Man Who Made Troops Laugh In 1914-18 Dead

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30960, 17 January 1966, Page 17

Man Who Made Troops Laugh In 1914-18 Dead

(N.Z. Preu Association) AUCKLAND, Jan. 13. The cartoonist who kept New Zealand troops laughing in the darkest days in the trenches during the First World War, died in Remuera last night. He was William Thomas Cumberland, who was 96.

When Mr Cumberland was in an Army hospital at Wal-ton-on - Thames, after the Battle of Messines, a doctor ran a competition between wards for paintings and carvings.

Mr Cumberland drew a Maori arch with charcoal and brown paper, which won him first Prize and was put at the entrance of his ward.

: Afterwards he drew many ‘cartoons depicting Army and hospital life which were published in Army papers and made into postcards. Mr Cumberland came with his family from London to Wanganui when he was five years old.

He left Wanganui 40 years ago where he was a carpenter and builder, in business with his father. He had a furnishing business in Pukekohe, and when he moved to Laingholm at the age of 75, he built his own house. Mr Cumberland was a racing cyclist in his youth and retained a lifelong interest in sport. Mr Cumberland was married for 60 years, and leaves two daughters.