Captain C. C. Cunningham

[Eran Tearosh]

I'm going through the 'History of the Bombay Pioneers', by W.B.P. Tugwell. 

I've found an interesting footnote on page 321: "Capt. C. C. Cunningham went to Antwerp with the Navel Brigade at the beginning of the War and was interned in Holland, whence he escaped disguised as a Dutch woman". By July 1917 he was a Major with the Pioneers. 

I'd love to know more about him and that escape.

Many thanks, 

Eran

 

[Bob Davies]

55 minutes ago, Eran Tearosh said:

Capt. C. C. Cunningham

Eran, I saw the name Cunningham and thought well I know this Soldier.

Some time ago @mrfrank posted a picture of Officers at the Staff College Quetta 1911.

Well he is one of them, researched by many members over a few weeks and pages and ranting and joy of finding.

I don't believe we ever found much more about him but here he is, courtesy of mrfrank.

Edit here, @PRC was running the show here to great applaud, I believe he is typing now.

Thanks Peter :-)

Edited 6 April by Bob Davies
to add a bit

[PRC]

Captain Cuthbert Colpoys Cunningham attended the staff college at Quetta in 1911. There was a picture of the students and Staff taken upon the occasion of the visit of Douglas Haig, then in a senior inspectorate position in India. Those present were analysed to death

I think we only ended up with a tentative identification - definately not how I remember Dutch women!

Cheers,
Peter

Edited 6 April by PRC
Typo

[Bob Davies]

2 minutes ago, PRC said:

I think we only ended up with a tentative identification - definately not how I remember Dutch women!

Usually not dressed as a Soldier Peter

We cross posted, your achievements in this post was remarkable, many thanks go to your tenacity and cool head!

As was our learned forum pal @FROGSMILE.

Thanks to all that posted, now we may find more about Captain CC Cunningham with fresh eyes from @Eran Tearosh and others.

Regards, Bob.

[michaeldr]

Eran, 
I cannot help with details of his escape from internment, however the following may also be of interest

Douglas Jerrold in his history, 'The Royal Naval Division' has Cunningham as Brigade Major, 1st R. N. Brigade, under GOC. Commodore W. Henderson RN

In his narrative describing to the court of enquiry the events at Antwerp in 1914, Henderson refers to 
“My Brigade Headquarters Staff consisted of:-
Captain C. C. Cunningham & Captain O. M. Dyke, both of the Indian Army, and excellent officers.”
He later mentions these two officers again
“... I was at St. Gilles-waes, and when I then knew the critical position in which we were, I offered my two Staff Officers, Major Cunningham and Captain Dyke, the chance of escaping to the westward in a train that was then at St. Gilles-waes on the point of starting with refugees for Ostend.
To their honour, I am glad to be able to place it on record that they declined my offer, preferring to take the then slender chance of escape with the rest of the Brigade or share its capture or internment. I then sent them to the rear to urge the Brigade to hasten along.”

When the Court of Enquiry was completed, it was found that 
“With regard to Commodore Henderson's decision to intern the Brigade in Holland at the time he did, the Court is of the opinion that, taking into consideration of the position in which he found himself, coupled with the facts that his force was practically incapable of further fighting or marching, and the information he was for the first time, in receipt of, as regards the enemy, he was justified in that direction and no blame is attached to either him or to any officer or man under his command.”
This latter must also exonerate Cunningham.

[details from Len Sellers' magazine 'R.N.D.']

 

regards, Michael
 

[Eran Tearosh]

 

Bob, Peter & Michael - Thanks!! 

That 'Photograph - Staff College at Quetta in 1911' thread - Wow!!

As to the story of the escape disguised as a Dutch woman: Quite often I find that a story is related to multiple persons. As described in the other thread, a guest told the same story about his great uncle, Sub Lt. Douglas Boot RNVR. That doesn't mean that Cunningham didn't do the same, but...

Anyway, there's an interesting contradiction in Henderson's narrative, quoted by Michael: “... I was at St. Gilles-waes, and when I then knew the critical position in which we were, I offered my two Staff Officers, Major Cunningham and Captain Dyke, the chance of escaping to the westward in a train that was then at St. Gilles-waes on the point of starting with refugees for Ostend.
To their honour, I am glad to be able to place it on record that they declined my offer, preferring to take the then slender chance of escape with the rest of the Brigade or share its capture or internment. I then sent them to the rear to urge the Brigade to hasten along.”

