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Private COOK ( P , G or even Elijah , train accident death

PostPosted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 5:32 pm
by bts70
Hello all

New to the forum, this my first post. Researching the village memorial I came across a head scratcher, one of the lads is on the memorial as

P COOK , also referred to as Percy cook in the memorial book. Other details obtained were

PERCY COOK. 2/8th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment killed by accident on the 26th November 1918. Son of Thomas and Ellen of Pavenhill. Buried somewhere in France

I Searched the CWGC site without success until I used the date of his recorded death in the village book to confirm this being my man

Private G COOK
43258, 2nd/8th Bn., Worcestershire Regiment
who died on 26 November 1918
Remembered with honour
TERLINCTHUN BRITISH CEMETERY, WIMILLE

Now then, added to this I have a picture of his headstone & it reads

G COOK, I accept this may well be one of those mistakes made but there is more.

His MIC has him listed as ELIJAH, as does SDGW ???????? further research followed & I now know that he died on the 26th November Percy was killed along with at least 4 other servicemen from his Regiment 201334 Private V BIRCH, 200616 Private WILLIAM HENRY BLOOMER, 43272 Private C A H MILES and 17912 Private L WINWOOD in a tragic train accident.

Can anyone please assist me in working out his real name at all, why would his MIC state Elijah but not his headstone etc ??

Also does anyone have any details as to the trajic train accident that killed him and his fellow Worcestershire regt soldiers

Best Regards

soldiers died

PostPosted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 11:38 am
by CPLCLIVE
Hi
I have been through my copy of Soldiers of the Worcestershire Regiment
Who died in the Great War and cannot find anything at all on the names you have listed.So I think your best bet is to contact RHQ at Norton Barracks they may know of this incident and no doubht a lot more about the deaths of these soldiers. You can do this from the opening page of this site .The Regimental Archives at Norton are run by volunteers and costs money to keep in order so it is nice to send a small monetry contribution when they send any information
All the very best
Clive

PostPosted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 12:13 pm
by bts70
Clive

Many thanks for your reply, that will be my next step. I have come across similar name anomalies during research but this one is a 3 way twist. I havn`t as yet looked into the family background yet either to try & trace back any brothers etc he may of had, whatever answers i get i will post on this thread.

many thanks again

Best Regards
Bob

PostPosted: Tue Jul 29, 2008 11:52 am
by scully
Hi,

Below is an extract from the Regimental History:

The 2/8th Battalion ( 61st Division ) moved back to Cambrai by a two-day march on November 14th and 15th (1918).
Together with the other battalions of the 61st Division, the 2/8th Worcestershire remained billetted in that wrecked city for over a week. Then orders came for the Division to move right back for training, and rest. The 182nd Brigade entrained on November 24th and were carried back by way of Denain and Douai to Arms. Thence next day the train journey continued, through St. Pol and Frevent to Auxi-le-Chateau. Just outside that station occurred a disastrous accident. The railway engine left the line, coaches violently collided and one of them was crushed. Five soldiers of the Battalion were killed and six more were seriously injured.
The Battalion perforce detrained and marched to its destination, Cramont, where late in the afternoon the companies found billets.

Regards,

Louis

PostPosted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 2:18 pm
by bts70
Scully

That is exactly the sort of information i was after, many thanks for your time, half the detail i require found, now just the nameing problem !!!

Best Regards

Bob

PostPosted: Mon Sep 07, 2009 9:57 pm
by bts70
Just an update, been delayed due to being away again

I have confirmed (by birth & death certificates) that the correct name is Elijah. Where Percy comes from i don`t know, maybe a family name he had for whatever reason, the G COOK on headstone appears to be a stonemasons / CWGC records misprint.

I have sent all details i have to the CWGC & hopefully when possible Elijah will be remembered with the correct initial on his headstone & the records updated with the details i have confirmed.

Masny thanks for your time

Best regards

Bob Lloyd

PostPosted: Tue Sep 08, 2009 10:07 am
by Mike Jones
Well done son. I am always pleased when I see someone determined to remember a Great War Soldier properly. Bob really gave it the best shot. So many people just "Trifle" at it, as it is the "In" thing to do.
I was particularly saddened by this case. These men (Elijah was one of at least five who died) had fought in and survived the Great War, only to die on the train ride home.
Rest In Peace Elijah Cook, Vernon Birch, William Bloomer, Charles Miles and Leonard Winwood.

P.S. If you are ever in Calais or Boulogne and have time to spare, give these men a visit. The cemetery they are in, Terlincthun, is about 1 mile outside of Boulogne on the coast road to Calais. Beautiful view as well.
Regards Mike

PostPosted: Mon Dec 07, 2009 8:20 pm
by bts70
Born and then named Elijah Cook:24th February 1900.

Still not found why he is recorded in the Village as percy & therfore on the War Memorial as P COOK

Died named Elijah Cook in a train accident: 26th November 1918.

For many years he was laid to rest beneath a headstone inscription G Cook, today i recieved confirmation that his details have been changed to reflect his correct initial and therfore in the fullness of time his headstone will also be altered.

A small detail but one that had to be corrected, many thanks for the CWGC for swiftly assisting me with how to go about getting the detail changed, it cost me money getting the certificates but was worth it, i am sure that others who have done a similar thing will agree..

Bob

PostPosted: Mon Dec 07, 2009 9:19 pm
by allanp
Congratulation and well done Bob.

It is important that these “seemingly” small things are corrected for their memory & future generations. These Lads gave so much that the least we can do is to remember them correctly.

I'll bet that Elijah is really chuffed.

Regards Allan

PostPosted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 9:07 am
by beardie
?="allanp"? and well done Bob.

It is important that these “seemingly” small things are corrected for their memory & future generations. These Lads gave so much that the least we can do is to remember them correctly.

I'll bet that Elijah is really chuffed.

Regards ?/?

100% agree with allan

great work bob!