F/S M.H. Buckley R66343, 401 Sqn. Malta?

[Paul Squires]

Hi All. Happy New Year, I hope!

In my research I have reached F/S Morton Haist Buckley, R66343, lost from 401 Sqn. August 19, 1942 during the operations supporting the landings at Dieppe.

Of interest articles posted on his page at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial mention that he had been sent to Malta, but had contracted a fever (sand-fly fever?) and been repatriated after only a few operational flights.

https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembran ... vwm/606195

At this time he had been posted to 603 Squadron, which was sent to Malta April 20, 1942, flying from the carrier USS Wasp. In Shores, Cull and Malizia's book Malta: The Spitfire Year 1942 he is shown in a photo of the Squadron taken aboard the Wasp as "Sgt Buckley (did not go to Malta)", but it also lists Sgt W.B. Walcott RCAF(USA) as "defected", which is an error. The details F/S Buckley gave of living in Malta and contracting a fever in the article dated August 4 (1942) on the CVWM site, however, seems to indicate he did serve there, if only briefly. If he was soon taken ill and evacuated Shores et al may be in error on this point.

His records at Library and Archives Canada have him TOS with 603 Squadron December 23, 1941, then 416 Squadron (no date, attached only?), then TOS 401 Squadron July 3, 1942. Alternatively also TOS 603 Squadron December 23, 1941, cancelled Dec. 31, 1942, followed by various movements to locations in Scotland, culminating in "Att 51st Army Nairn <can't make out>" dated February 24/25, 1942. Preparing for the voyage in the Wasp? The next entry dated August 19, 1942 is simply "MISSING".

https://recherche-collection-search.bac ... ist-r66343

So, did this airman serve in Malta? If not, what was he doing between late April and July, 1942? There is no reference to him being hospitalized or treated in this period, although he was granted 16 days leave from June 27 to July 10, 1942.

For georgetanksherman and his work on US airmen, F/S Buckley was also born in Lynn, Massachusetts, but identifies himself as 'British' or 'Canadian', his father as 'Canadian' as well. It appears he was raised and educated in Canada. However the page on the actions at Dieppe at the DND site identify him as an American in the RCAF, which sounds like an assumption based solely on his place of birth.

https://www.canada.ca/en/department-nat ... -raid.html

So, can anyone shed some light on this airman's progress before he was posted to 401 Squadron?

All the Best,

Paul Squires
Wetaskiwin, Alberta

[Temujin]

So far, all the info I could find. You may have some of this, but thought I would post all info of relevance

All of the records indicate in was born in the US (making him a US citizen)……but grew up in Canada. I didn’t find any ‘naturalization’ papers, but he could have been a naturalized Canada and therefore a ‘dual citizen’

Newspaper articles clearly seem to indicate the family received laters from him while in served in Malta

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[Temujin]

Looked up the Records for 603 Squadron and they indicate the Squadron was ‘on route’ and then in Egypt and Cyprus during the time period Apr 1942 to Dec 1942. I don’t see any record of Malta in the Squadron Operations Record Books??

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[Paul Squires]

Hi Temujin,

Many Thanks.

It would appear that Sgt Buckley did fly to Malta, and was evacuated later as ill. I'll make that note in his TSGNO entry.

Nice to see the sources for the articles. These have been cut out of the images on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, along with photo captions, with the latest update to their system. A great loss for researchers. Some computer person didn't think they were relevant, I guess. I'm told it will be fixed later.

It is interesting that 603 Sqn. was sent to the island, or at least it's pilots were, leaving the bulk of the unit to be re-constituted and sent to the Middle East. It sheds light on what happened to 242 (Canadian) Squadron when they were broken up, half the pilots going to Malta, and the other half with ground crew ending up in Java, due to various circumstances.

Citizenship seems to have been more fluid in those days. F/S Buckley seems to have considered himself a Canadian (or British subject) on enlistment based on his attestation form, but it seems he was treated as both US and Canadian officially. Didn't work both ways, Lt Cmdr Waldron, commanding officer of VT-8 and lost at Midway, was born in the USA and a graduate of the US Naval Academy, but was raised in Lashburn, Saskatchewan. And then there is USAAF General Kenny who claimed he was born in Canada by chance, but whose family had lived in Nova Scotia for a century. But I guess these things were not seen as advantagious for Americans.

I had only a few of the documents, that were in his LAC and CVWM files. I don't know your sources, but they are always new and interesting!

All the Best,

Paul