CUNNINGHAM, John William
| Service Number: | 9903 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 7th Field Ambulance |
| Born: | Taringa, Queensland, Australia, 30 October 1894 |
| Home Town: | Taringa, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Brisbane Grammar School, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation: | Minister – Baptist Student Pastor |
| Died: | Broncho Pneumonia, 1st Australian General Hospital, Sutton Veny, Wiltshire, England, 7 February 1919, aged 24 years |
| Cemetery: |
Sutton Veny (St. John) Churchyard, Wiltshire, England |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Brisbane Grammar School Memorial Library WW1 Honour Board 1 |
World War 1 Service
| 9 Apr 1916: | Involvement Private, 9903, 1st Australian General Hospital, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '23' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Nestor embarkation_ship_number: A71 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Apr 1916: | Embarked Private, 9903, 1st Australian General Hospital, HMAT Nestor, Sydney | |
| 7 Feb 1919: | Involvement Sergeant, 9903, 7th Field Ambulance, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 9903 awm_unit: 7th Australian Field Ambulance awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1919-02-07 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick (OAM) – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Died on this date – 7th February … John William Cunningham was born at Taringa, Queensland on 30th October, 1894 to parents John & Margaret Cunningham (nee Geddes).
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 3rd November, 1915 as a 27 year old, single, Minister – Baptist Student Pastor from Marmion Parade, Taringa, Queensland.
Private John William Cunningham, Service number 9903, embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on HMAT Nestor (A71) on 9th April, 1916 with the 1st Australian General Hospital, Army Medical Corps, 16th Reinforcements. He was marched in on 16th May, 1916 at Tel-el-Kebir from Port Said.
His mother – Margaret Cunningham died on 14th April, 1916.
He embarked from Alexandria on HMAT Corsican on 28th May, 1916. Private Cunningham was transferred to Bulford Hospital, Tidworth, Wiltshire, England on 4th July, 1916.
On 23rd September, 1916 Private Cunningham embarked for Overseas to France from Parkhouse, Wiltshire & “joined from Training Bn. England” at Etaples, France on 25th September, 1916.
Private Cunningham was transferred to A.G.B.D. (Australian General Base Depot) on 4th October, 1916 & on 10th October, 1916 was temporarily attached from Base details to 2nd Australian Division. He was taken on strength on 13th October, 1916 with 7th Field Ambulance from 16th Reinforcements & promoted to Lance Corporal on 31st March, 1917. Lance Corporal Cunningham was promoted to Sergeant (Clerk) on 19th April, 1917.
Sergeant Cunningham was temporarily detached for duty at Base Records on 20th August, 1917 & rejoined his Unit from Temporary duty with Base Records on 29th August, 1917.
He proceeded on leave on 26th September, 1917 & rejoined from leave on 7th October, 1917.
Sergeant Cunningham proceeded on leave to Paris in late November, 1917 & rejoined from leave in early December, 1917.
On 19th December, 1917 Sergeant Cunningham was detached temporarily with A.I.F. Headquarters for duty & rejoined Australian Field Ambulance on 26th December, 1917.
He was Mentioned in Despatches – 9th March, 1918 (from Australian War Memorial).
Sergeant John William Cunningham was “Specially Mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig’s Despatch of 7.4.18” (as per Sgt. Cunningham’s Service & Casualty form). This was published in the London Gazette (Fourth Supplement No. 30706) dated 28th May, 1918. This was promulgated in Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. 165, dated 24th October, 1918.
On 20th August, 1918 Sergeant Cunningham was detached for temporary duty with 3rd Echelon G.H.Q. & rejoined from temporary duty on 26th August, 1918.
He was on Leave to U.K. on 10th October, 1918 & rejoined from Leave on 25th October, 1918.
Sergeant Cunningham proceeded to U.K. for R.T.A. (Return to Australia) on 25th January, 1919. He was marched in from his Unit on 26th January, 1919 & marched out to U.K on 28th January, 1919.
On 29th January, 1919 Sergeant Cunningham was marched in to 1st Brigade Camp from France.
He was admitted to the 1st Australian General Hospital at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire on 2nd February, 1919 with Broncho pneumonia & was reported dangerously ill on 6th February, 1919.
Sergeant John William Cunningham died at 3 a.m. on 7th February, 1919 at the 1st Australian General Hospital, Sutton Veny, Wiltshire, England from Broncho Pneumonia.
He was buried in St. John the Evangelist Churchyard at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire, England where 140 other WW1 Australian Soldiers & 2 WW1 Australian Nurses are laid to rest.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/c---e.html
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