Name
Arthur Benjamin Cook
31 January 1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
06/04/1918
27
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
2643
Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
52nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DOULLENS COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION NO.1
VI. D. 42.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Buntingford memorials
Pre War
Arthur Benjamin Cook was born in Wood Green, Essex, England on 31 January 1891 the son of Arthur and Mary Cooke, and baptised on 29 March 1891 at All Saints Church, Great Chesterford, Essex.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at 4 Westbourne Terrace, Tottenham, Middlesex where his father was working as a butcher. By 1901 they had moved to 9 Whittington Road, Wood Green, Middlesex
He emigrated to Australia and was working as a farmer (age 25) on enlistment. CWGC records his mother as Mrs M. S. Cook, of Norfolk Road, High Street, Buntingford, Herts, England.
Wartime Service
He enlisted on 9 May 1916, joining the 11th Depot Battalion as a Private until 2 August 1916. he was then transferred to the 6th Regiment, 52nd Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force.
He embarked from Sydney sailing on the troopship A40 Ceramic, from 6/7 October 1916, and disembarking in Plymouth, England on 21 November 1916. Just over a month later he sailed to France from Folkestone, Kent on SS Princess Victoria and was taken on strength of the 52nd Battalion on 2 January 1917. On 11 November 1917 he was detached to the 2nd Army School of Instruction in France and re-joined his unit at the end of the month.
He was wounded in action on 5 April 1918 whilst on detachment with the 13th Infantry Brigade as Observer and suffered shell wounds to the face and both feet which were severed. Arthur was admitted to the 3rd Canadian Stationary Hospital and died of his wounds the following day, aged 27. He is buried in Doullens Communal Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
His next of kin on enlistment was Arthur John Cook, 8 West Green Road, South Tottenham, later of 17 Cromwell Road, Upper Holloway, London.
His mother's address on Australian records is recorded as Mrs Cook, Summerlee Hospital, Fortis Green Road, East Finchley, London. She wrote to the army saying she had been in hospital for 8 months and was to be discharged but could not walk at all and only had one son to support two children, 11 and 13 as husband had died.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, Carol Emery
