Truro – born James Henry Finn (1893 - 1917) was brought up in Bodmin in a mining family. 

Unable to find work in the locality he moved to South Wales to work at the Cwmtillery Coal Mine near Abertillery.
At the outbreak of World War I, Finn enlisted with the 4th Battalion of the South Wales Borderers and posted to Mesopotamia in 1916.

The citation accompanying the award of his Victoria Cross ‘for most conspicuous bravery’ states: ‘After a night attack he was one of a small party which dug-in in front of our advanced line and about 300 yards from the enemy's trenches. Seeing several wounded men lying out in front he went out and bandaged them all under heavy fire, making several journeys in order to do so. He then went back to our advanced trench for a stretcher and, being unable to get one, he himself carried on his back a badly wounded man into safety. He then returned and, aided by another man who was wounded during the act, carried in another badly wounded man. He was under continuous fire while performing this gallant work.’