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William Henry Cunningham

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Major General Sir William Henry Cunningham C 1914–1918
Sir William Henry Cunningham
Born (1883-09-24)24 September 1883
Wellington, New Zealand
Died 20 April 1959(1959-04-20) (aged 75)
Allegiance New Zealand
Service/branch New Zealand Military Forces
Years of service 1914–1935
1940–1942
Rank Major General
Commands held Pacific Section, 2NZEF
Battles/wars

First World War

Second World War

  • Defence of Fiji
Awards Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Distinguished Service Order
Mentioned in Despatches (4)
Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration
Efficiency Decoration

First World War

Second World War

Major General Sir William Henry Cunningham, KBE, DSO, VD, ED (24 September 1883 – 20 April 1959) was an officer in the New Zealand Military Forces who served during the First and Second World Wars.

Cunningham joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force following the outbreak of the First World War. He participated in the Gallipoli Campaign and served on the Western Front. An experienced soldier in the Territorial Force, after the war he held a series of senior command positions while working as a solicitor. During the Second World War he commanded what would become the Pacific Section of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force, which was responsible for the defence of Fiji until he was discharged from the military after becoming ill. He was prominent in the legal profession, working as a crown prosecutor in Wellington both before and after the Second World War and also served a term as the President of the New Zealand Law Society. Knighted for his work in the law, he died in 1959.

William Henry Cunningham was born in Wellington, New Zealand, on 24 September 1883, the son of Elizabeth and William Cunningham. He received his education at Wanganui College and then, after studying law, became a solicitor in 1907. He was a barrister by 1912, practicing law in Wanganui.


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