General Sir Alan Gordon Cunningham GCMG, KCB, DSO, MC (1 May 1887 - 30 January 1983) was a British Army officer, noted for victories over Italian forces in the East African Campaign during the Second World War. He was the younger brother of Admiral of the Fleet Lord Cunningham of Hyndhope.
Cunningham was born in Dublin, Ireland. He was educated at Cheltenham College and the Royal Military Academy before taking a commission in the army in 1906. Du...
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General Sir Alan Gordon Cunningham GCMG, KCB, DSO, MC (1 May 1887 - 30 January 1983) was a British Army officer, noted for victories over Italian forces in the East African Campaign during the Second World War. He was the younger brother of Admiral of the Fleet Lord Cunningham of Hyndhope.
Cunningham was born in Dublin, Ireland. He was educated at Cheltenham College and the Royal Military Academy before taking a commission in the army in 1906. During World War I, he served with the Royal Horse Artillery, and was awarded a Military Cross in 1915 and the DSO in 1918. For two years after the war he served in the Straits Settlements.
In 1937 Cunningham became the Commander Royal Artillery of the 1st Infantry Division. This was followed in 1938 by promotion to major-general and appointment as commander of the 5th Anti-Aircraft Division.
After the beginning of World War II, Cunningham held a number of short appointments commanding infantry divisions in the United Kingdom before being...
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