Born in Co. Mayo, Ireland on the 7th September
1870.

1891 Census - 22 Russell Street, Altrincham. 
Lodger - Unmarried - aged: 20 - occ: Labourer -
born: Ireland.  Lodging with the McHugh family.

He married Mary Morley during the March quarter
1894 in the Altrincham R.D. - ref: 8a/271.

1901 Census - No Trace.

1911 Census - 6 Davenport Road, Altrincham.   
Head of household - Married - aged: 36 - occ: Farm
Labourer - born: Co. Mayo, Ireland.  Also Mary
Cunnane - Wife - aged: 36 - born: Altrincham.  
Plus their four children.

Served as a Private in the British Army during
WW1. Service No. A/461205 Labour Corps.   Labour
Corps included men that had been wounded at the
front, but were firt enough to carrying out
non-front line duties, which seems the case with
James.

1921 Census - 6n Davenport Road, Altrincham.   
Head of household - Married - aged: 48 - occ:
General Labourer at Linotype Ltd, Broadheath -
born: Co. Mayo, Ireland.   Also - Mary Cunnane -
Wife - aged: 4 - born: Altrincham.    Plus their
son - William Cunnane - Son - aged: 21 - occ
General Labourer - born: Altrincham.

1939 National Registration - 6 Davenport Road,
Altrincham.   Head of household - Boorn on the 7th
September 1870 -  Married - occ: No Occupation,
but is recorded as an Air Raid Warden.   Also Mary
Cunnane - Born on the 3rd March 1872 - Married -
occ: Unpaid Domestic Duties.   James Cunnane -
Born on the 2nd August 1897 - Single - occ:
Invalid.   Michael Cunnane - Born on the 13th
October 1878 - occ: Farm Labourer.  

CWD Ref No. 14 - Buried by Masonry - Body (fully
dressed) found at 20.45hrs, 25/10/1941 - Taken to
A.B. Brookes & Son's Mortuary, Stamford New Road,
Altrincham - Identified by his son, W.Cunnane, 38
Hillcroft Rd, Altrincham.

Buried 30/10/1941 - Burial No. 11,103.    The
grave is unmarked.   Next grave to the left of M.
Doyle's CWGC headstone.

This raid in which he was killed comprised a high
level attack on the Broadheath area of Altrincham
in which 8 aircraft took part, flying at a height
of 13,000 ft. The raiders were heading in the
direction of north Wales and most stayed over the
Liverpool area.

Red Warning was given at 20.35 hrs.   White
Warning at 22.15 hrs.   There was no Barrage
Balloon cover at the time, but the local Ack-Ack
Battery was deployed.

Wind speed at 15,000 ft: 30 ft per second.  At
20,000 ft: 34 ft per second.   Visibility was 4 to
5 miles.  Cloud base was between 5,000-10,000 ft. 
  Cloud density: 8/10th.

Two Parachute Mines fell simultaneously, causing
damage to 11 factories, a railway station, a
school and some shops.  Nine houses were totally
destroyed and 655 others sustained varying degrees
of damage.

Bombs landed 2,725 ft and 3,290 ft away from a 40
person 35 ft x 10 ft x 6 ft high steel "Anderson"
style shelter where 24 persons were taking cover. 
 There were no casualties at this shelter.

There were two domestic "Anderson" shelters some
40 ft away from No.1 crater, but were not affected
by the mines.

The destroyed houses were "old" cottage style
houses converted into shops, approximately 50
years old.  The area of damage was half a mile
radius.    Several small fires developed.

For more information of this raid - see GMBV
website - "Altrincham Raid - October 1940" under
"Memorials".

CWGC - Air Raid Warden; of 6 Davenport Road. Died
at Huxley Street.