Jack Armand Cunningham
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Colonel Jack Armand Cunningham DSO
DFC
(1890–1956) was an English World War I flying ace
credited with 10 aerial victories. His victory record was remarkable for being scored over a four year stretch, using four different types of aircraft.
Cunningham continued his lengthy military career until the end of World War II, when he was retired for age.
to drive down an LVG
reconnaissance machine down over La Bassée
. On 29 December 1915, Cunningham had switched to a single-seat Bristol Scout
to drive down an Aviatik
recon plane over Provin
. On 5 February 1916, he used an Airco DH.2
to force an Albatros recon machine to land at Carvin
.
Effective 15 July 1916, Cunningham was appointed a Squadron Leader
, with the concomitant rank of temporary major
. He would not score his next victories until 18 December 1917, when he was apparently commanding 65 Squadron. He became an ace flying a Sopwith Camel
fighter to destroy one German Albatros D.V fighter and drive another down out of control.
Cunningham scored again on 5 February 1918, when he destroyed an Albatros D.V over Beythem. On 12 March, he destroyed an Albatros over Westrozebeke
, Belgium. Five days later, he destroyed another over Zuidhoek. He destroyed another one east of Demuin
, France on 3 April 1918.
On 2 June 1918, Cunningham was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel while he was assigned as such. The following day, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross as his king's birthday honor.
Lieutenant colonel Cunningham would win one final victory, when he destroyed a German reconnaissance two-seater over the English Channel
off the Belgian coast on 3 August 1918 for his tenth win. He was flying with 65 Wing at the time.
His activities over the new few years are unrecorded; however, on 8 September 1923 Captain J. A. Cunningham DSO DFC resigned his commission in the Royal Regiment of Artillery, meaning he must have re-enrolled.
The record then lapses for a decade. On 1 September 1933, Cunningham married Ellaline Lydia Joan Macfie at Knutsford
. He would not come to notice again until World War II.
On 9 April 1945, Major Cunningham was released from the Reserves on account of age; he was allowed the honorary rank of lieutenant colonel.
On 3 April 1956, Jack Armand Cunningham died at Dunloch, Hoylake
, Cheshire
, England.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(1890–1956) was an English World War I flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
credited with 10 aerial victories. His victory record was remarkable for being scored over a four year stretch, using four different types of aircraft.
Cunningham continued his lengthy military career until the end of World War II, when he was retired for age.
World War I
Cunningham served in 5 Squadron from 7 July to 18 October 1915 in Warwickshire, England. After a transfer to 18 Squadron in France, on 28 November 1915 Cunningham and his observer used a Vickers GunbusVickers F.B.5
The Vickers F.B.5 was a British two-seat pusher military biplane of the First World War...
to drive down an LVG
LVG
Luftverkehrsgesellschaft m.b.H. was a German aircraft manufacturer based in Berlin-Johannisthal, which began constructing aircraft in 1912, building Farman-type aircraft. The company constructed many reconnaissance and light bomber biplanes during World War I.The raid on London in 1916 was...
reconnaissance machine down over La Bassée
La Bassée
La Bassée is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-History:La Bassée was the birthplace of the painter and draftsman Louis-Léopold Boilly .-References:*...
. On 29 December 1915, Cunningham had switched to a single-seat Bristol Scout
Bristol Scout
The Bristol Scout was a simple, single seat, rotary-engined biplane originally intended as a civilian racing aircraft. Like other similar fast, light aircraft of the period - it was acquired by the RNAS and the RFC as a "scout", or fast reconnaissance type...
to drive down an Aviatik
Aviatik
Automobil und Aviatik AG was a German aircraft manufacturer during World War I. The company was established at Mülhausen in 1910 and soon became one of the country's leading producers of aircraft, relocating to Freiburg in 1914 and establishing a subsidiary in Vienna as Österreichisch-Ungarische...
recon plane over Provin
Provin
-References:*...
. On 5 February 1916, he used an Airco DH.2
Airco DH.2
|-DH.2 aces:Distinguished pilots of the DH.2 included Victoria Cross winner Lanoe Hawker , who was the first commander of No 24 Squadron and ace Alan Wilkinson. The commander of No. 32 Squadron, Lionel Rees won the Victoria Cross flying the D.H.2 for single handedly attacking a formation of 10...
to force an Albatros recon machine to land at Carvin
Carvin
This article refers to a French commune. For the guitar manufacturer see Carvin Corporation. For the late New Orleans political consultant see Jim Carvin.Carvin is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France....
.
Effective 15 July 1916, Cunningham was appointed a Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
, with the concomitant rank of temporary major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
. He would not score his next victories until 18 December 1917, when he was apparently commanding 65 Squadron. He became an ace flying a Sopwith Camel
Sopwith Camel
The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...
fighter to destroy one German Albatros D.V fighter and drive another down out of control.
Cunningham scored again on 5 February 1918, when he destroyed an Albatros D.V over Beythem. On 12 March, he destroyed an Albatros over Westrozebeke
Westrozebeke
Westrozebeke is a village in the Belgian province of West-Flanders. It is part of the municipality of Staden. It is located 6 miles west of Roeselare and 9.5 miles north-east of Ypres. It's a typical agricultural village with lots of farms....
, Belgium. Five days later, he destroyed another over Zuidhoek. He destroyed another one east of Demuin
Démuin
Démuin is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:The commune is situated on the D23 road, some southeast of Amiens.-Population:-External links:* *...
, France on 3 April 1918.
On 2 June 1918, Cunningham was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel while he was assigned as such. The following day, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross as his king's birthday honor.
Lieutenant colonel Cunningham would win one final victory, when he destroyed a German reconnaissance two-seater over the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
off the Belgian coast on 3 August 1918 for his tenth win. He was flying with 65 Wing at the time.
Post World War I
On 1 January 1919, Cunningham was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. This honor was followed by others; on 5 April 1919, he was awarded the French Croix de guerre and Chevalier de Legion d'honneur On 23 April 1919, he gave up both his commission as captain in Royal Regiment of Artillery and as temporary lieutenant colonel in RAF. He transferred to the unemployed list of the Royal Air Force on 26 April 1919, retaining the honorary rank of lieutenant colonel.His activities over the new few years are unrecorded; however, on 8 September 1923 Captain J. A. Cunningham DSO DFC resigned his commission in the Royal Regiment of Artillery, meaning he must have re-enrolled.
The record then lapses for a decade. On 1 September 1933, Cunningham married Ellaline Lydia Joan Macfie at Knutsford
Knutsford
Knutsford is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, in North West England...
. He would not come to notice again until World War II.
World War II and beyond
On 13 August 1939, he was commissioned as a captain in the British Regular Army Reserve; his seniority of rank was set as 14 July 1932, indicating he previously held a captain's commission on that date.On 9 April 1945, Major Cunningham was released from the Reserves on account of age; he was allowed the honorary rank of lieutenant colonel.
On 3 April 1956, Jack Armand Cunningham died at Dunloch, Hoylake
Hoylake
Hoylake is a seaside town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, on Merseyside, England. It is located at the north western corner of the Wirral Peninsula, near to the town of West Kirby and where the River Dee estuary meets the Irish Sea...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England.