Son of Mr Thomas Cunningham and Alice Cunningham (nee Costello) of Tauranga. Brother of John Thomas; Stanley and Edward.

Both William and his brother Jack were born in Australia, but Jack always had a yearning to travel to America to seek his fortune. So in 1903 the brothers, set sail from Australia on board the SS Sonoma. However life aboard ship did not agree with William and he became terribly seasick. The brother's decided to disembark at the next port of call and so on the 9th of February they arrived in Auckland. The brothers decided to stay and were soon working on the land. Their Parents and also emigrated to New Zealand not long after.

Served overseas from 1st May 1916 till 12 October 1917. William was a stretcher bearer with the New Zealand Medical Corps. He had been wounded in a previous engagement and had spent come time recovering in England in early 1917 before being sent back to the front.

Letter one transcribed: No.2 N.Z General Hospital. Walton on Thames

London. England. Feb 23rd 1917. Dear Jack and Mary, I received cable for $10 very promptly about a week after I cabled, Thank you very much for acting so swift, I am as happy as a King now that I have got some brass. I am sending you a bit of a form filled in you will be probably able to cash it but if you can’t I’ll make it right in the sweet bye & bye when beautiful peace is again hovering over the land. I have made it out for $11 as it would cost you something to spend it. Let me know if you get this form cashed all right, as I may want some more cabled next time I get into hospital and if I do I will just cable the one word “money” which will mean send a tenner to bank of Australia, London. My wound is not right yet. I was sent back to Hospital again last Friday and have been under another operation, that’s three I’ve had now. I am getting quite used to them now. I rather like them. I won’t be doing any more scrapping for a few months yet. Lucky devil ain’t I ? I am afraid things will be looking pretty blue over here before she is all over. Potatoes and Sugar and meat and butter are very scarce now these U-boats seem to be making their presence felt somewhat. I am at a place called Walton on Thames now, which is a very nice place about 16 miles south east of London. I just got up today for the first time after my operation. We get 3 hours leave every day to walk about the town. I wish I was back farming again the old military life is no fun. The weather is getting warmer lately, I think the snow is about done. How is your dear little Mary getting on, I think you were right whyen you said you were going to be the Father of a great Nation, I guess you will have to do my share and your own too, although Ned seems to be making the pace a bit hot. I suppose he will make up for Stan’s deficiencies. A felloe could get married here very easily if he wanted to, there is a great pre-ponderance of girls but some how I have no mind for it, as Old Bill Fitzgerald used to say. I receive quite a continuous flow of correspondence from Clara Malone no very loving passages in them certainly but still they give one the impression that all may yet be well. How is poor old Dad getting on ? I suppose he is showing his patriotism by producing all the foodstuffs he can, while this great war of nations is on. I don’t think I have any more news to tell you so I will say Good Bye for the present. Write soon, Best Wishes to all from. O11422 Pte. Bill

No.11422. 2nd Auckland Brigade. N.Z Convalescent hospital. Hornchurch

Essex. England. April 7th 1917. Dear Jack and Mary.

I had a pleasant surprise this morning in the shape of a parcel from N.Z addressed in your handwriting so I presume it was you who sent it. The old tin of Havelock Mixture filled me with indescribable joy. It is unprocurable over here, and presently I dislodged a pair of sox & on bringing them up for inspection out rolled two lovely half crown pieces, which I intend to drink your health with shortly. I think I told you before I was snet to Walton on Thames for another operation which proved successful. The result is that my wound has healed up and I have returned to Hornchurch where I am undergoing massage treatment and I think in about a months time I will be back with the boys again. I think in all probability when the Kaiser learns that I am going over again he will surrender at once. Hospital life is getting rather dreary although everything is done by the W.C.A to make life as pleasant as possible for us. We have billiards, concerts, free trip to London Theatres, parties arranged, hundreds of nice girls only too pleased to take you for a walk, but even with all these luxuries I am not content. I want to start doing something. A fellow feels like a parasite getting all this beautiful treatment and giving nothing. So I have made up my mind to get well and again become a cog in the wheel of this great war machine which is slowly but surely overcoming a power that is threating the world with terrible consequences. You have no idea out in old peaceful N.Z what war means. Over here the government has taken control of everything, every man, woman, child, dog and cat have got to do their bit and no one is allowed to eat more than is required to keep him or her in health. The weather is still cold over here we had a heavy fall of snow yesterday and a very severe frost this morning. I will send you a cable when I am leaving for the front again. No more news to tell you at this time. Thanks very much for the parcel. Hope you are all well. Good bye. From Brother Bill.

Next of Kin: Mr T. Cunningham. Tauranga (Roll of Honour, Auckland Province 1914-1918 (Volume 1)) AWMM