Pedzisa mutsara unotevera: Akaberekerwa muMillicent, South Australia, Cumming akatamira kuWestern Australia nemhuri yake achiri muduku. Akaita kutanga kwake kwepamusoro kwePerth Football Club muWest Australian Football League (WAFL) pazera remakore gumi nemashanu, achiri mudzidzi wechikoro chesekondari. Muna 1911, Cumming akatamira kuMelbourne kunopinda University of Melbourne, achitamba mwaka miviri yeUniversity Football Club muVictorian Football League (VFL). Iye ipapo akadzokera kuPerth uye akatamba mumwe wokupedzisira WAFL mwaka muna 1914. Cumming akanyoresa muAustralia Imperial Force gore rimwe chetero, uye akashanda muGallipoli Campaign uye kuWestern Front. Akapiwa Military Cross muna 1917, uye akagamuchira bhawa gore rakatevera. Akafa nemaronda pashure pokunge
Hondo Yechipiri yeVillers-Bretonneux.