| Surname: | Cunnah |
| Initials: | W |
| Rank: | Sergeant |
| Army Number: | 4259667 |
| Notes: | CMP. 49 Company,TC. 31/7/20 enlisted in the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, 25/1/41 transferred to CMP. 9/9/42 Died. He was born in the isle of Anglesey and resided in Northumberland War Diary 49 Company TC. WO 166/1815. Godstone, 8/9/1942, 4259667 Sgt Cunnah killed in a motorcycle accident. Also Part I Order 15/9/42. Death. The OC regrets to announce the death of Sjt. Cunnah following a motorcycle accident. Sjt Cunnah served with this unit since formation in July 40 and his loss will be deeply regretted by all ranks. Also: Condolence. The following is a letter received from 75 (TC) Coy, CMP:- "The Officers, WO, NCO's and men of 75 Company CMP (TC) offer their deepest sympathy to the officers and all ranks of 49 Coimpany in their recent unfortunate loss. Sjt. Cunnah was known and respected by many of us, and his loss is deeply regretted. Casualty List 934, Home, died as a result of an accident. 9/9/1942. No inscription on gravestone. William Cunnah. Extract from the Surrey Mirror, 18/9/42. ARMY VEHICLES IN OXTED COLLISION. Second fatal accident at same spot in few days, inquest remarks about camber on road. Remarks about the camber of the Westerham road at Oxted, at a point stated to be the scene of two fatal accidents in a few days, were made at an inquest at the Town hall, Reigate, on Friday, upon Sergt. William Cunnah, age 42, of the Corps of Military Police who died in the County Hospital, Redhill on September 9th the day after his motorcycle had collided with a military car. The County Coroner (Mr G Wills Taylor gave a verdict of "Death by misadventure." Evidence of identity was given by Lieut H T Lavender, CMP who stated that Cunnah an experienced and capable motor cyclist was riding a Service machine at the time and was on duty. Answering the Coroner, he said that except under special authority, usually in case of emergency, military vehicles were expected to conform to civilian speed limits. Brenda Hitchins, Belmont, Westerham road, Oxted, said that at about 6 pm on September 8th she was cutting the hedge outside her house when she noticed a car travelling towards Godstone from the Westerham direction. She could also hear a motorcycle coming, and saw it for a fraction of a second as it approached from Godstone direction: it appeared to be on the crest of the road. She went on cutting and the heard a crash, and turned round to find that the motor cyclist and his machine had parted company and were both coming towards her. The car drew into the side of the road and pulled up within her view. She explained that there was bend in the road and that her house was about the centre of the bend. The cyclist would have a slightly longer view of the road ahead than would the car driver. She doubted if they could see each other at the moment she saw both of them for the first time. CORONER ON CRASH HELMETS. Dr S A Hunter, of the County Hospital, said Cunnah was admitted at 6.45 pm on September 8th, deeply unconscious, and suffering from head injuries and fracture of the right arm, as well as other injuries. An operation was performed to relieve pressure on the brain, but he died the next morning, death being due to fracture of the skull, multiple injuries and shock. Lieut Lavender recalled said that Cunnah would be wearing a crash helmet at the time, and the Coroner remarked to Mr E Lovell-Hewitt (who represented the War Department) that he had made representations on a previous case about crash helmets. He recalled that in peacetime after a number of fatalities in motor cycle racing, the question of the design of crash helmets had been gone into, and following the re-designing of them there had been a decrease in the number of fatalities. Mr Lovell Hewitt promised to mention the matter to the War Department. PC Birbeck, who attended at the scene of the accident, described the damage to the tow vehicles, that to the motorcycle being chiefly at the front and offside, while on the car the front offside door handle had been wrenched off and the rear offside mudguard damaged. A lever on the offside handlebar of the motorcycle had been wrenched out as it it might have caught the car door handle. Describing the road at the scene, he said the vision of the car driver would extend for 50 to 60 yards, and that of the motorcyclist 60 to 70 yards. Answering Mr Lovell Hewitt he said there were marks on the road at the scene, but they were mixed up with others made by a fatal accident at the same place two days previously. A DANGEROUS ROAD. The Coroner: Is it a dangerous bend?- yes sir. In reply to Mr Lovell Hewitt, he said the camber at that spot was rather pronounced. When Mr Lovell Hewitt suggested that it might be better if the road was banked and some of the camber taken out, witness agreed with him. The driver of the car, Lieut-Col Francis Lane Fox, said it was an Army vehicle, and he was on duty at the time. He was rounding the bend and saw the motorcyclist coming towards him about 20 yards away. Witness swung to the left to avoid him; before swinging away he thought his offside wheel was about on the white line. It appeared to him that the motorcyclist was unable to swing to his left. The motorcyclist was going fairly fast, and witness thought possibility he was afraid of the camber and so unable to swing away. The Coroner; What about your speed? - I recon I was going about 40. Do you think that a reasonable speed to take this bend? - yes I do. To further questions by the Coroner Lieut-Col Fox said he thought the handlebar of the motor cycle touched the side of the car as they were passing. He did not realise at the time that they were in a built up area. |
Casualty Record: | |
| Date of Death: | Sept. 9, 1942 |
| Company: | 49 TC COY |
| CWGC Link: | 2810018 |
| Cemetery: | NEWBURN (LEMINGTON) CEMETERY, UNITED KINGDOM 🇬🇧 |
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