1914 Star. No clasp (6119 Pte. F. W. Cook. C. Gds.)

Wounded-in-Action: Recipient reported Wounded-in-Action in France per casualty list of N.C.O.'s & Other Ranks released by Headquarters British Expeditionary Force under date 15 November 1914, and published in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph issue of, 9 December 1914

Killed-in-Action: No. 6119 Corporal Frank William Cook, 4th Battalion Coldstream Guards is confirmed being 'Killed-in-Action' in France on, 10 December 1916

Frank's body was recovered from the battlefield, and he now lies buried at the Guillemont Road Cemetery, France, where the fallen's life and supreme self sacrifice is commemorated in perpetuity by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. His memorial headstone is a 'Cross', inscribed with his service details and the below following epitaph, selected by his widowed wife, Mrs Lottie May Cook, of 28 Palmerston Street, Bedminster, Bristol, England:

Quote,

'Where I Am, There Ye May Be Also'. St. John XIV.3

Unquote.

Medals Verification: The recipient qualified for 3 x campaign medals in respect of his services during the Great War to which the recipients next-of-kin would have been entitled to receive, per the medal rolls of the Coldstream Guards cited below:

- 1914 Star. Awarded a dated clasp (MIC refers): WO 329/2420. Shows disembarked theatre of war 'France', 12 August 1914. Medal sent 21 August 1919
- British War Medal. Silver issue: WO 329/615. Shows last rank held as Corporal
- Interallied Victory Medal: WO 329/615. Shows last rank held as Corporal

A set of the recipients 'Guards' service papers - for his first period of enlistment - are extant and accessible on-line

Frank William Cook, the second son of George Henry James Cook (a former long serving Police Constable, who in 1911 was a 'Cutting Machinist' at a Bristol Chocolate Works) and Sarah Cook (nee Braids), was a native of, West Lydford, Somerton, Somerset, England, where he was born, in 1884. The 1901 National Census for England & Wales, records the Cook family residing at, Keinton Mandeville, Somerset, England, at which time, Frank was employed as a 'Carter', and was the eldest of 4 x children then living with their parents. Frank's sibling's living at home in 1901, were his 2 x sisters, Sarah Cook and Florence Cook, and his brother, Charles Cook. On, 31 December 1902, Frank, described as being 19 years and 11 month of age, and employed as a 'Carter', enlisted in the British Army, at, Somerton, Somerset, England. In his application he cited a preference for service with a regiment of the Corps of Guards. In-spite of being allocated the regimental number No. 4945, and sent to London to join the Coldstream Guards, his service career was short lived - as he, or rather his mother, paid GBP 10, and purchased his discharge from the British Army on, 21 February 1903, after only 53 x days service. Notwithstanding, his initial change of heart, Frank later, re-enlisted in the Coldstream Guards, at, Taunton, Somerset, England, on, 21 February 1905, at which time he described himself as a 'Groom' who was born at Keinton Mandeville, Somerset. The Guards records record both his earlier regimental number vis No. 4945 & his new regimental number vis 6119. Fairness seems to have prevailed at the time of his second enlistment, as notes in red ink in his service papers shows that a refund of GBP 5 was sent to his mother, after Frank had re-enlisted in the British Army. On, the outbreak of the Great War in August 1914, Frank, an Army Reservist, was mobilized and recalled to 'The Colours' being posted to his old corps the Coldstream Guards. Frank was a very early entrant to the fighting in France & Flanders, qualifying for the dated clasp to his 1914 Star. Fortunate to survive the opening years of the Great War, Frank was subsequently promoted Corporal and posted the 'War Raised' 4th Battalion (Pioneers) Coldstream Guards (raised on, 17/07/15, sent to France 15/08/1915, where it joined the Guards Division), with which unit he was 'Killed-in-Action', in France, on, 10 December 1916

Condition: About EF

Code: 24523