Alexander Cunningham was born in Fauldhouse, Lanarkshire, Scotland, on March 28, 1894, the son of James Cunningham, of 347 Cameron Street, Sarnia. Alexander was conscripted to service on October 10, 1917 in Sarnia, with the 1st Depot Battalion. Alexander had a brother that also served in the War, Corporal Jack Cunningham, who would return to Sarnia at Christmas 1917 with gunshot wounds in both legs and the left arm. When Alexander signed up, he was single and recorded his occupation as a farmer. He became a member of the Army, Canadian Infantry, Manitoba Regiment, 43rd Highlanders Battalion, with the rank of Private. On October 3, 1918, Alexander Cunningham would lose his life, while fighting in France during Canada’s final Hundred Days Campaign. He died as a result of gunshot wounds that he had received to right arm and head. Approximately one month later, the Great War would come to an end.
In mid-October 1918, Alexander’s father James, would receive a telegram informing him of his son’s death, the result of wounds received in the right arm and head. Alexander Cunningham would later be officially listed as, Died of Wounds. On October 1st 1918, he was wounded by enemy shrapnel. After receiving attention, he was evacuated to No. 30 Casualty Clearing Station where he succumbed to his wounds two days later. After learning of their son’s death, Alexander’s mother and father wrote the following:
Dear son of mine, you sleep with the brave,
Where no tears of your mother can drop on your grave,
Unknown to the world, you stand by my side,
And whisper, dear mother, death cannot divide.
The following was written by Alexander’s sister, sister-in-law, and brothers:
Peaceful be thy rest, dear brother;
‘Tis sweet to breathe thy name;
In life we loved you dear;
In death we do the same.
Twenty-four year old Alexander Cunningham is buried in Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France, Grave IV.D.19.
SOURCES: C, D, E, F, L, N, 2C, 2D, 2G