Hewitt in October 1917 and subsequently writing to Hewitt's wife, Violet, with the sad news of her husband's fate (see Part 1). 

Soldiering the second time around proved a much happier experience for both the AIF and Sexton/Buckley. Although continuing to be plagued by ongoing infections of venereal disease, Sexton, as he was known, was doing well and winning promotion. Having passed through the ranks of Lance Corporal to Corporal to Temporary Sergeant, his promotion to Sergeant was confirmed in Battalion Routine Order No.67 (AWM4-23/30/47Part2) and dated with effect from 28/8/1918. 

The confirmation to Sergeant, however, may have been encouraged by Sexton's work on the 8th of August, 1918, in the Morcourt area. The London Gazette of 5 December 1918 announced the awarding of the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) to Sexton/Buckley. The citation, in describing his actions, says, in part:

"On four separate occasions his company was suddenly confronted by enemy machine-gun fire. On each occasion this NCO in charge of a Lewis-Gun section brought his gun into action with great promptitude, quickly silencing the opposition. On one occasion, in some tall crops, he stood up in full view of the enemy, firing from the hip until he had put the enemy machine gun out of action. Throughout the day he displayed initiative combined with coolness."

Continuing to serve under the name of Gerald Sexton, Buckley was soon to become a legend. In a major attack on the 18th of September 1918, approximately 25 kilometres northwest of Saint-Quentin, enemy machine guns were making things extremely difficult for the Australian 13th Battalion.  Then Buckley got to work! This work is best described in a citation prepared just five days later.

"In the attack near Le Verguier, North-West of St Quentin, on the 18th of September 1918, Sgt Sexton displayed the most conspicuous bravery and performed deeds which, apart from their gallant nature, were in a great measure responsible for the Battalion's success.

First World War Lewis Gun(Wikipedia)

On the Southern edge of the village of Le Verguier the enemy fought hard and serious opposition had to be crushed. During the whole period of the advance, Sgt Sexton was to the fore dealing with enemy machine guns by firing from the hip as he advanced, rushing enemy posts, and performing feats of bravery and endurance which are better appreciated when one realises that all the time he fired his Lewis gun from the hip without faltering or for a moment taking cover.

Immediately the attack commenced, Sgt Sexton's Lewis Gun Section was confronted by an enemy M.G. He called out to his section to follow, rushed the M.G. and killed the crew. He then called out to the rest of the Company to follow, but they had not gone far when they encountered some bombers and riflemen about 70 yards in front of the Company. Sexton rushed the trench, firing his gun from the hip, and killed or took prisoner all the members of the post. Continuing, he entered a copse and killed or took prisoner another party of the enemy.

The advance continued over the ridge at Le Verguier to where Sexton was met by Lieut. Price who pointed out a party of the enemy manning a bank, and a field gun in action which was causing casualties and holding up a company. There was also a trench mortar in action. Sgt Sexton did not wait but firing a few short bursts as he advanced, and calling out to his section to follow, rushed down the bank and killed the gunners on the field gun. Dashing out on to a flat under fire from two hostile machine guns directed on him, he killed 12 more of the enemy. Paying no heed to the machine gun fire he returned to the bank and after firing down some dugouts induced about 30 of the enemy to surrender.

Owing to his action the company on the left of the Battalion was able to continue the advance where they had definitely been held up and were suffering from the effects of the field gun. When the advance was continued from the first to the second objective, the Company was again held up by two machine guns on the right and one on the left. In conjunction with a platoon, Sexton engaged the machine gun on the left, firing all the while from the upright position, a fearless figure which, according to eyewitnesses inspired everyone. (To have taken cover would have been more prudent, but Sexton realised that prompt action was essential and did not await to assume the prone position.) Silencing this gun he turned his attention to the two machine guns on the right and silenced them. He then moved forward to the trench, killing quite a number of the enemy and advancing along a sap took a few prisoners. Further on he was responsible for a few more small posts, and,on the final objective, being given a responsible post on the left of the company, he engaged a machine gun which was firing across the company front, and thus enabled the company to dig in. This completed he went forward down a sunken road and captured several more prisoners.

I recommend this most gallant NCO for the award of Victoria Cross, and attach statements from eyewitnesses in support of my recommendation.

(Signed) E G Sinclair MacLagan

Major General

Commanding 4th Australian Division

(AWM28 1/246)

As a consequence of the recommendation and award of a Victoria Cross, together with the earlier Distinguished Conduct Medal, it became obvious to Buckley that he would need to confess his true identity. Having, no doubt, discussed the quandary with his superiors, Buckley signed a Statutory Declaration, in March 1919, stating that the name Gerald Sexton was not correct and that his real name was Maurice Vincent Buckley. This, of course, caused some administrative angst as it was necessary to amend Gazette notifications in both Britain and Australia. Nevertheless, Buckley was a highly decorated hero and almost untouchable. He returned to Australia in October 1919 and was discharged from the army just prior to Christmas that year.

Next in Part 3 - The Rogue, the Archbishop and the Shamrocks

Bonus link: As the Lewis Gun is such an important feature of this story, I have included a link for those interested in the finer points of a Lewis light machine gun (apologies for the ads)  Lewis Gun