TOPIC:

Hi

Does anyone have the roll and able to tell me how many men called Cooke are on it for colonial units please?

I have traced a scout called Cooke who I think is Sgt L Cooke of the Bechuanaland Rifles. There is a Cpl Cooke mentioned but Sgt Cooke did get promoted during the siege so may be him.

Thanks for the help.
Ryan

Ryan,

The Cook and Cooke recipients

2462 Sergeant Cook A J British South Africa Police
2553 Corporal Cook Frederick British South Africa Police
775 Private Cooke Daniel Cape Police
21 3rd Class Trooper Cooke James South African Constabulary
Captain Cooke Lionel George James Smith Bechuanaland Rifles - Sgt during the siege and DCM recipient
27 Trooper Cooke Walter James Protectorate Regiment Field Force

Thanks David. By reading further I have found more references to Lionel as the scout who then got the DCM and later promoted. Game Tree was a very intense attack it seems and he got onto the roof of the fort.

Sergeant Lionel Cooke was a mineral water manufacturer, with premises on Shippard Street.

Below is a photograph of one of his company's mineral water bottles, dating from around 1900.

With raised lettering, giving retailer's particulars: "COOKE & RILEY / MAFEKING / TRADE [diamond] MARK".

Bottle made by William Barnard & