Cooke, Allan James
No.46 – Trooper Allan James Cooke – 3rd Light Horse Machine Gun Squadron
Allan James Cooke was born in Hawthorn Melbourne Victoria in 1890 to John and Mary Cooke. While he was young the family moved across to Western Australia with the family setting up residence at 105 Mandurah Road South Fremantle, with John Cooke setting up a Grocery store. John Cooke would also later become a Fremantle Municipal Councillor. Allan was educated at Beaconsfield State School and after leaving school took up work as a farmer in Pingelly. Allan also spent 4 years of service with the 18th Light Horse Militia unit.
On the 19th October 1914, Allan went to enlist at Pingelly and was given a medical examination which he passed and so was accepted into the AIF. Allan was found to be 5 feet 9 ½ inches in height; weight of 150 lbs; chest measurement of 36 inches; fair complexion; blue eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Methodist.
Given his previous experience in the Light Horse it was only natural for Allan to seek selection in the 10th Light Horse Regiment. With the approval of Lt-Colonel Noel Brazier, commanding officer of the 10th, Allan was assigned to the Machine Gun section with the regimental no.46 at Claremont Showgrounds Camp.
The unit trained in WA at places such as Claremont, Fremantle and Rockingham until the beginning of February 1915. On the 8th February Allan and his machine gun section boarded the transport ship H.M.A.T. “Mashobra” in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for Egypt.
After their arrival in Egypt in March they would have seen the Australian infantry leaving camp for destination unknown. The infantry headed for Lemnos Island and the eventual landing on the Turkish coast at Gallipoli. News eventually came through to the Light Horse regarding the landing at Anzac and it would no doubt have been a frustrating time for them that while they were training in Egypt, the infantry were fighting for their lives at Anzac. In May the Light Horse were told that they would be heading to Gallipoli as dismounted infantry as the country was not conducive for horses.
On the 8th May 1915 Allan and his MG section embarked from Alexandria and made their way to Gallipoli. They were put into the line near Russell’s Top, Quinn’s Post and The Nek. The 10th were immediately drawn into the fighting at Quinn’s and on the 11th June 1915 Allan was wounded when a bullet scraped across his head, going to the depth of the skull. He was evacuated back to the New Zealand Field Ambulance hospital ship and evacuated to Malta, being admitted to St Andrew’s Hospital on the 20th June 1915. Allan was in hospital in Malta through to the end of August 1915, thereby missing his Regiments disastrous charge at the Nek.
On the 30th August 1915 he reported back in Egypt to Mustapha Barracks in Alexandria and on the 4th September was embarked back for Gallipoli, arriving on the 10th September 1915. He joined a depleted regiment who had just also been through the Hill 60 battle.
On the 29th October 1915 Allan was hit by a bullet through the neck and was once again evacuated back to hospital in Malta. He stayed here through November and was only well enough to embark for Egypt on the 4th December 1915. On arriving he was admitted to No.1 Auxiliary Hospital and on the 10th December was released from hospital and marched into the Overseas Base at Ghezireh. As Gallipoli was about to be evacuated he did not rejoin his regiment but waited until their return from Egypt to once again join them which he did in early 1916.
For the first half of 1916 Allan worked with the 10th Light Horse as they trained and also helped protect the Suez Canal by sending out patrols and also through garrisoning the Suez defence line.
A change of structure however would soon see Allan join a new unit. It had been decided that the Machine Gun sections of each Regiment would combine to form a Machine Gun Squadron, thus the MG sections from the 8th, 9th, & 10th Regiments formed the new Third Machine Gun Squadron. Allan and his section from the 10th were taken on strength by the new unit on the 23rd July 1916.
In early August 1916 the Light Horse fought against the Turkish forces in the Battle of Romani. The 3rd Light Horse Machine Gun Squadron supported the 8th, 9th & 10th Regiments in this battle. On August 9th the 3rd Light Horse Machine Gun Squadron’s war diary stated that;
“Left Dhahab at 0300. One section attached to each regiment, 8th, 9th, 10th, in touch with enemy at 0600. All sections opened fire at varying ranges from 800 yards to 1600 yards. The enemy here resisted strongly and were supported by heavy artillery fire. Our machine guns were effectively used.”
It then listed those killed and wounded among whose names was Allan’s. It actually listed him as being as killed in action but after being hit by a bullet through the pelvis (his third wound of the war) he was taken back to the 3rd Light Horse Field Ambulance where he died of his wound.
Allan was buried at a place called Hod-el-Hassanien in a service conducted by Chaplain C.M. Collick. After the war Allan was exhumed and reburied at Kantara War Memorial Cemetery Egypt in plot B.94.
His family put the following notice in the West Australian newspaper of the 15th September 1916 after news came though of his death.
“Cooke – On August 9, died of wounds in Egypt, Trooper Allan James Cooke, served through Gallipoli, dearly loved son of Mr. and Mrs. John Cooke, and loving brother of Will, Madge, Hazel and Hilda.
He fell a hero in the deadly strife
For King and Country he laid down his life.
His duty nobly done