John Buchanan

John Nevile Buchanan (30 May 1887 – 31 October 1969) was a South African born English cricketer. Buchanan was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm medium-fast. He was born in Grahamstown, Cape Colony and educated at Charterhouse School in England, where he played for and captained the school cricket team, before undertaking studies at Cambridge University. He later served in World War I, becoming by war's end a highly decorated officer.

Cricket career Buchanan made his first-class debut for Cambridge University against Yorkshire in 1906. He made 30 further first-class appearances for the university, the last of which came against Oxford University in 1909. In 31 first-class appearances for the university, he scored 1,484 runs at an average of 28.00, making 5 half centuries and 4 centuries, with a top score of 118. This score came against Northamptonshire in 1906. As a bowler, Buchanan took 26 wickets at a bowling average of 41.11, with best figures of 4/56.

Following his studies, he made a single first-class appearance for the Marylebone Cricket Club against Oxford University in 1910. Four years later he played his first first-class match for the Free Foresters against Oxford University, with his second and final first-class appearance for the Free Foresters coming after World War I, against Cambridge University in 1921.

Military career With the start of World War I in 1914, Buchanan was joined up with the Grenadier Guards as a second lieutenant in August of that year. In September 1917 he was still serving in the Grenadier Guards, by this time he held the full rank of lieutenant and the temporary rank of acting captain, it was in this month that he was mentioned in dispatches in the London Gazette as having been awarded the Military Cross.

In June 1919, Buchanan was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. By 1919, he held the temporary rank of major, but later relinquished his appointment on 2 April 1919.

Personal life Buchanan spent part of his life living in the Buckinghamshire village of Bledlow Ridge for some time. He married Nancy Isabel Bevan, and together they had four children: John David Buchanan MBE (headmaster of Oakham School, 1958–1977); Mary Elizabeth Ward, née Buchanan; Peter Alexander Buchanan; and Arthur Geoffrey Buchanan (who died fighting in North Africa, 1943). Buchanan died in St John's Wood, London on 31 October 1969. He was the nephew of Edward Leigh.