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.
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.
[3] Following the outbreak of the First World War, Cunningham volunteered for the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF), which was being raised for service overseas.
[5] When the New Zealand Division was formed in February 1916, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and appointed commander of 2nd Battalion, Wellington Infantry Regiment.
[7] After the war, Cunningham returned in New Zealand in January 1919 aboard the steamer Ruahine, as officer commanding the 700 troops of the NZEF also travelling home.
Discharged from the NZEF, he went back to his legal practice but retained an interest in the military by continuing his service with the Territorial Force, in which he commanded the Wellington West Coast Regiment.
[11] His appointment as a brigade commander coincided with a move to Wellington to establish a legal partnership, Luke, Cunningham and Clere, with his brother-in-law and another lawyer.
[3] Since 1938, the Crown Colony of Fiji had been recognised as being the most likely objective for the Japanese Empire should it engage in offensive operations in the South Pacific.
[16] Duigan returned to New Zealand once the inspection tour was completed while Cunningham remained in Fiji dealing with logistical issues in preparation for the arrival of 8th Brigade.