World War I Victoria Cross Recipient. Born in Cheshire, England, he served as a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy. On September 28, 1915, Lieutenant Commander Cookson was in command of the river gunboat HMS Comet at Kut-el-Amara, Mesopotamia, when ordered with other gunboats to destroy an obstruction placed across the river by the Turks. When the gunboats approached the obstruction, very heavy rifle and machine gun fire was opened on them from both banks. When an attempt to sink the centre dhow of the obstruction by gunfire failed, Lieutenant Commander Cookson ordered the Comet to be placed alongside. He himself, jumped on to the dhow with an axe and tried to cut the wire hawsers connecting it with the two other craft forming the obstruction. He was immediately shot in several places and died within a very few minutes. For most conspicuous gallantry, he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross on January 21, 1916.
World War I Victoria Cross Recipient. Born in Cheshire, England, he served as a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy. On September 28, 1915, Lieutenant Commander Cookson was in command of the river gunboat HMS Comet at Kut-el-Amara, Mesopotamia, when ordered with other gunboats to destroy an obstruction placed across the river by the Turks. When the gunboats approached the obstruction, very heavy rifle and machine gun fire was opened on them from both banks. When an attempt to sink the centre dhow of the obstruction by gunfire failed, Lieutenant Commander Cookson ordered the Comet to be placed alongside. He himself, jumped on to the dhow with an axe and tried to cut the wire hawsers connecting it with the two other craft forming the obstruction. He was immediately shot in several places and died within a very few minutes. For most conspicuous gallantry, he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross on January 21, 1916.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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