Ernest William Cunnington was the son of Horace Cunnington and his wife of Braunston. After school he went to work for Viscount Churchill and then entered the motor department of the Great Western Railway Company to learn motor engineering. Later he went on to the Birmingham Midland Motor Company as a motor mechanic. Ernest enlisted as a driver in the 44th Company Army Service Corps on 17 April 1915, and was sent out to France where he served until 1 March 1917. George Phillips writes: "Never very robust, after two severe winters he caught colds, one after the other which brought on complications, and he was invalided home. He died 21 March 1917 at the 1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham, and is buried at home in Braunston." His workmates sent a floral tribute for his grave, and one of them writing to his parents said: "We realise that the example he set was a true and noble one, and I am sure the world is sweeter through that example of true life he led while among us."  His grave is in the north-east part of Braunston churchyard.