Frederick Charles Cook

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Frederick Charles Cook

Postby Merrymac7 » Fri May 18, 2012 12:34 pm

Dear Sirs

I am looking for my great grandfather Frederick Charles Cook, born in Worcester on 8th October 1890. His obituary states that he was serving with the Worcestershire Regiment in the Great War in France and Belgium. That he won the Military Cross at Passchendale where he was seriously wounded. It goes on to say that during the Second World War he was employed by the Ministry of Information on Propaganda. The trouble is, I can't find him on any MC lists, I admit I may not have looked in the right places and I can't find his enlistment papers at all. I have found two Frederick Cook's in the Medal Rolls for the Worcestershire Regiment during the Great War: F Cook A/sjt Rg no 26011 and F Cook Pte Rg no 20781/242618. I can't find him in the London Gazette either and he doesn't appear on the Absent Voters list for Worcester like his two brothers. I do have a photo of him in his later years as Mayor of Hythe, Kent, wearing an array of eight medals starting with the MC, then a 1914 or 1914/15 star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Probably 39/45 Star, 2 WWII Campaign Stars and lastly a War Medal. By this time he is recorded in his obituary as being Colonel Francis Frederick Charles Cooke. He did become estranged from his family after his wife died in childbirth in 1919 and he had no contact with his infant son (my grandfather) who was brought up by Frederick's sibling Thomas Edwin Cook CPl Royal Engineers 119th Railway Co, in Worcester.

I would very much like to know if you can identify if either of these Fredericks are my great grandfather and if he was indeed wounded at Passchendale and awarded the Military Cross. Also, does anyone know of any employment records for the Ministry of Information or would it still be service records that I need to find? I am certain this is a very tall order and any help you can give me, will be most gratefully appreciated. Thanks.
Merrymac7
 
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Re: Frederick Charles Cook

Postby gilbo139 » Sat May 19, 2012 9:09 am

Merrymac, A quick glance through Stackes history which lists MC and MM winners from The Worcesters doesn,t show any Frederick Charles Cook as being a recipient, The 1911 census shows Frederick living at Cumberland House in Brittania Square in Worcester...a very nice area of the city if you don,t know it....perhaps his MC was won with another Regiment before transferring to The Worcestershire Regiment, his service papers from 1914 1918 do not appear to have survived the blitz however I expect Corona is on the case and will be in touch soon... regards Colin
gilbo139
 
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Re: Frederick Charles Cook

Postby gilbo139 » Sat May 19, 2012 12:36 pm

merrimac, Further to my previous the supplement to the London Gazette dated 1st January 1919 records.....T/Capt (A/Major) Frederick Charles Cook M.C. 209 FD Coy RE,....... His medal index card is available on Ancestry which records his date of entry as 28/1/16 and also mentions the DSO, it gives his retirement date as 4/2/22, still can't find a link with The Worcesters though.......might be worth trying The Great War forum... regards Colin
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Re: Frederick Charles Cook

Postby corona » Sat May 19, 2012 4:48 pm

I don't think A/MAJ. F C COOK 20TH FIELD CO. R E can be the one. His MIC records a DSO and MID plus the MC. His medal application is from a Birmingham address.
Frederick Charles Cook is proving an elusive individual .No positive WW1 details seem to exist and apart from a solicitor's request for information in 1962, I have found no
researchable career data on line. If merrymac has any additional information, not in his original posting, it might help in the hunt! Here is the 1962 request:-
COOK- Frederick Charles( ALIAS FRANCIS FREDERICK CHARLES COOKE) deaceased,born
8th October,1890, at 47, Forgate-street,St,
Nicholas U.S.D.,Worcester North. Will any
person or persons claiming kinship to the afore-
mentioned deceased please communcate with
Worthington-Edridge and Coley, solicitors.28,
Cheriton-gardens,Folkestone,Kent
corona
 
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Re: Frederick Charles Cook

Postby Merrymac7 » Fri Jun 01, 2012 11:28 pm

Thanks so much men for everything so far. I really appreciate it. He is certainly elusive! I have the 1911 census information and yes his family were fairly wealthy and his father was Mayor of Worcester for a few years and also a Freeman of the City. I've got a photo of him wearing his MC but apart from his obit stating that he served in the Worcestershire Regt can't find him anywhere. I do have a photo of him in dress uniform for The Queens Own Worcestershire Yeomanry Hussars but an extensive search of their archives doesn't list him as being with them at all. Plus they very kindly explained to me that if he won his MC at Passchendaele as stated in his obit, that he could not have been with the Yeomanry Hussars as all their Great War overseas action was in the Middle East. I don't know where to go next! Any clues or ideas very gratefully received. If you want any other information please don't hesitate to ask.
Merrymac7
 
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Re: Frederick Charles Cook

Postby Merrymac7 » Fri Jun 01, 2012 11:40 pm

With reference to the Solicitors notice in the paper, I did have that information. It was through this advert that my grandfather discovered his father had died. My mum and uncle have just returned from Hythe on a fact finding trip and have been to see someone at the Royal British Legion Club there. Apparently, there is an elderly member who may have some information for me that may help. He's not on email though so it may take a while. He is listed on the Mayoral Board at the Town Hall as Col. FFC Cooke MC. He emerged in Hythe in the late forties and was known there as Colonel Francis Frederick Charles Cooke. All very curious. I was really hoping the British Legion Club might have had his medals as he was President for years of this branch. Just for information, I know what a DSO is but what is an MID? Also, if he was seriously wounded wouldn't he show up on one of the miltary casualty forms? However, I don't know where to find them. Thanks again.
Merrymac7
 
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