John Cunningham, son of Michael and Margaret Cunningham, of Ashton-in-Makerfield, Lancashire enlisted into The Durham Light Infantry.He volunteered for airborne forces and qualified as a military parachutist on course 9, which ran at RAF Ringway in March 1942 and was posted to Signal Platoon, Headquarters Company, 4th Parachute Battalion.

Lance corporal Cunningham served in North Africa, Italy, Southern France and Greece.

he was killed on Operation Manna in Greece, on 12 October 1944, aged 27 years and is now buried at Phaleron War Cemetery, Greece.

Grave photo by Dave Finch.