Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Private F. Cook, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, who was killed in action on the Western Front on 16 May 1915

1914 Star (7043 Pte. F. Cook. 1/R.W. Fus:); British War and Victory Medals (7043 Pte. F. Cook. R.W. Fus.) good very fine (3) £120-£160

Frederick Cook served in France with the 1st Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers from 12 September 1914. Serving as part of 22nd Brigade, 7th Division, he arrived in time to witness the decimation of his Battalion over 20 days during the First Battle of Ypres; overrun at Zandvoorde Ridge on 30 October 1914, a later roll-call listed just 86 survivors from an initial strength of 1,450 officers and men.

Cook likely spent the winter and early spring of 1915 training new recruits; as a soldier with battle experience, it fell to Cook and his comrades to imbue the replacements with knowledge of trench warfare. Detailed to the British front line before Aubers Ridge in May 1915, he was killed whilst attempting to capture the strategically important high ground on the second day of the Battle of Festubert. On that same day, one of the draft, Company Sergeant-Major Frederick Barter of the 1st Battalion was awarded the Victoria Cross after capturing 3 German officers, 102 men and 500 yards of their trenches.

Aged 31 years, Cook’s name is commemorated upon the Le Touret Memorial.