Pte Owen CUNNINGHAM 1 RSF died 15.1.15

[Guest Pete Wood]

Name: CUNNINGHAM, OWEN

Initials: O

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Private

Regiment: Royal Scots Fusiliers

Unit Text: 1st Bn.

Age: 43

Date of Death: 15/01/1915

Service No: 7678

Additional information: Husband of E. Cunningham, of 8, Clumber St., Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: I. C. 19.

Cemetery: WIMEREUX COMMUNAL CEMETERY

Born Edinburgh

Enlisted Glasgow

SDGW states he died (rather than was killed in action)

[Guest Pete Wood]

We may just get some more information on this soldier.

I looked up 'Clumber Street' on the internet, and found a couple of people who are listed as living there. I made a phone call to one of the residents, who very kindly put me in touch with a Mr Dawson. This delightful gentleman, who is 86 years of age, has lived at Clumber Street since he was 5 years of age - and is a local historian.

I told him that I was interested in Pte Owen Cunningham, and Mr Dawson immediately said "He was Scottish."

It turns out that Owen's daughter, Mrs Edith Valentine is still living in Clumber Street - but, at 91 years of age, she is infirm and "her mind tends to wander." She moved across the road, to number 9, when she got married. Number 8 would have been relatively new when the Cunningham family lived there. Only number 1-4 had been built when the 1901 census was taken.

Mr Dawson has agreed to speak with Mrs Valentine - not today, obviously - about her father. I have asked Mr Dawson to pass on the wishes of the GWF and to say that we remembered Pte Cunningham this day.