b. 16/12/1885 Drayton, Oxfordshire. d. 17/10/1957 Kitale, Kenya.
DATE OF AM ACTION: 31/05/1918 Yatesbury, Wiltshire.
Richard W Buswell AM
Buswell was one of nine children born to Richard Davenport and Agnes Buswell (nee Walker). His youngest brother, Thomas was killed in World War I. Richard enlisted on the outbreak of World War I, and embarked for France on 19th September 1914 with the Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars. On 16th August 1915, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Cheshire Yeomanry. His brother was killed in action on 26th March 1918, and less than six months later, he was awarded the Albert Medal. He was presented with the AM by King George V at Buckingham Palace on 9th September 1918.
In 1921, he married Elsie Gladys Chambers in Reading, and their daughter, Agnes was born soon afterwards. They went on to have three more children, two sons and a daughter. In 1929, the Buswell family emigrated to Kenya, where their youngest child, Michael was born in 1933. Buswell died in Kenya on 17th October 1957.
AM CITATION:
On the 31st May, 1918, Captain Buswell was flying at Yatesbury, when he saw another machine sideslip to the ground and burst into flames. He flew to the spot and landed; and seeing that the pilot, who was enveloped in flames was still living, he dashed into the fire and endeavoured to rescue him. Several attempts had already been made to reach the pilot, but owing to the very intense heat they were unsuccessful. Captain Buswell, however, managed to get hold of the pilot’s clothes, which, being in flames, came away in his hand. He then procured a belt and succeeded in extricating the pilot, but was too late to save his life.
BURIAL LOCATION: KITALE CEMETERY, KITALE, KENYA.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: PRIVATELY HELD.
