Cook, Alfred Reginald
3092 Corporal Alfred Reginald Cook - 4th Pioneer Battalion AIF
Alfred Reginald Cook was born in Fremantle WA on the 2nd June 1896 to James Preston and Fanny Cook. He had several siblings with, George (1886), James (1889), Percival (1891), Ernest (1894), & Ivy (1899).
Alfred grew up in Fremantle and was educated locally at Fremantle Boys Schol. The family lived at 52 Bellevue Terrace Fremantle. During his early years Alfred also served with the Naval Cadets.
Sadly his mother Fanny died in 1904.
After leaving school Alfred took up employment as a clerk and also joined the Australian Navy Reserve. He was a member of the Reserve for four years.
On the 14th July 1915 Alfred went to Perth to enlist in the Australian Imperial force. He was accepted as fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 7 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 126lbs;
Chest Measurement - 33-35 inches;
Complexion - Fair;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Fair.
Upon his successful enlistment Alfred was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the 9th Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion AIF. He trained with this group for the next few months but was then moved to the 10th Reinforcements to the 16th Battalion.
Alfred embarked with this group from Fremantle on the 13th October 1915 aboard the transport ship HMAT Themistocles. The journey to Egypt took three weeks and after arriving, Alfred and his group were sent into the AIF reinforcement camp.
As Gallipoli was going to be evacuated, there reinforcements were retained in Egypt until their units returned from the Anzac battlefield.
Alfred was only taken on strength of the 16th Battalion on the 5th February 1916. As a result of the amount of reinforcements available it was decided to expand the AIF with the result that the original 16 Battalions were to be split in half with one half to form a new Battalion.
When the 16th Battalion was split in half, Alfred went to the new unit, the 48th Battalion. He joined them on the 3rd March 1916. However he was only with them for two weeks as he then joined another new unit, the 4th Pioneer Battalion.
Alfred trained with the 4th Pioneers in the Egyptian desert for the next few months and during this period was promoted to the rank of Corporal.
On the 4th June 1916 the 4th Pioneer Battalion departed from Alexandria Egypt on a troopship bound for France, disembarking at Marseilles on the 11th June 1916.
After being disembarked Alfred and his unit were sent north to the Armentieres region. They would have their first experience of the Western Front in this sector. In mid July 1916 the 4th Division were sent to the Somme battlefield.
Alfred's unit began work at Pozieres in early August 1916 and continued through to September. Their work in building and maintaining trenches and communication avenues, was hard and often under heavy German shellfire. Fortunately Alfred came through Pozieres and Mouquet Farm unscathed.
After their ordeal on the Somme, the 4th Division were sent north to Belgium and what was a quieter part of the front line. On the 17th September Alfred was evacuated sick. He initially went to the 4th Field Ambulance and then to the 13th Field Ambulance. He was under the care of the Field Ambulance units for a few weeks before being transferred to the 18th General Hospital at Camiers. Alfred had been diagnosed with venereal disease and in November was transferred to the 51st General Hospital at Etaples.
On the 21st December 1916 Alfred was released to the 4th Australian Division Base Depot but was returned to hospital as he had developed mumps.
On the 26th February 1917 Alfred was sent to England and was admitted to Norfolk War Hospital. He remained there till the 9th March 1917 when he was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital.
On the 17th March 1917 Alfred was sent to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth. Due to his health issues Alfred's fitness level was downgraded meaning he was not fir enough to be sent back to the Western Front. He remained in England for the next few months, during which time he was sent to Montevideo Military Hospital at Weymouth with complications arising from mumps.
Alfred was also diagnosed with Myalgia and so it was decided by the medical authorities to return him to Australia. On the 27th August 1917 Alfred boarded the New Zealand Hospital Ship Pakeha and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle in October 1917.
Alfred was discharged from the AIF on the 2nd November 1917.
After returning from the war Alfred continued to live at 52 Bellevue Tce.
In 1919 he married Violet May Jessop in Perth and a son Arthur was born in 1921
Sadly, his father James died on the 7th June 1923.
By 1925 Alfred was living with his wife and son at Napier Street West Subiaco. In 1929 a daughter Alfreda Shirley was born.
14th November 1931 his wife Violet died aged just 34.
In 1932 he remarried to Eileen Butchart and they took up residence at 8 Waroonga Road Claremont. A son Colin was also soon born
During this time Alfred was working as a Commercial Traveller and Clerk.
On the 9th September 1941 Leonard enlisted for service to the Australian Army for the Second World War. He was once again passed as fit for service and was given the regimental number (W43407).
Alfred was posted to the 5th Military District Headquarters, initially as a Corporal but was then promoted to Sergeant and then Staff Sergeant. From 1941 to 1943 he served mainly in the Perth region but in 1944 was transferred for duty to the Prisoner of War Camp at Marrinup in the State's southwest. He also served in outlying Prisoner of War Camps at Meckering and Darkan.
Alfred was discharged from the Service in February 1945.
During World War Two, Alfred's son Arthur Cook enlisted in to the Royal Australian Air Force and turned into a very good and decorated pilot.
Sadly, on the 4th October 1943 Arthur Cook and his crew died over Germany when his Squadron was on a mission to Frankfurt. At just 21 years old Arthur Sydney Cook was a Squadron Leader with the awards of the DFC and DFM.
DFM Citation: “Sergeant Cook, an Australian, was posted to No 103 Squadron (RAF) on 13th October 1942, and since this date has carried out 18 sorties in Lancaster aircraft. Throughout his operational tour, this Non-Commissioned Officer has shown outstanding determination to press home his attacks with accuracy and to bring back a record of his achievements. He was particularly successful in his attacks on Milan on 14th February 1943, Turin on 4th February 1943, and Lorient on 16th February 1943. He is a keen and conscientious Captain of aircraft whose quiet confidence and courage have been an inspiration to the squadron and he is strongly recommended for the award of the DFM, 19th February 1943.
DFC Citation: “One night in August 1943, this officer piloted an aircraft detailed to attack Nuremburg. Whilst over the target area, the bomber was subject to heavy and concentrated anti-aircraft fire. In spite of this, Flight Lieutenant Cook displayed great tenacity and, at the third attempt, successfully bombed the target. This officer has participated in very many sorties and his determination to complete the allotted task, whatever the opposition, has set a very fine example.” (London Gazette 22/10/1943, Page 4673).
Squadron Leader Cook's Lancaster JB242 took off from RAF Warboys at 1829 hours on the night of 4/5th October 1943, detailed to bomb Frankfurt, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take off and it failed to return to base. All the crew lost their lives and they are buried in the Durnbach War Cemetery plot 9.G.1.
Alfred chose the simple epitaph for his son;
BELOVED SON OF MR. AND MRS.REG.COOK OF CLAREMONT, WEST AUSTRALIA
In 1950 Alfred had a plaque installed in Honour Avenue Kings Park in memory of his son Arthur.
1954 Alfred was still living at Waroonga Road in Claremont and lived there for most of his remaining years.
Alfred Reginald Cook died on the 2nd August 1966 aged 70. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.
Photo above from Daily News page 12 - 9th December 1944 issue - Alfred wearing his sons medals after receiving them at a medal ceremony from the Governor Sir James Mitchell.