BUIE, Robert
| Service Number: | 3801 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 27 October 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Gunner |
| Last Unit: | 14th Field Artillery Brigade |
| Born: | Brookland, New South Wales, Australia, August 1893 |
| Home Town: | Maclean, Clarence Valley, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Fisherman |
| Died: | Peats Ridge Rd, Calga, via Gosford, New South Wales, Australia, 25 April 1964, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Brooklyn Gunner Robert Buie & The "Red Baron" Memorial Plaque, Gordon St Ives Public School Honor Board, Mangrove Mountain District Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 27 Oct 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3801, 1st Pioneer Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Jan 1917: | Involvement Private, 3801, 1st Pioneer Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '4' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Anchises embarkation_ship_number: A68 public_note: '' | |
| 24 Jan 1917: | Embarked Private, 3801, 1st Pioneer Battalion, HMAT Anchises, Sydney | |
| 17 Dec 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Gunner, 14th Field Artillery Brigade , 53rd Australian Field Artillery Battery | |
| 7 Sep 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Gunner, 3801, 14th Field Artillery Brigade , 2nd MD |
WW1
The details provided are taken from the book "Just Soldiers" written by WO1 Darryl Kelly published 2004. Refer Chapter7 41-46. He was a fisherman in the Hawkesbury River, volunteered in Oct 1916 and allocated to the 10th reinforcements of the 1st Pioneer Battalion. He embarked Jan 1917 and arrived in the UK March 1917 for additional training. He applied for transfer and was posted to Field Artillery 53rd Batteryand became one of its anti aircraft gunners manning a Lewis machine gun. 21April1918 he was on duty when a German aircraft came very close and he among many others opened fire. It was confirmed that the German ace, Baron Manfred Von Richtofen was the pilot who was killed. The Allied High Command conducted an investigation and was satisfied that Gunner Buie was the most likely to have killed the pilot. He was awarded a weeks leave in "blighty" and the decision was published in Divisional Orders. In later action he was gassed and slightly wounded and the effects of them caused him to be evacuated to the UK, and then back to Australia in Dec 18. He was discharged as medically unfit 7Sep19.
He was denied war pensions and financial support as his health problems was not considered war related. He returned to life as a fisherman, but his general health and the worsening of the economics at the time made it hard for him to earn a living. A fire destroyed his discharge papers and his medals which also made it hard as employers gave preference to men who could prove that they were returned soldiers. He applied for copies of his discharge and medals, but could not afford the fees to be charged. He married a divorcee, Laurel in the 1930's. Eventually, he was granted an ordinary invalid pension. Anzac Day 1964 he took his boat out into the Hawkesbury River to fish, and did not return. The next day his son Kelly launched another boat and found his father dead in his boat. He is buried in an ordinary grave, aged 70, at Brooklyn cemetery.
Submitted 20 December 2019 by Maxwell HILL
Biography contributed by Evan Evans
From Philippe Clerbout, Australia and NZ in WWI
Pte Robert Buie of Brooklyn, NSW, who may have shot down the Red Baron.
Robert Buie claimed to have shot down The Red Baron (Baron Von Richthofen) on April 21, 1918. Read about this intriguing story at:
www.anzacs.net/who-killed-the-Red-Baron.htm
Also check out Lt Thomas Leigh Simpson DFC for another part of the story:
https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/306468
On April 21st 1918, three Fokker aeroplanes jumped a pair of lumbering R.E.8 observation planes of the No. 3 Australian Squadron (Lt Simpson). Allied anti-aircraft gunners tried to help the scouts with a quick barrage.
The action caught the attention of Canadian Capt. Roy Brown, who led a flight of eight Sopwith Camels far above. Brown and his flight dived into the fray. Soon some Albatros Scouts joined in, as did a new group of Fokkers. Among them was an all-red Triplane.
Brown Wrote: "At 10:35 A. M. I observed two Albatross burst into flames and crash. Dived on large formation of fifteen to twenty Albatross scouts D. V.’s and Fokker triplanes, two of which got on my tail and I came out. "
Another young Canadian, Wilford May, was flying his first combat patrol. His friend Brown had told him to stay above any fight,should one develop. May did, but couldn't resist the temptation to join the battle. He quickly became overwhelmed in the tangle of 30 or more planes, and broke away, flying a dangerously straight line away from the fight. Richthofen, flying above the scrap, noticed and gave chase. May began evasive actions after the Baron's initial burst. He and the 'Baron' screamed along just above the ground, the Triplane steadily gaining.
Brown knew that unless he distracted the Triplane pilot, his boyhood friend May was doomed. Diving at full speed, he swept in behind the Fokker and fired a burst before May and the Triplane disappeared behind a stand of trees.
Brown (continued from above):"I went back again and dived on pure red triplane which was firing on Lt. May. I got a long burst into him and he went down vertical and was observed to crash by Lieutenant Mellersh and Lieutenant May. I fired on two more but did not get them.”
Brown because of his speed after the dive had swung wide. To the many Australian ground troops there were now only two planes in the air. May pursued by the Baron. The gunners waited till May had flown by and fired at the Red Fokker. One of the soldiers known to have fired at the plane was Gunner 3801 Robert Buie, an oyster farmer from Brooklyn, New South Wales.
Frank Wormald, a despatch rider was within twelve feet of Robert Buie as he fired his Lewis Gun at the triplane.
Click images to start slideshow.