But we know for certain that Cunningham did escape, and later in the war we find him in Palestine. 

Rising to Lt.-Col., I assume that somewhere we'll be able to find more of Cuthbert Colpoys Cunningham's life and/or military career. Maybe through a local historical society from his birth or burial place?

Eran

 

 

 

[Colin W Taylor]

There is an officer file for him at Kew which may provide a statement or account of his capture if you can arrange a visit.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1078420

[michaeldr]

3 minutes ago, Eran Tearosh said:

Rising to Lt.-Col., I assume that somewhere we'll be able to find more of Cuthbert Colpoys Cunningham's life and/or military career.

After his time as Brigade Major, 1st Naval Brigade in 1914, he went on to serve with the 8th Royal East Kent Regiment and the 13th Middlesex Regiment as (Acting) Lieutenant Colonel.     Both of these regiments seem to have served on the Western Front

He was awarded the DSO in the 1919 King's Birthday Honours (see SUPPLEMENT TO THE EDINBURGH GAZETTE, June 5, 1919. page 1961 
AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER - Maj. (A. /Lt.-Col.) Cuthbert Colpoys Cunningham, 12th Pnrs., I.A., comdg. 2/107th Pnrs., I.A.)

Michael

[PRC]

17 minutes ago, Eran Tearosh said:

But we know for certain that Cunningham did escape, and later in the war we find him in Palestine. 

I believe the reports are consistant. Rather than make a break for freedom in an every man for himself kind of way which was what their commanding officer was offering them, Dyke and Cunningham stayed with the Brigade and so ended up marching into internment in the Netherlands.

As British Officers they were initially asked for their parole not to escape from internment. This allowed them to move around freely outside the camp. However Cunningham was amongst the officers who took advantage of this to attempt to escape in early 1915, in Cunninghams case successfully. As such the parole system was suspended and the officers moved into their own camp.

The only slight inconsistancy was the apparent lack of a record at the International Committee of the Red Cross, but that may simply be down to my duff searching.

Cheers,
Peter

[michaeldr]

I see now where his service in the middle-east comes in https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.211243/page/n429/mode/2up?q=cunningham&view=theater

[Bob Davies]

From Ancestry.co.uk'

Cuthbert was born in Kobe Japan October 13th 1881.

Father- John Kirkaldy Cunningham, profession =Merchant Kobe. Born in Berwick upon Tweed 1837.

Mother- Florence Lucy Heaslop. Born 1850.

1891 census living with his Father and Mother and 5 sisters, at (Edit; I believe it to be Sector Hall, quite a pad! ) S_ _ _ _ _ _ Hall, Axminster Devon.

Sister 1- Florence K. Cunningham. born 1877 Isle of Wight.

Sister 2- Margaret C.  Cunningham.  born 1879 Gatton Surrey.

Sister 3- Hilda Cunningham. Born 1886 Kobe Japan.

Sister 4- Violet Cunningham. Born 1887 Kobe Japan.

Sister 5- Medora B Cunningham. Born 1889 Poole Dorset.

Plus a cook, House maid and Laundry Maid.

So it would seem that his Father was a wealthy Merchant. I can't make out the name of the Hall they live in but I will look further.

Lastly on this post for now, Cuthbert married Vera Gwendoline Johnson (born 1887) at Mhow, Bengal, India on 15 Dec 1908.

Regards, Bob.

Edited 7 April by Bob Davies
to add a name

[Bob Davies]

I am pleased to discover that Captain Oswald Muirhead Dyke also survived the Great War.

Born 11 Apr 1878 Lyme Regis, Dorset, England.

Father is Charles William Pittman Dyke. Military outfitter Born 1846 Lyme Regis.

Mother is Agnes L. Dyke, both are living at 22 Chalcot Crescent, St Pancras, London, from the 1881 Census.

In 1939 Oswald is living with his wife Alice M Dyke, born 11 May 1880.

They live together at Bicton old Rectory, St Thomas Road, Wiak, Devon.

Oswald is the group Warden A. R. P. and Alice is a member of the British Red Cross Society, getting ready for another war, so it would seem.

Oswald died 21st May 1958, leaving his £39086 13s. 8d. to his son, Richard Charles Dyke Colonel H. M. army.