Jock Cunningham

Jock Cunningham, (December 20, 1902 – February 22, 1969) was a British volunteer in the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War. He became a battalion and brigade commander and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He played a key role in the Battle of Jarama one of the principal military actions of the Spanish Civil War.

Jock Cunningham was born Joseph Wallace Cunningham along with his twin brother Thomas Michael Cunningham on December 20, 1902 at 17 Balgray Road, Glasgow to John Cunningham a Stationary Engine Keeper and Mary (Annati) Cunningham, who married in 1890 in Malta. He was one of a family of twenty-two with military tradition. His father was a Boer War veteran and six of his brothers also served in the British Army. As a young boy the family moved around Lanarkshire before settling in Coatbridge, Scotland. He was brought up in “The Whifflet” and lived at 77b Whifflet Street, Whifflet, Coatbridge.

In 1928-29 Cunningham led a mutiny of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders in Jamaica against the unacceptable conditions imposed on the men. He was sentenced to 6 years and imprisoned in the Glasshouse at Aldershot, a British Military Prison with a reputation for brutality. He made a considerable fuss while incarcerated including going on hunger strike 3 or 4 times and eventually when a letter he had smuggled out of the prison was published in Fife Newspaper questions were asked in Commons. Hearing of Cunningham’s plight and impressed by his determination the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) campaigned for his release. His release was something of legend as it is noted in The Spanish Civil War by Hugh Thomas that Cunningham has the reputation of being: "the only soldier in a military jail in England who made such a fuss that the authorities freed him to rid themselves of the trouble of looking after him". He was released after serving 2 years and 4 months of the sentence.

While with the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders he was company champion in many events including: 1 mile, 2 mile track events and also Welterweight boxing champion. Edinburgh City Councillor, Donald Renton’s older brother served with him in Jamaica and described him as “the gamest man in the British Army” Prior to 1936 he was active as an organizer in the London area for the National Unemployed Workers Movement during which time he led an unemployed march to Brighton in 1933. He worked as a miner and labourer.

...
Wikipedia