James Cranney

From Coundon, near Bishop Auckland, James Cranney was born in 1874 and served, as a Private, with the 3rd (Militia) Battalion DLI in the Boer War. 3 DLI's soldiers saw little action in South Africa in 1900, spending their time on convoy or guard duty but this did free Regular soldiers for more active service. James Cranney left 3 DLI in June 1902 but in July 1915 re-enlisted in the Northumberland Fusiliers, transferring to the Royal Engineers in 1917. He then served in France at Dunkirk and in Belgium and worked on the inland waterways. Discharged from the Army in 1919, James Cranney was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal but both medals are now lost.