Private 9283 James Thomas Cook

Killed in Action on Saturday, 23rd June 1917, age 20.
Buried in Grave II. A. 9. at Croisilles Railway Cemetery, Pas De Calais, France.

1st Bn., South Staffordshire Regiment. 91st Brigade of 7th Division.

Son of James Cook.
Born: Brierley Hill, Enlisted: West Bromwich, Resident: Great Bridge.

First landed France & Flanders, 2nd October 1915.
Medal entitlement: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the St. Peter's, Greets Green Memorial.
Commemorated here because identified as Tipton on 'Soldiers Died in the Great War'.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/316728/

Genealogical Data

Birth of James Thomas Cook registered September quarter 1896 in Stourbridge.

1901 Census
58 Horseley Road, Tipton, Staffs.
Living with her parents Daniel and Dinah Mallen, were:
Harriet Cook (24, Married, born Dudley), and her 2 children: James T. Cook (5, born Brierley Hill), and Lucy Cook (2, born Tipton).

1911 Census
58 Horseley Road, Tipton, Staffs.
Living with their grandparents Daniel and Dinah Mallen were:
James Thomas Cook (14, Labourer, born Brierley Hill), Daniel Cook (8, born Tipton), Florence Cook (6, born Tipton), William Cook (5, born Tipton), and Louis Cook (2, born Tipton).

Personal Data

James's surname is correctly spelt as Cook, but his Medal Index Card and Death Plaque (owned by his family) is spelt as Cooke.

After James's death his outstanding Army pay and allowances amounted to £24/2/0d (24 pounds and 2 shillings); in February 1918 this was paid to his father James Cook. James's War Gratuity amounted to £13/10/0d (13 pounds and 10 shillings), this was also paid to his father in October 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that James enlisted in August 1914.

Action resulting in his death

There were only 2 men from the 1st South Staffs killed in June 1917, both recorded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on the 23rd June. These men were Pte. Lloyd (Tipton) and Pte. Cook (Gt Bridge). The War Diary has one man killed on June 22nd and another on June 23rd. A letter to Pte. Lloyd's parents mentions "..met his death on June 24th whilst proceeding to the trenches..", I think it most likely that Leonard Lloyd was killed on June 22nd during the relief of the 2/7th London Regiment, and Pte. Cook was killed on June 23rd when "Enemy sniping very heavy".

Both Jim Cook and Leonard Lloyd are buried in Croisilles Railway Cemetery.

1st South Staffs War Diary
21st June: The Battalion moved from Courcelles to billets in St. Leger and relieved the 5th London Rifle Brigade.
22nd June: The Battalion relieved the 2/7th London Regiment in front line. Quiet relief. Casualties; 1 Other Rank killed.
23rd June: Enemy sniping very heavy to begin with but reduced to practically nil. Front line trench dug through so that men could walk about in relative safety. Casualties; 1 Other Rank killed, 3 Other Rank wounded.

Newspaper Cuttings

None.