Thomas Cooke, VC (5 July 1881 – 25 July 1916). Cooke was born in Kaikoura, New Zealand, on 5 July 1881, to an Englishman and his wife. The family later moved to Wellington and after completing his schooling, Cooke became a carpenter like his father. In 1902, he married Maud Elizabeth Elliott and the couple had three children. In 1912, he moved his young family to Australia and settled in Melbourne where he worked as a builder.
In February 1915, Cooke enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force. He was posted to 24th Battalion upon completion of his training. His posting proved relatively short-lived for after he arrived in the Middle East, he was transferred to 8th Battalion. His battalion arrived on the Western Front in April 1916.
Two months later, the battalion, as part of the 1st Division fought in the battle of Pozieres on 24 to 25 July 1916. Seeking to consolidate the Australian positions around Pozières, Cooke, operating a Lewis Gun, was sent forward with his assistants to secure an unsafe section of the line. He and his companions secured the area but was exposed to long range machinegun fire which soon accounted for all but Cooke. Even after running out of ammunition, he continued to man his post in the face of a German counterattack during which he was killed. He was recommended for the Victoria Cross (VC) for his actions. The award of the VC to Cooke was gazetted on 9 September 1916. The citation for his VC read as follows:
For most conspicuous bravery. After a Lewis Gun had been disabled, he was ordered to take his gun and gun-team to a dangerous part of the line. Here he did fine work, but came under very heavy fire, with the result that finally he was the only man left. He still stuck to his post, and continued to fire his gun. When assistance was sent he was found dead beside his gun. He set a splendid example of determination and devotion to duty
Today we lost: 905
Captain Richard Molesworth Dennys (Loyal North Lancashire Regiment) dies of wounds received at the Battle of the Somme on 24th July at age 32. He is Winchester College and St Bartholomew’s Hospital educated. He is a Great War Poet his poems being published in There is No Death:
Soldier-boy, at the edge of wood
Stretched on th tufty grass,
With a red wound there in your tangled hair
And Never a friend to pass,
The Sky isdark, it will rain tonight
And you are not very old,
So I bring green branches to cover you
And shelter you from the cold.
Soldier-boy, it’s a grim old world
Who knows that your life would have happier been
Had you lived to be a man?
A Great War Poet
A writer of musical comedies and publisher of many songs
Multiple families that will lose two and three sons in the Great War
The brother of a posthumous Victoria Cross winner
Multiple members of the clergy
The son of a member of the clergy
The son of a Surgeon General
Today’s highlighted casualties include:
Major Charles Comyn Scott Scott-Gatty (Hertfordshire Regiment) a son of ‘Sir’ Alfred Scott-Gatty, KCVO, Garter Principal King of Arms, and Lady Scott-Gatty, dies of an illness contract on service at home at age 33. In collaboration with his wife Muriel he wrote the words and music to several musical comedies and many published songs.
Captain Henry Brian Brooke (Gordon Highlanders) dies of wounds received on the 1st day of the Battle of the Somme at home at age 27. He is the son of ‘Sir’ Harry Vesey and Lady Brook. His brother Captain James Brooke was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross in 1914 and another brother will die in 1917 at home.
Captain Harcourt Sutcliffe Farebrother MC (Norfolk Regiment) dies of wounds at London at age 26. He is the grandson of the Reverend C. Farebrother, M.A., Rector of Truham-cum-Corby, and Chaplain to the Duke of Cambridge. He was commissioned in the Norfolk Regiment in November 1909, and served at Gibraltar, in Belgium, in India, and in Mesopotamia. He went to the Front in November 1914, and was three times mentioned in Despatches, and was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous bravery at Shaiba, in Mesopotamia where on 12th April 1915 he received the wounds from which he dies.
Captain Noel Cairns Clery MC (Headquarters, Royal Field Artillery) is killed at age 23. He is the son of the late Surgeon General J A Clery CB.
