Daniel Buckley was one of the survivors of the sinking of the Titanic. He was also an American soldier during World War I and died in combat.
Biography[]
Daniel Buckley, Jr. was the son of Daniel Buckley, Sr. and Abigail Sullivan of Boherbue, County Cork, Ireland. He was born on September 28, 1890.
In 1905, they moved to Ballydesmond (then Kingwilliamstown), where his father served as the town's baker. Like many other Irish young people at the time, Daniel felt that he could have a better life and make more money in the United States. By 1912, he and a group of friends decided to make the long transatlantic voyage on the Titanic. This party consisted of Patrick O'Connell, Patrick O'Connor, Bridget Bradley, Hannah Riordan, Nora O'Leary and Micheal Linehan.
Since Buckley slept in a Third Class cabin near the ship's bow. Patrick O'Connor and other Irish men were also in this cabin.
On April 14, 20 minuts before midnight, he could hear the sound of the collision when the ship hit an iceberg. He immediately thought that something was wrong. After a while, he got out of bed to find water around his ankles which creeped slowly into their cabin. He tried to warn everyone but his bunkmates didn't believe it was serious. They just thought he was having a dream about the life in Ireland and mocked him, saying he should go back to sleep. When he turned on the light, they could see the water on the floor and slowly started to get dressed as well when Daniel went out side to wait.
When a crew member came down to shout at the passengers to get up with their lifebelts on, Buckley went up to the Boat Deck as fast as he could and was among a group of steerage passengers who forced their way through a locked gate. More trouble arose when the men in the lifeboat Daniel had gotten into were ordered out, supposedly at gunpoint. However, Buckley attempted to hide at the bottom of the boat and a female passenger threw a shawl over him, thus disguising him as a woman. He believed that his savior was Madeleine Astor, though according to historical record, it seems more likely that she was a Mrs. Appleton, as Mrs. Astor was in a different lifeboat.
After his safe arrival in America, Daniel settled in Manhattan, where he worked in a hotel. In June 1917, he joined the army for World War I. He was in the 69th Regiment, which was made up entirely of other Irishmen. After undergoing basic training at Camp Mills in Long Island, Buckley arrived in France in the fall of 1917 with Company K of the 165th U.S. Infantry (which the 69th Regiment had been reconstituted as). On October 15, 1918, Buckley was killed by a sniper while helping to retrieve wounded soldiers on the Meuse-Argonne front. He was initially buried in France, but his remains were taken to Ireland in the spring of 1919.
Portrayals[]
S.O.S. Titanic (1979)[]
Ronan Smith as Daniel Buckley in S.O.S. Titanic
| “ |
It gives me the shivers. Big is one thing, but that. |
” |
—Daniel Bukley talking about the luxury of the Titanic to Martin Gallagher | ||
Daniel Buckley was portrayed by actor Ronan Smith in S.O.S. Titanic. He is depicted as a shy and slightly awkward young Irish man.
He first appeared during boarding at Queenstown with Martin Gallagher, where they were then guided by steward John Hart to their cabin. He and Gallagher then met roommates, James Farrell and David Charters. They both also come from Ireland.
That night, the men relax in the Third Class General Room while drinking beer. Daniel then saw a woman who was dancing, then Daniel approached her to persuade her to dance together. But the woman ignores Daniel and leaves instead, making Farrell, Charters and Gallagher laugh.
Daniel Buckley with Martin Gallagher (left), and Olaus Abelseth (right)
The men then become friends with the girls, namely Kate Gilnagh, Kate Mullins, Mary Agatha and Bridget Bradley. They also met a man from Norway, Olaus Abelseth. The men then advised Gallagher to approach Irish Beauty, and asked her to dance. Meanwhile, Daniel also managed to dance with a woman who had rejected him before.
The next evening, Daniel and the other passengers party in the Third Class General Room, but the party goes awry because a mouse is roaming around.
When the Titanic hit the iceberg, the men were awakened by the tremors, while Farrell was thrown from his bed. Farrell and Charters then went to the deck to check on the situation. Daniel then rushed over to Farrell and Charters, saying that their cabin was submerged in water. They then returned to the cabin, took some of their luggage.
The men then fetch the girls, and gathered in the General Room, where steward John Hart and stewardess Violet Jessop gave orders to take the women and children to where the lifeboats are. Farrell argued for going with their own small group, sneaking onto the boat deck.
The group, plus Irish Beauty, Karen Abelseth, Peter Søholt and Sigurd Moen, passed several impediment to get to the boat deck. Olaus has to break down a gate and the group is stopped by Master At-Arms Thomas King, who thinks they are going to steal something. The group denied King's allegations, saying they were only looking for their way to the lifeboats. Farrell then begged King to let the women through at least. King finally relented, and allowed only women for now.
Daniel Buckley hiding in the bottom of Collapsible D
| “ |
For heaven's sake. Daniel! [Kate Gilnagh gives her shawl to Daniel] Here, cover yourself with this. Now, keep back. |
” |
—Kate Mullins to Daniel Buckley | ||
Somehow, Daniel got separated from the others, and ended up hiding at the bottom of Collapsible D. The girls, who were also on the Collapsible D realized that Daniel was hiding at the bottom of the boat, Kate Gilnagh then gave her shawl to cover him, and told him to keep back.
Farrell, Gallagher and Charters all died in the sinking, the only men who survived the group were Daniel and Olaus Abelseth. Daniel, along with the rest of the group last seen on the Carpathia, was contemplating.
Sources[]
| |||||||||||