Private Herbet Cooke

Ancestor Details

Ancestor's Name: Herbet James Cooke
Ancestor's date of birth: 25/04/1870
Ancestor's date of death: After 1920
Cause of Death: unknown
Service and Life Before the Boer War: Storeman
Service Number: 67
Colony or State of enlistment: VIC, Place of Enlistment: Langwarrin
Unit: First Victorian Infantry Company
Rank attained in Boer War: LCPL, Date Effective: 1902
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): SSGT, Date Effective: 09/03/1915
Murray Page: 227 and 311
Contingent: First Victorian and First Australian.
Ship: Medic, Date of Sailing: 28/10/1899
Ship: St Andrew, Date of Sailing: 12/02/1902
Other Boer War Service: Served in 2 Bn Australian Commonwealth Horse as a Lance Corporal #460.
Memorial details: unknown
Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps, King's South Africa Medal with 1902 clasp. British War Medal.
Personal Characteristics Height 167 cm, weight 61 kg (1915), eyes brown, complexion sallow, hair grey (1915), very hairy.
Reasons to go and fight: unknown
Details of service in war: November 1899 - October 1900 with the first Victorian Contingent in northern Cape Colony including defence of Pink Hill where five killed (12 February), in Free State, and in east Transvaal; core of Australian Regiment November 1899-April 1900, converted to mounted rifles December 1899. March - May 1902 in the 2^nd ACH on Natal border and west Transvaal.
Service and life after the Boer War: Returned to Australia: 4 December 1900 on Harlech Castle. Was a member of the 56^th Infantry (militia) between the Boer War and WW1. Joined the permanent forces at Victoria Barracks Melbourne, on 9 March 1915, served until 14 March 1920; did not serve overseas. He was commended for his work with cadets, applied for a commission that does not appear to have been granted.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Valda Margaret McKenzie, Sebastopol VIC
Relationship to Ancestor: grandaughter

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