| Andrew Browne Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham Of Hyndhope |
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Information AboutAndrew Browne Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham Of Hyndhope |
Cunningham was born in Dublin on 7 January 1883 and he attended several schools and colleges before he was enrolled at a Naval Academy, at the age of 10, where his association with the Navy started. After passing out of Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth , in 1898, he progressed rapidly in rank. He commanded a destroyer during the First World War and through most of the interwar period. For his performance during this time he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and two Bar s, specifically for his actions in the Dardanelles and in the Baltics . In the Second World War , as Commander-in-Chief , Mediterranean Fleet , Cunningham led British naval forces in several critical Mediterranean Naval Battles . These included the Attack On Taranto in 1940, the first carrier-based air attack in history,1 and the Battle Of Cape Matapan in 1941. Cunningham was also responsible for the on-going struggle to Supply Malta and oversight of the naval support for the various major allied landings in the Mediterranean Littoral . In 1943, Cunningham was promoted to First Sea Lord , a position he held until his retirement in 1946. After his retirement Cunningham enjoyed several ceremonial positions including Lord High Steward at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. He died on 12 June 1963 . CHILDHOOD Andrew Cunningham was born at Rathmines , County Dublin , on 7 January 1883 , Michael Simpson p.1 the third of five children born to Professor Daniel Cunningham and his wife Elizabeth Cumming Browne, both of Scottish ancestry.Cunningham, Andrew Chap.1 His parents were described as having a "strong intellectual and clerical tradition," both Grandfather s having been in the clergy. His father was a Professor of Anatomy at Trinity College, Dublin whilst his mother stayed at home. Elizabeth Browne, with the aid of servants and Governess es oversaw much of his upbringing; as a result he reportedly had a "warm and close" relationship with her. After a short introduction to schooling in Dublin he was sent to Edinburgh Academy , where he stayed with his Aunts Doodles and Connie May.Andrew Cunningham p. 9–14 At the age of 10 he received a telegram from his father asking "would you like to go into the Navy?" At the time, the family had no maritime connections, and Cunningham only had a vague interest in the sea. Nevertheless he replied "Yes, I should like to be an Admiral".Andrew Cunningham p. 13 He was then sent to a Naval Preparatory School, Stubbington House , which specialised in sending pupils through the Dartmouth entrance examinations.2 Cunningham passed the exams showing particular strength in mathematics.Michael Simpson p.2–3 EARLY NAVAL CAREER Along with 64 other people Cunningham joined the Royal Navy as a cadet aboard the training ship HMS ''Britannia'' in 1897.Michael Simpson Chap1 p.2 One of his classmates was future Admiral of the Fleet James Fownes Somerville . Cunningham was known for his lack of enthusiasm for field sports, although he did enjoy golf and spent most of his spare time "messing around in boats". He said in his memoirs that by the end of his course he was "anxious to seek adventure at sea". Although he committed numerous minor misdemeanors, he still obtained a ''very good'' for conduct. He passed out tenth in April, 1898, with first-class-marks for mathematics and Seamanship .Dartmouth archives 1897–1899 cited by Michael Simpson in the "References" section, p.283 His first service was as a Midshipman on HMS ''Doris'' in 1899, serving at the Cape Station when the Second Boer War began.3; quote from source cited. By February, 1900, he had transferred into the Naval Brigade as he believed "this promised opportunities for bravery and distinction in action." Beginning in 1902, Cunningham took Sub-Lieutenant courses at Portsmouth and Greenwich ; he served as Sub-Lieutenant on the Battleship HMS ''Implacable'' , in the Mediterranean, for six months in 1903. In September 1903, he was transferred to HMS ''Locust'' to serve as second-in-command. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1904, and served on several vessels during the next four years. In 1908, he was awarded his first command, HM Torpedo Boat No. 14 . FIRST WORLD WAR Cunningham was a highly decorated officer during the First World War , receiving the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and two Bars . In 1911 he was given command of the Destroyer HMS ''Scorpion'' , which he commanded throughout the war. In 1914, ''Scorpion'' was involved in the shadowing of the German Battlecruiser and Cruiser SMS ''Goeben'' And SMS ''Breslau'' . This operation was intended to find and destroy the ''Goeben'' and the ''Breslau'' but the German warships evaded the British fleet,Moorehead, Alan p11–28 and passed through the Dardanelles to reach Constantinople . Their arrival contributed to the Ottoman Empire joining the Central Powers in November 1914. Though a bloodless "battle", the failure of the British pursuit had enormous political and military ramifications—in the words of Winston Churchill , they brought "more slaughter, more misery and more ruin than has ever before been borne within the compass of a ship."Tuchman, Barbara p.154 