Photo: Brian Chandler

Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-

William Cunnah was the youngest of 9 children of whom only 5 survived, 4 sons and a daughter.

His father John Cunnah was born February 9th 1869 at Prestatyn, Flintshire, Wales, the son of Edward and Jane Cunnah. Whilst his family remained in Wales, John, moved to Ireland where he was married in the district of Cavan in 1888 to local girl Catherine Best, known as Kate, born January 16th 1867. Their son John Joseph was born in circa 1890, Mary Elizabeth circa 1892, George Edward, March 18th 1895 in Dublin and Francis, December 18th 1896. By the time Charles was born, June 6th 1898 they had transferred to Wales and were living at Holyhead were their daughter Irene May was born in 1900. In 1901 they resided at 9, Whiston Street, Holyhead, John supported his family employed as a railway guard. Unfortunately, their son Francis died during the 1st quarter 1902 aged 5 years, the tragedy compounded also by the loss of their daughter, also during the 1st quarter 1902, Irene May, not yet 2 years of age. Between 1902 and 1911 John and his surviving family, with the exception of eldest son, John Joseph, left Wales for England settling in 4 rooms at 4, Crossling’s Buildings, Clousden Hill, Forest Hall, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland. He had found employment as a coal miner as had George (16), Charles (12) and William (8) although of school age are not listed as such.

William’s eldest brother John Joseph Cunnah who had remained in Wales, in 1911, was living with his widowed aunt, Jane Cunnah in 3 rooms at 7, Garden Place, Mold, Flintshire, employed above ground as a colliery labourer. Upon the declaration of war he enlisted at Mold, assigned to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. He became a father, October 14th 1914 with the birth of a daughter, Guynneth Cunnah-Jones, to his then sweetheart, Ann Jones, born April 21st 1894 at Holywell, whom he married during the 1st quarter (Jan/Feb/Mar) 1915, in the district of Holywell, Flintshire. He remained in Britain until 1916, departing for service in Egypt and Mesopotamia with his regiment, leaving his wife pregnant with their second child, a daughter Jean Helen known as Jennie, born July 31st 1916 whilst he was on active service. Having been transferred to the 4th Battalion South Wales Borderers, 40th Brigade, 13th (Western) Division, he was killed in action, January 15th 1917. His sacrifice is recorded as one of 40,640 names inscribed on the Basra Memorial which until 1997 stood on the main quay of the naval dockyard at Maqil, 8 kilometres from Basra, until it was moved by presidential decree by the Iraq authorities, stone by stone, and re-erected at Nasiriyah, in the middle of what was a major battlefield during the first Gulf War. Due to the present instability in the area the CWGC has difficulty maintaining cemeteries and memorials therefore two vellums of Roll of Honour listing all casualties buried and commemorated in Iraq are held at their head office in Maidenhead on public view.

John Joseph’s widow Ann, living at 27, Maes-Y-Dre, Mold, Flintshire, received all monies due to him from the Army, his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal also a pension for herself and both of their children, after providing proof of paternity for Guynneth, of 22 shillings 11 pence a week as of July 31st 1917 until her children were 16 years of age. She went on to remarry in 1934 to George Wood with whom she had a daughter Jean Helen, August 12th 1934.

At the time of his eldest brother’s demise William and his parents were living at Chapel Row, North Walbottle, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland. Nine months after the news of John Joseph’s death came a second blow when his 22-year-old brother, Private George Cunnah serving with the Northumberland Fusiliers was confirmed to have died of wounds, October 11th 1917 and not having any known grave is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial within Tyne Cot Cemetery, Zonnebeke, Belgium.

Brother Charles Cunnah would also have been eligible to serve during WW1, had he done so he survived the conflict and was married in 1922 at Castle Ward, Northumberland, to Christina Wilson of Benwell, Newcastle-upon Tyne, Northumberland, born January 3rd 1898 who died in 1968 aged 70 years, Charles Cunnah died aged 73 years at Gateshead, County Durham in 1971.

William was only 14 years old when his brothers were killed and fortunately for him WW1 ended before he too was old enough to be conscripted, however he did serve during WW2.

He enlisted, exact date unknown, assigned to the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers and having been transferred to the Corps of Military Police he rose to the rank of Sergeant.

Sergeant 4259667 William Cunnah died, Wednesday, September 9th 1942, County Hospital, Redhill, Surrey, having been involved, whilst on duty, in a collision the day before with an Army vehicle, a car driven by Lieu-Col Francis Lane Fox, on the Westerham Road, Oxted. The accident, which took place at 6.p.m. was witnessed by Brenda Hitchins, who at the time was cutting her hedge. The car dislodged Sergeant Cunnah from his motor-cycle causing him to sustain head injuries and fractures. Admitted to the hospital at 6.45 p.m. he was in a state of deep unconsciousness, an operation was performed to relieve pressure from the brain but he died the following morning due to a fracture to the skull, multiple injuries and shock.

An inquest held Friday, September 11th 1942 concluded, after hearing evidence from Brenda Hitchins, Lieu-Col Fox and P.C. Brick who attended the scene, “Death by misadventure.”

In his summing-up the Coroner noted that this was the second fatal accident at the same spot in a few days, possibly due to the camber of the road, which had not allowed Sergeant Cunnah, described by Lieut. H. T. Lavender C.M.P. as, “a capable motor cyclist,” to take evasive action. When the Coroner Mr. Lowell Hewitt suggested that it might be better if the road be banked at that spot on the curve, witnesses agreed.

At the request of and paid for by his family, the body of Sergeant William Cunnah was transported to the north east where he was laid to rest within Newburn Cemetery, Lemington, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland.

At the time of William’s enlistment his father John Cunnah now a retired miner and his wife Kate, were living at 29, Whitehall Road, Walbottle, Northumberland, where Catherine Cunnah nee Best died aged 71 years, April 17th 1941. John Cunnah died in the district of Ponteland, Northumberland, November 9th 1949, aged 80 years.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

William Cunnah is not remembered on a local War Memorial.

The CWGC entry for Sergeant Cunnah