[5][6] [4] Cunningham was a member of the South Georgia Survey led by Duncan Carse for the third field season, 1955–56.
[4] He had used this front point technique while working in Antarctica on icebergs and cliffs with a slope of 70 to 90 degrees.
[4] On 31 January 1980, he took a group of six students for practical instruction on climbing to the South Stack sea-cliffs on Anglesey.
[1] He was awarded the Polar Medal in 1967 [10] Mount Cunningham (1,220 metres (4,000 ft)) in the Queen Maud Bay at the southern end of South Georgia was named in his honour.
[7][4] His biography, titled Creagh Dhu Climber, the life and times of John Cunningham, was published by Ernest Press.