Lance Corporal James Allen Buchanan
James Allen Buchanan was born on 23 May 1892 at Garrowcarry, Letterkenny, County Donegal, the last of eight children of farmer David John Buchanan and his wife Mary Jane (nee Buchanan). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Garrowcarry with his parents and a brother and working on the family farm.
Buchanan enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 17 October 1913 (No.868). He embarked for France with A Squadron on 17 August 1914, seeing action on the retreat from Mons and advance to the Aisne.
In late October 1914 he fell ill and was evacuated to the UK, where he was admitted to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary and treated for sub-acute rheumatism. After recovering he returned to the North Irish Horse base depot at Antrim.
On 17 November 1915 Buchanan returned to France with F Squadron.
In June 1916 F Squadron joined with C Squadron and the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons Service Squadron to form the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment, serving as corps cavalry to X Corps.
Buchanan was promoted to lance corporal on 25 June 1917.
In September 1917 the 2nd NIH Regiment was disbanded and most of its men were transferred to the 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion. Buchanan, like most, was transferred on 20 September. He was issued a new regimental number – 41201. He probably saw action with the battalion at the Battle of Cambrai in November and December 1917.
On 28 December 1917 Buchanan was one of twenty-four former North Irish Horsemen who transferred from the 9th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers, to the Tank Corps (No.304880). Following training at the Tank Corps Depot at Bovington near Wareham, Dorset, Buchanan was posted to the 15th Battalion with the rank of gunner.
On 8 July 1918 he returned to France with the 15th Battalion, operating mostly Mark V* tanks. The battalion saw a great deal of action during the Advance to Victory offensive, including at Amiens (8-9 August), Albert (21 August), Second Bapaume (30-31 August), and Canal du Nord (27 September).
Buchanan returned to the UK on 22 January 1919 and a month later was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve. For a period of time from November 1920 he received a pension for heart disease attributed to his service in the military.
Buchanan's brother, John David Buchanan, also served in the North Irish Horse during the war.