| Cunningham | G G | Major | George Glencairn Cunningham, b. 1862 ed. Wellington and Sandhurst and was gazetted to the D.C.L.I. in 1881; served in the Egyption War of 1882, including El Magfar, Tel-elMahuta, Kassassin where he was twice wounded (severely, gunshots to shoulder and thigh) and twice mentioned in despatches (L.G. 19 Sept. and 2 Nov. 1882) General Graham's despatch of 19, Sept. records ‘Two recent instances have come to my notice of men who, being painfully wounded early in the day, continued to do their duty until severely wounded later on. One on the 28th ultimo, was that of Lieutenant G.G. Cunningham, of the Cornwall Light Infantry' Medal; brevet of Major 15 Aug. 1889; 4th. class Mejidie and Khedives Star. He took part in the Nile Expedition 1884-85, with the River Column (clasp); served with the Egyption Army with the Sudan Field Force, 1887-89, including Sarras, Arguin (wounded for the third time) and Toski (mentioned in despatches, 6 Sept 1889, 4th. class Osmanieh, clasp. He commanded the Unyoro Expedition, 1895 (wounded for the fourth time, despatches and medal). In 1895 and 1896 he commanded the Nandi Expedition (mentioned in despatches and created D.S.O. L.G. 3 Nov. 1896 ‘for services in the Uganda Protectorate). He was personally decorated by the Queen at Windsor. He was A. Commissioner and Comandant of Troops, Uganda, 1895-96; served in the Niger-Sudan Campaign, 1897, as Second-in-Command; Expeditions to Egbon, Bida and Ilorin (mentioned in despatches, 11 June, 1897 ‘For services during the expedition, and particularly during the action of 26th and 27th January', Brevet of Lieut. Col. clasp). In the Sierra Leone Rising, 1898-99; in command and as O.C. Mendiland and Karene Columns and Protectorate Expedition (mentioned in despatches L.G. 29 Dec 1899; Brevet of Colonel 10 Jan. 1900; clasp). He served in the South African War 1899-1902, operations in Natal, 1899, and Orange Free State, Feb. to May 1900, including actions at Vet River (5 and 6 May) and Zand River, operations in Transvaal in May and June 1900, including actions near Johannesburg, Pretoria and Diamond Hill (horse wounded) and actions of Zilicat's Nek. (mentioned in despatches L.G. 16 April, 1901 and created C.B.). Ret. as Brig.-Gen. 1916, despatches L.G. 20/12/1918, C.B.E. L.G. 3/6/1919, Legion of Honour L.G. 11/7/1919. C.B. London Gazette 19 April 1901: ‘In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa.' C.B.E. London Gazette 3 June 1919: ‘For services rendered in connection with the War.' D.S.O. London Gazette 3 November 1896: ‘In recognition of services during the recent operations against slave-trading Arabs in the Central African Protectorate.' Note: On the 10 November 1896, The London Gazette published a correction, stating that Cunningham's D.S.O. was actually for operations in the Uganda Protectorate. Mention in Despatches London Gazette 19 September 1882 (Kassassin); 2 November 1882 (Egypt); 6 September 1889 (Toski); 11 June 1897 (Niger); 29 December 1899 (Sierra Leone); 16 April 1901 (South Africa); 20 December 1918 (France). Note: Cunningham was additionally ‘mentioned' for his services in the Unyoro Expedition of 1895 and in the Nandi Expedition of 1895-96, but neither of these were published in The London Gazette. Legion of Honour London Gazette 14 July 1919. George Glencairn Cunningham was born in Rangoon in July 1862, the second son of Major William Cunningham, Madras Staff Corps. Educated at Wellington College and at Sandhurst, young George was commissioned into the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in October 1881. Quickly seeing action out in Egypt in the following year, where he was present with the 2nd Battalion at the engagements at El Magfar, Tel-el-Mahuta and Kassassin, Cunningham was severely wounded in the latter action by guns shots to the shoulder and thigh. Notwithstanding the first of these wounds, he fought on until felled by the second one, a display of dogged determination and courage that received appropriate recognition in Sir Garnet Wolseley's despatch of September 1882, written on the back of Major-General Graham's report from Kassassin: ‘The conduct of the soldiers of all arms was excellent, and many gallant deeds were done throughout the action. Two recent instances have come to my notice of men, who, being painfully wounded early in the day, continued to do their duty until severely wounded later on. One, on the 28th ultimo, was that of Lieutenant G. G. Cunningham, of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry; and the other, on 25th ultimo, was that of Gunner Joseph Knowles, of N Brigade, A Battery, Royal Horse Artillery. As it is by soldier-like courage of this nature that the British Army has always maintained its high reputation, I have great pleasure in bringing these names to your notice.' A second ‘mention' followed in Sir Garnet's subsequent despatch which was published in The London Gazette on 2 November 1882, in addition to a 5th class Medjidie. Cunningham was back in action in the Gordon Relief Expedition 1884-85, when he accompanied the River Column, and in the operations of 1887-89 in the Sudan, where he was attached to the Egyptian Army with the Sudan Frontier Field Force and fought at Sarras, Arguin - where he was again wounded - and Toski. He was subsequently mentioned in despatches for good services at the latter action by Major-General F. Grenfell, and awarded a 4th class Osmanieh. Having been given the Brevet of Major towards the end of the Sudan operations, Cunningham transferred to the Sherwood Foresters in the summer of 1889. But this new regimental association was all but in name, for an opportunity of further active service beckoned in the form of attachment to the Uganda Rifles. And so it transpired, for between April and May 1895, he commanded the Unyoro Expedition, his force consisting of ‘6 companies of Sudanese (500 men), 20,000 Walanda, 2 Hotchkiss guns and 3 Maxim guns', with which he forced the Nile and defeated rebel chief Kaberega's army. In so doing, he collected another wound and another ‘mention', in addition to the Central Africa Medal. But greater reward was to follow, for in October of the same year, and still as a Major, he found himself leading the first ever expedition against the Nandi, the latter having pushed their luck too far by consistent raids on British caravans and the mail. With around 1000 men under his command, Cunningham fought at least one major action against the belligerent tribesmen. At one point some 500 Walandi charged to within 30 yards of Cunningham's Sudanese troops, but the superior fire power and discipline of the latter won the day, the enemy sustaining heavy loss. British casualties amounted to just 14 men. Cunningham was duly mentioned in despatches and awarded the DSO, receiving his insignia from the Queen at Windsor on 24 November 1896.
CB (m) b/b, CBE (1st, mil) (LG 3 Jun 19), DSO VRI (LG 3 Nov 96), Egypt (2) The Nile, Toski (Lt 2/DCLI), Central Africa, ring suspender (Maj Derby Regt), E&W Africa (2) Niger 1897, Sierra Leone (Major DSO Derby Regt), Niger Company Medal (1) Nigeria 86-97 (Lt Col DSO Derby Regt), QSA (4) CC OFS Joh DH (Brig Gen CB DSO Staff), KSA (2) (Brig Gen CB DSO Staff), BWM, VM (Brig Gen), France, Legion of Honneur, Commander, Turkey, Order of Osmanieh, 4th Class, Turkey, Order of Medjidie, 5th Class. DNW Jul 03 £8,500. Liverpool. Nov 03. £14k.
Source: List of CB recipients. Various sources | (Sherwood Foresters) Derbyshire Regiment |
