Daniel Buckley

Who was Daniel Buckley?

Mr. Daniel Buckley was a remarkable Irish survivor of the Titanic disaster who later became a World War I hero. Born on September 29, 1890, in Boherbue, County Cork, Ireland, Buckley’s life was marked by extraordinary events that took him from the sinking of the “unsinkable” ship to the battlefields of France.

Early Life and Family

Daniel Buckley was born into a large Irish family, the eldest of seven surviving children out of nine. His parents were:

Father: Daniel Buckley Sr. (born 1863), a baker
Mother: Abina O’Sullivan (born 1866)

Tragedy struck early in Daniel’s life when his father, who suffered from a heart ailment, passed away on November 22, 1902, at the young age of 39. This loss left his mother to care for a young family alone, forcing her to relocate the family to nearby Kingwilliamstown (now known as Ballydesmond).

Journey to America and the Titanic

Why did Daniel Buckley leave Ireland?

Like many young Irish men of his time, Daniel Buckley sought better opportunities across the Atlantic. In 1912, at the age of 21 (twenty-one), he embarked on a journey that would change his life forever.

Titanic Voyage Details

Embarked: Queenstown (now Cobh), Ireland
Ticket Number: 330920
Ticket Cost: £7 15s 17d
Class: Third Class
Destination: New York City, intending to stay with an uncle and aunt on Tremont Avenue

Buckley didn’t travel alone. He led a group of fellow Irish passengers, including:

Hannah Riordan
Bridget Bradley
Patrick Denis O’Connell
Patrick O’Connor
Nora O’Leary
Michael Linehan

The Night of the Disaster

How did Daniel Buckley survive the Titanic sinking?

Daniel Buckley’s survival story is a testament to quick thinking and a touch of luck. On the night of April 14, 1912, he was asleep in a third-class cabin near the bow when the Titanic struck the iceberg. His firsthand account provides a vivid picture of the unfolding disaster:

“I heard some terrible noise and I jumped out on the floor, and the first thing I knew my feet were getting wet; the water was just coming in slightly. I told the other fellows to get up, that there was something wrong and, that the water was coming in. They only laughed at me. One of them says: ‘Get back into bed. You are not in Ireland now.’”

Buckley’s survival can be attributed to several key factors:

Quick response: He immediately left the cabin when he felt water.
Resourcefulness: When he couldn’t find a lifejacket, he encountered a first-class passenger who gave him one.
Determination: He made his way to the boat deck and helped lower five lifeboats.
Split-second decision: He jumped into a lifeboat when he saw an opportunity.
Compassion of others: A woman in the lifeboat threw her shawl over his head to disguise him as a woman, allowing him to stay aboard when officers ordered men out.

Life After the Titanic

How did the Titanic disaster impact Daniel Buckley’s life?

Surviving the Titanic was just the beginning of Daniel Buckley’s remarkable story. After his rescue, he:

Testified at the American Inquiry into the sinking, one of the few third-class passengers to do so.
Settled in Manhattan, New York, living at 339 E. 44th St.
Worked as a bellboy at the prestigious Yale Club by 1917.

World War I Service and Heroism

When the United States entered World War I, Daniel Buckley answered the call to serve his adopted country:

Enlisted: June 1, 1917, in the 69th New York Infantry (later the 165th Regiment)
Rank: Private, later promoted to 1st Class Private on September 1, 1918
Served in France from late October 1917

What were Daniel Buckley’s notable wartime experiences?

Rouge Bouquet Campaign: On March 7, 1918, Buckley survived a German artillery bombardment that decimated his regiment.
Wounded in action: On March 21, 1918, he was “slightly wounded” but continued to serve.
Ultimate sacrifice: Daniel Buckley met a hero’s end on October 17, 1918, during the Argonne Campaign, shot by a sniper while evacuating wounded soldiers at the Meuse-Argonne front.

Legacy and Remembrance

Daniel Buckley’s life, though cut short at 28 (twenty-eight) years old, left an indelible mark on history. His journey from Titanic survivor to war hero embodies the resilience and courage of his generation.

Initially buried in France, his body was later repatriated to Ireland.
He rests in Kingwilliamstown Cemetery, where his Titanic companion Nora O’Leary was also laid to rest years later.
His mother lived to see Ireland’s partition and the renaming of Kingwilliamstown to Ballydesmond, passing away on March 1, 1949, at the age of 83.

Daniel Buckley’s life story serves as a poignant reminder of the interconnectedness of major historical events and the extraordinary lives of ordinary individuals caught up in the currents of history.