Boys from the Old Brigade
Rejoined the army at 71 and 68
A Newcastle inquest yesterday disclosed that two veterans of the Boer War and the last war had rejoined the army at the ages of 71 and 68 respectively when the present war started. They described themselves as 53 and 54.
The inquest was on Hugh COCHRAN, aged 71 who was killed by a motor car while on leave a few days ago. The other veteran Arthur CRANNEY, aged 68 gave evidence.
A verdict of accidental death was returned.
The men had served in the Home Defence battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers.
CRANNEY said, “We had been friends for 40yrs, and lived together before we joined up. We wanted to do our bit. No one suspected our ages, because we were able to do our duty as well as anyone else. I was discharged in July medically unfit, following an accident while on service.
I am going to try and join up again.”
Copyright 2002 / To date