Other Properties - Australian Groups

Lot 4038    SESSION 10 (9.30AM FRIDAY 27TH NOVEMBER)    Other Properties - Australian Groups

Estimate $10,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $13,000

MC GROUP OF FOUR: Military Cross (GRI); 1914-15 Star; British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19. First medal unnamed as issued, 359 Pte A.T.Cunningham 1/L.H.Rgt. A.I.F. on second medal, Captain A.T.Cunningham. A.I.F. on last two medals. The named medals impressed. With original ribbons and these all damaged, the medals toned good very fine - extremely fine.

Together with case for Military Cross.

MC: LG 4/6/1917, p5485; CAG 4/10/1917, to Lieutenant A.T.Cunningham, serving with 4MG Sqn, 4ALH Brigade, Aust Mounted Div, Desert Corps. Major Harper's recommendation is below.

Recommendation: At Semakh on 25th September 1918, Captain Cunningham was in charge of 8 guns. When he received orders, he brought the guns into action with great skill. Throughout the advance he showed absolute disregard of all danger. On arriving at the town, he took charge of 4 guns and handled them with great courage. Throughout the action he was conspicuous for his gallantry and devotion to duty.

There is another recommendation also for Lt A.T.Cunningham, Machine Gun Squadron, 2nd Australian Light Horse Brigade which states, 'Recommended for consistent gallant and good work and devotion to duty. He has been 3 times previously recommended for gallantry in the Field.'

Also entitled to MID: LG 6/7/1917, p6773; CAG 11/10/1917, p2664, to Lieutenant A.T.Cunningham, 2AMG Sqn.

Andrew (Andy) Twynam Cunningham, pastoralist, age 22, born at Queanbeyan, NSW; Enl.28Aug1914 at Sydney, NSW in 1Light Horse Regt, with previous service of 4 years with Cadets; Emb.19Oct1914; to Gallipoli from May1915; WIA 18May1915, shrapnel wound to knee at Gallipoli; WIA 07Aug1915, GSW to neck at Gallipoli; to 2Lt 28Jan1916 and Orderly Officer 2nd Light Horse Brigade 28Jan-20Jun1916; to Lt 01Apr1916; TOS 2MG Sqn 23Jul1916; TOS 6LHR 28Nov1916; to Captain 28Feb1917; seconded to command Machine Gun Training Sqn at Moascar 08Aug1917; TOS 2MG Sqn 30Nov1917; TOS 1MG Sqn 06Dec1917 as 2IC; TOS 4MG Sqn 25Aug1918; RTA 08May1919; Appt terminated 10Jul1919; to Hon Capt 2MD in 1920.

Captain A.T.Cunningham was court martialled for 'Conduct to the prejudice of good order and Military Discipline in that, at the Continental Hotel, Cairo, at about 11pm on the 10th June 1918 did insult Mr Mikabbaty, a member of the Legislative Assembly of Egypt, by knocking his tarboush (sic, tarboosh) off his head.' He was found guilty, severely reprimanded and the date of his appointment as Captain was adjusted from 28Feb1917 to 28Feb1918.

Andrew Twynam Cunningham was educated at Geelong Grammar School where he excelled in sports, particularly football and rowing. After completing school he took an agricultural course at the University of Sydney where he developed his rowing skills, stroking the junior eights in 1910 and the senior fours in 1911. In 1912 he stroked the senior eights in the inter-varsity matches and the Sydney crew was the leading crew in the Commonwealth. Andy was assured a place on the Australian team for the 1912 Olympics but he passed up the opportunity to return home and assist with managing the family Tuggeranong estate.

After his war service he returned home to a large community welcome and due to his father's ill-health he had to manage the family properties. He did manage time to play polo and mainly due to his efforts the local polo club which had been closed during the war was reformed. Andy also regularly got up to some crazy antics when he would go into town for a drink with the boys including some friendly punch-ups and on one occasion he rode his horse into a local shop and into the hotel. After his father died and Andy finalised the estate he purchased three local properties.

Andy was also interested in aviation and trained as a pilot with the aero club in Sydney and then became a pioneer of aviation in the Queanbeyan-Canberra district. In 1929 Andy entered the Sydney to Perth Air Race and flying his Gypsy Moth that he named 'Orroral Dingo' he finished in third place despite having a few forced landings due to mechanical problems. Then in 1930 he embarked on a solo flight to England, the first of its kind. He made it through the Dutch East Indies, Singapore and finally Burma but because of persistent engine problems he had to abandon his venture. He sold his properties in 1935 and retired to Sydney where he bought a sea-going yacht which he regularly sailed along the coast. In February 1959 he was travelling by car with his sister Joan and on the Sturt Highway near Euston in Victoria their car overturned. He suffered severe injuries and became a paraplegic. Some months later he was transferred to the Prince of Wales Hospital at Randwick in Sydney where he died on 19 August 1959 at the age of 67.

Note: In 1916 the Commonwealth Government resumed the Tuggeranong homestead of the Cunningham family and in 1919 Charles Bean and his war history team set about compiling the Official History of WWI, a project that would last more than 5 years.

With a considerable amount of research and images.