Photo: Pauline Priano
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Edward George Cunnah, one of 9 children, of whom only 5 survived, was the 2nd eldest of 4 surviving sons and 1 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, with the exception of John Joseph Cunnah, who remained in Wales living with his widowed aunt, John and his surviving family 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.
When war was declared with Germany in 1914 Edward George was 19 years of age. He enlisted as George Cunnah at Newburn-on-Tyne, assigned to the 10th (Service) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers as Private 13746 attached to the 68th Brigade, 23rd Division of Kitchener’s New Army at Bullswater near Frensham.
The regiment departed August 29th 1915 for France where it participated during the Battles of the Somme 1916, Battle of Messines, June 7th-14th 1916, 3rd Battle of Ypres, July 31st-November 10th 1917 before departing for Italy.
Private 13746 George Cunnah Northumberland Fusiliers died of wounds during the 3rd Battle of Ypres, October 11th 1917. His sacrifice is recorded as one of the 35,003 names inscribed on the Tyne Cot Memorial, which forms the backdrop to Tyne Cot Cemetery, Zonnebeke, near Ypres in Belgium, commemorating British and New Zealand forces who died on the Ypres salient between August 1917 and November 1918, who have no known grave or whose bodies could no longer be found. Private Cunnah was 22 years of age and single.
His father received all monies due to him from the Army, a pension of 4 shillings a week as of April 30th 1918 and his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to him at 1, Chapel Row, North Walbottle, Newburn-on-Tyne.
George’s death had been preceded by that of his elder brother John Joseph serving as Private 28390 with the 4th Battalion South Wales Borderers, killed in action in Mesopotamia, January 15th 1917.
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.
In 1939 John Cunnah, now a retired miner and Kate were living at 29, Whitehall Road, Walbottle, Northumberland, where Catherine Cunnah nee Best died aged 71 years, April 17th 1941. Her husband John Cunnah died in the district of Porteland, Northumberland, November 9th 1949, aged 80 years, his death having been preceded by that of his youngest son, 41-year old, Sergeant 4259667 William Cunnah Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, September 9th 1942 in Surrey, interred with military honours at Newburn Cemetery, Lemington, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
George Cunnah is remembered at Whorlton on W53.01
