Major William John Cuninghame

[David Seymour]

Please can anyone provide any information about the following individual? Captain, later Major, William John Cuninghame (Yes, that is the correct spelling) 3rd Scottish Horse, Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Territorial Force, South Nottinghamshire Hussars. Born 1880, died 19/3/1919

Regards,

David

[Terry_Reeves]

David:

His pre-WW1 active service career:

S. African War 1901-02. Employed with Mounted Infantry. Operations in the Transvaal and Orange Free State February-May.,1900. Operations in Orange River Colony May to Nov 29, 1900. Operations in Orange River Colony 30 Nov,1900 to January 1901. Queen's S. Africa Medal , three Clasps. Kings S.Africa Medal, 2 clasps.

Terry Reeves

[David Seymour]

Terry,

Many thanks for your swift and interesting reply.

S. African War 1901-02 - so that explains why he doesn't appear on the 1901 Census.

Best wishes,

David

[David Seymour]

Terry,

How would one find out about his training and enlistment? And is "Mounted Infantry" a class of troops or a specific regiment?

Regards,

David

[Steven Broomfield]

As far as I know, Mounted Infantry were an answer to the problem of covering thousands of miles of veldt to catch a few recalcitrant Dutchmen - ordinary foot-sloggers, given horses to be able to cover distance. Not intended to act as cavalry, but rather they would dismount and act on foot. Most battalions in S Africa formed MI Coys, and post-war the 'tradition' lived on for a while.

In adddition, some of the Volunteer units formed for service were MI, as were many of the Empire and colonial units.

[David Seymour]

Thanks Steven,

So he would have belonged to an as yet unspecified unit which had formed an MI Coy as an in the field solution to a pressing problem?

Many thanks for your help on this one.

Best wishes,

David