Fred Cooke
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Fred Cooke was born in Bradgate, Rotherham, Yorks in 1883. He was the son of Joseph and Caroline Cooke. He was married Mary Crookes in Rotherham in 1909 and had a son, Joseph also born in Rotherham. Fred was already a coal miner when the three of them moved to Worksop around 1910. They lived at 22 Allen Street and Fred continued to make a living by working at Manton Colliery. They later moved to Netherton Road before Fred was called up. After the war and the death of Fred, his wife Mary, married George Chambers in Worksop in 1919.
Gunner Fred Cooke Worksop Guardian 27 October 1916 Amongst the many men of Manton Pit who joined the Army in the earliest stages of the war, was Gunner Fred Cooke, of the R.F.A., who resided at 4, Netherton Place, Worksop. He was a National Reservist with seventeen years service, and was called up on the declaration of war, and soon went to France. There he fought through the Mons retreat, and the black days of the opening stages of the war, and was wounded at Ypres on Christmas Day, 1915. His injuries on that occasion necessitated four operations, but he recovered and rejoined his Battery. Last Whitsuntide, he was granted a short leave of absence, and he came home. Returning to the front, his wife last heard from him on Sept, 21st. and the War Office have now officially conveyed the news to her that her husband was killed in action on Sept, 25th, but the place is not stated. Under ordinary circumstances, Gunner Cooke’s period of service would have expired a fortnight after he was killed. He leaves a widow and one child, seven years of age, with whom much sympathy is expressed. Gunner Cooke was 35years of age, and lived in Worksop about six and a half years previous to being called up.
CWG additional information:- Son of Joseph and Caroline Cooke; husband of Mary Chambers (formerly Cooke), of 46, Grafton St., Worksop, Notts. Commemorated on the Theipval Memorial. Research by Colin Dannatt