Cunningham stayed on in the Mediterranean and in 1915 ''Scorpion'' was involved in the attack on the Dardanelles . For his performance Cunningham was rewarded with promotion to Commander and the award of the Distinguished Service Order.4 Cunningham spent much of 1916 on routine patrols. In late 1916, he was engaged in convoy protection, a duty he regarded as mundane.Michael Simpson p.13 He had no contact with German U-boats during this time, on which he commented; "The immunity of my convoys, was probably due to sheer luck". Convinced that the Mediterranean held few offensive possibilities he requested to sail for home. ''Scorpion'' paid off on 21 January 1918 . In his seven years as captain of the ''Scorpion'', Cunningham had developed a reputation for first class seamanship.Michael Simpson p.14 He was transferred by Vice-Admiral Roger Keyes to HMS ''Termagent'' , part of Keyes' Dover Patrol , in April 1918.5 and for his actions with the Dover Patrol, he was awarded a Bar to his DSO the following year.Michael Simpson p.14–15 INTERWAR YEARS Association with Cowan Cunningham saw much action in the interwar years. In 1919, he commanded the S Class Destroyer HMS ''Seafire'' , on duty in the Baltic. The Communist s, the White Russian s, several varieties of Latvian nationalists, Germans, and the Poles were trying to control Latvia ; the British Government had recognized Latvia's independence after the Treaty Of Brest-Litovsk . It was on this voyage that Cunningham first met Admiral Walter Cowan . Cunningham was impressed by Cowan's methods, specifically his navigation of the potentially dangerous seas, with thick fog and Minefields threatening the fleet.6 Throughout several potentially problematic encounters with German forces trying to undermine the Latvian independence movement, Cunningham exhibited "good self control and judgement". Cowan was quoted as saying "Commander Cunningham has on one occasion after another acted with unfailing promptitude and decision, and has proved himself an Officer of exceptional valour and unerring resolution."Simpson, Michael, Chap 3, Cowans Protege, p.17–18 For his actions in the Baltic , Cunningham was awarded a second bar to his DSO, and promoted to Captain in 1920. On his return from the Baltic in 1922, he was appointed Captain of the British 6th Destroyer Flotilla . Further commands were to follow; the British 1st Destroyer Flotilla in 1923, and the destroyer base, HMS Lochinvar , at Port Edgar in the Firth Of Forth , from 1927–1926. Cunningham renewed his association with Vice Admiral Cowan between 1926 and 1928, when Cunningham was Flag Captain And Chief Staff Officer to Cowan while serving on the North America And West Indies Squadron . In his memoirs Cunningham made clear the "high regard"Andrew Cunningham p. 262 in which he held Cowan, and the many lessons he learned from him during their two periods of service together. The late 1920s found Cunningham back in the UK participating in courses at the Army's Senior Officers' School at Sheerness , as well as at the Imperial Defence College .Simpson, Michael p.25 While Cunningham was at the Imperial Defence College, in 1929, he married Nona Byatt (daughter of Horace Byatt, MA; the couple had no children). After a year at the College, Cunningham was given command of his first big ship; the battleship HMS ''Rodney'' . Eighteen months later, he was appointed Commodore of HMS Pembroke , the Royal Naval barracks at Chatham . Promoted to Flag Rank In September 1932, Cunningham was promoted to Flag Rank , and Aide-de-Camp to the King . He was appointed Rear Admiral (Destroyers) in the Mediterranean in December 1933 and was made a Companion Of The Bath in 1934. Having hoisted his flag in the light Cruiser HMS ''Coventry'' , Cunningham used his time to practice Fleet handling for which he was to receive much praise in the Second World War.Cunningham, Andrew p.158 There were also fleet exercises in the Atlantic Ocean in which he learnt the skills and values of night actions that he would also use to great effect in years to come. On his promotion to Vice Admiral in July 1936, due to the Interwar Naval Policy , further active employment seemed remote. However, a year later due to the illness of Sir Geoffrey Blake , Cunningham assumed the combined appointment of commander of the British Battlecruiser Squadron and second-in-command of the Mediterranean Fleet , with HMS ''Hood'' as his Flagship .Andrew Cunningham ch.7 After his long service in small ships, Cunningham considered his accommodation aboard ''Hood'' to be almost palatial, even surpassing his previous big ship experience on ''Rodney''.7 He retained command of ''Hood'' until September 1938, when he was appointed to the Admiralty as Deputy Chief Of Naval Staff , although he did not actually take up this post until December 1939 . He accepted this shore job with reluctance since he loathed administration, but the Board Of Admiralty ’s high regard of him was evident. For six months during an illness of Admiral Sir Roger Blackhouse , the then First Sea Lord , he deputised for Blackhouse on the Committee Of Imperial Defence and on the Admiralty Board . 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| "http://wwwhistorynetcom/air_sea/sea-air_operations/7100391htmlpage=3&c=y" class="copylinks" target="_blank">Page about Cunningham and the Malta Convoys and his relationship with Churchill |
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