Colin Boyd has submitted the following:
Edward was born in Sunderland in 1888. He attested for service with the King's Own Scottish Borderers in 1905, being posted to the 1st Battalion and serving with them in Gibraltar and India.
Transferring to the Army Reserve in 1912 he was employed by the Post Office in South Shields.
On the outbreak of war in 1914 Edward was mobilised and posted to the new 6th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers which was forming at Berwick-on-Tweed. The Battalion was assigned to the 28th Infantry Brigade, 9th Scottish Division and landed at Boulogne on 12th May 1915.
Edward was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his conspicuous gallantry on 25th September 1915 during the attack on Madagascar Trench at Loos - within the first hour of the attack the Battalion had suffered 650 casualties and at the end of the day there were only 46 men uninjured. Appointed Regimental Sergeant Major shortly afterwards he was then commissioned 2nd Lieutenant "for services in the field" on 15th April 1916.
On 4th July 1916 the 6th Battalion were entrenched at Bernafay Wood in the Somme and were subjected to heavy enemy bombardment for the majority of the day. The Battalion War Diary confirms that Edward Canning was one of the three officers killed in action on this day. His next of kin was his wife Hannah, living at 27, Sandringham Road, Roker, Sunderland.
Note : The CWGC has his date of death as 6th July 1916.
Edward Canning is remembered in Monkwearmouth on M46.20 and M46.22 and in Sunderland on S140.048 page 183