Captain Alexander Torrance Laing (Northumberland Fusiliers) dies of wounds received in action on 3th July at age 27. He is a Deacon in Holy Orders.
Lieutenant Frances Paul Hamilton Layton (Central Ontario Regiment) is killed in action at age 28. He was confirmed into the Anglican Church on 6th April 1914 along with Tom Pollard. Pollard will be killed in May 1917.
Second Lieutenant Ian Stewart Falconar-Stewart (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) is killed at age 24. His brother will be killed on Salonika in September 1918.
Private Victor George Dallimore (Royal Army Medical Corps) is killed in action at age 29 by shellfire while tending the wounded. His brother will be killed in July 1917.
Private Sidney John Isted (Royal Sussex Regiment) is killed at age 21. His older brother was killed in May 1915 at Gallipoli.
Private Wildred Cockroft (West Yorkshire Regiment) is killed at age 22. His brother will be killed in December of this year.
Private Herbert Briers (Northamptonshire Regiment) is killed in action. His brother was killed in May 1915.
Private John Gretland Veall (Australian Infantry) is killed in action. His brother will be killed in six weeks.
Private Arthur Walter Gotts (Lancashire Fusiliers) dies of wounds at age 21. His brother will be killed in March 1918.
Air Operations:
Royal Flying Corps Losses today: No losses recorded today
Claims: 1
Leutnant Hartmuth Baldamus claims his 3rd & 4th confirmed kills flying for FFA 20, one of his kills was a Caudron G4 north west of Verdun. When the war began, Baldamus joined the German Air Service. After scoring five victories with FFA 20, he was reassigned to Jasta 5 but failed to score as a single-seat fighting pilot until he was posted to Jasta 9 in November 1916.
Western Front
Verdun:
French take a redoubt west of Thiaumont (south-west of Douaumont, Verdun).
Somme:
Struggle for Pozieres continues; British gain some important advantages.
BEF has advanced 3 1/4 miles on 6-mile front, taken 11,119 PoW’s and 56 guns while engaged 16 German divisions (8 drawn into reserve); 2,090 British guns have fired 4.5 million shells.
Persistent German counter-attacks at High Wood and Guillemont.
Near Estrees, French capture enemy battery.
(see Somme special July 1st for more information).
Tunstills Men, Monday 24th July 1916:
Bivouac at Millencourt
The Battalion remained under instruction to be ready to move at short notice.
The men were at least able to enjoy some light relief in taking part in sports events organised by 8th Yorkshires. There were foot-races, boxing, throwing the cricket ball and other games, and a race for the transport mules. In a letter home, 2Lt. Bob Perks (see 16th July) told his Dad, “We are having quite a cheery time here” (I am greatly indebted to Janet Hudson for her kind permission to quote from Bob Perks’ letter).
Fierce fighting continued in and around the village of Pozieres; Australian troops who had occupied the village came under an intense German artillery bombardment.
Pte.. Fred Dyson (see 18th July), who had arrived at 34th Infantry Base Depot at Etaples six days earlier, competed his will, leaving all his estate to his fiancée, Edith Wilkinson. He would later be commissioned and serve with 10DWR.
African, Asiatic and Egyptian Theatres:
East Africa: NRFF (1,200 soldiers) defeats Captain Braunschweig’s Southern Detachment at Malangali, drives it towards Iringa. Belgian battalion takes Kasulu.
Sinai: 16,000 Turks advance to within 10 miles of Romani and entrench.
Naval Operations:
Shipping Losses: 2
Maria: Italy: The brigantine was sunk in the Mediterranean Sea off the east coast of Algeria by SM U-39, Kaiserliche Marine.
Mars: Norway: The sailing vessel was sunk in the north Sea off the mouth of the River Tyne by Sm U-19, Kaiserliche Marine, Her crew survived.
Political:
Britain: Record credit (£ 450 millions) voted in House of Commons. Total for 1916-1917 £ 1.05 billon.
Easter Rising Irish Home Rule debates until July 31.
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