Book Extract

Extract from C.T. Atkinson's book Royal Hampshire Regiment 1914-1918 - edited by SWFHS

The 36th Brigade, including Daniel’s 1^st/4^th Battalion, was at Bessouia in reserve, but during the night of the 25^th January 1917 the 26th and 82nd Punjabis took over in readiness to attack with the 4th Hampshire in support.

Attacking at 10.40 a.m. on January 26^th 1917 the 82nd Punjabis carried the Turkish line and started bombing along trenches leading North along the river bank and NW. To support them the 26th Punjabis went forward about 11.30 a.m., two companies joining them, though the others lost direction and made an isolated lodgement2 well to the left. Here they held on for some time but, running short of ammunition, were forced back to the line the 82nd were consolidating, their C.O., Lt. Colonel Thompson, formerly a subaltern in the Hampshire, being killed.

Pressure upon the Punjabis was increasing, and about 1.30 p.m. A and B Companies of the 1/4th Hampshire pushed across to assist the 82nd, while one platoon of D and some bombers joined the 26th and gave timely help in repulsing counter-attacks and maintaining the line. At 5.30 p.m. battalion headquarters and C and D went forward also, and after dark the Hampshire took over, the 26th and 82nd, both of whom had lost heavily, being withdrawn except for some bombers. The night passed without any serious counter-attack and consolidation went on unimpeded.

Next morning, 27^th January 1917 about 9.30 a.m. our [1/4^th] bombers started to push up the trenches leading to the next line. They were not very seriously opposed and the objective was duly mastered, B and C occupying it about 11.30, while the bombers, assisted by those of the 62nd and 82nd, pushed on toward another line.4 This also was taken after rather harder fighting, in which Lt. Lester-Garland was wounded, and about 2 p.m. A and D came forward to help consolidate the gains. Scouts then advanced to reconnoitre yet another line5 to discover that it was unoccupied. Posts were established in it and during the night two companies advanced and occupied it. The Turks had evidently been hard hit, and though next day they tried to bomb back up a communication trench leading to the centre of the Hampshire’s line, they were quickly repulsed and did little to impede the improvement of our line, while reconnaissance soon proved that they had fallen back to a line6 1200 yards in rear of that assaulted on January 26th. Equally good progress had been made East of the Hai, the Thirteenth Division having by now secured the Turkish second line.

Newspaper Obituary

Leamiungton Spa Courier - 16th February 1917

DIED OF WOUNDS

CUNNINGTON - On the 26th January, from gun-shot wounds, Pte. Daniel Cunnington Hants Regt., aged 21 years, the dearly loved son of Mr and Mrs Cunnington, The Old Park, Warwick.