William Cunningham (lawyer)
Sir William Cunningham | |
|---|---|
Cunningham, c. 1914 | |
| Birth name | William Henry Cunningham |
| Born | 24 September 1883 Wellington, New Zealand |
| Died | 20 April 1959 (aged 75) |
| Branch | New Zealand Military Forces |
| Years of service | 1914–1935 1940–1942 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Commands | Pacific Section, 2NZEF |
| Battles / wars |
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| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order Mentioned in Despatches (4) Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration Efficiency Decoration |
Major General Sir William Henry Cunningham KBE DSO VD ED (24 September 1883 – 20 April 1959) was an officer in the New Zealand Military Forces who served during the First and Second World Wars.
Cunningham joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force following the outbreak of the First World War. He participated in the Gallipoli campaign and served on the Western Front. An experienced soldier in the Territorial Force, after the war he held a series of senior command positions while working as a solicitor. During the Second World War he commanded what would become the Pacific Section of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force, which was responsible for the defence of Fiji, until he was discharged from the military after becoming ill. He was prominent in the legal profession, working as a crown prosecutor in Wellington both before and after the Second World War and also served a term as the President of the New Zealand Law Society. Knighted for his work in the law, he died in 1959.