World War I Victoria Cross Recipient. He was born and educated at Kaikoura, New Zealand. He later moved to Wellington where he married Maud Elizabeth Elliott on June 4, 1902. He was a carpenter who was also an excellent cornet player and member of the Wellington Garrison Band. In 1912, he migrated to Melbourne, Australia, with his wife and three children. He was living in Richmond, a Melbourne inner suburb, and working as a builder when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on February 16, 1915. He was allotted service number 3055 and posted to the 24th Australian Infantry Battalion. He embarked from Melbourne aboard the HMAT A73 Commonwealth on November 26, 1915. On arrival in Egypt, he was transferred to the 8th Battalion at Serapeum in the Suez Canal Zone. The battalion sailed from Egypt on March 26, 1916, and arrived at Marseilles, France, on March 31. In mid-July, the 1st Australian Division including the 8th Battalion moved to the Somme attacking at Pozières on July 23. The next night, July 24-25, 1916, the 8th Battalion advanced through the village under heavy artillery fire. Cooke was ordered, with his Lewis-gun team, to a dangerous part of the newly-captured line. There was little cover. Heavy enemy fire killed all his companions, but he continued to hold out alone. When assistance finally reached him, he was found dead beside his gun. For his gallantry he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. His body was not recovered and his name is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, the main Australian memorial to the missing in France. His widow received the Victoria Cross from the Governor General of New Zealand in 1917, and the medal is today on display at the National Army Museum, Waiouru, New Zealand.
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Service No: 3055
Age: 35
Regiment/Service: Australian Infantry, A.I.F., 8th Bn.
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Service No: 3055
Age: 35
Regiment/Service: Australian Infantry, A.I.F., 8th Bn.
World War I Victoria Cross Recipient. He was born and educated at Kaikoura, New Zealand. He later moved to Wellington where he married Maud Elizabeth Elliott on June 4, 1902. He was a carpenter who was also an excellent cornet player and member of the Wellington Garrison Band. In 1912, he migrated to Melbourne, Australia, with his wife and three children. He was living in Richmond, a Melbourne inner suburb, and working as a builder when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on February 16, 1915. He was allotted service number 3055 and posted to the 24th Australian Infantry Battalion. He embarked from Melbourne aboard the HMAT A73 Commonwealth on November 26, 1915. On arrival in Egypt, he was transferred to the 8th Battalion at Serapeum in the Suez Canal Zone. The battalion sailed from Egypt on March 26, 1916, and arrived at Marseilles, France, on March 31. In mid-July, the 1st Australian Division including the 8th Battalion moved to the Somme attacking at Pozières on July 23. The next night, July 24-25, 1916, the 8th Battalion advanced through the village under heavy artillery fire. Cooke was ordered, with his Lewis-gun team, to a dangerous part of the newly-captured line. There was little cover. Heavy enemy fire killed all his companions, but he continued to hold out alone. When assistance finally reached him, he was found dead beside his gun. For his gallantry he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. His body was not recovered and his name is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, the main Australian memorial to the missing in France. His widow received the Victoria Cross from the Governor General of New Zealand in 1917, and the medal is today on display at the National Army Museum, Waiouru, New Zealand.
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Service No: 3055
Age: 35
Regiment/Service: Australian Infantry, A.I.F., 8th Bn.
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Service No: 3055
Age: 35
Regiment/Service: Australian Infantry, A.I.F., 8th Bn.
Bio by: Anthony Staunton
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