Private Alexander Blaney
Alexander Blaney (or Blayney) was born (as John Alexander) on 13 April 1884 at Caherty, Ballyclug, Ballymena, County Antrim, the last of three children of labourer (later road surfaceman) James Blaney and his wife Catherine (née Magee). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at nearby Crebilly with his parents and working as an agricultural labourer. Soon after he lived in Galgorm Street, Ballymena and worked as a car driver.
On 6 May 1911 Blaney married dressmaker and farmer's daughter Margaret McAulay in the Ballymena Roman Catholic Church. The couple had four children between 1911 and 1919.
Blaney enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 1 or 2 November 1915 (No.1772 – later Corps of Hussars No.71549). After training at the regiment's Antrim reserve depot, at sometime between 1916 and 1918 he embarked for France, where he was posted to one of the squadrons of the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment (A, D or E Squadron).
He remained with the regiment throughout the war. On 25 February 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.
After the war Blaney returned to Ballymena. He died in the Braid Valley Hospital on 19 October 1962.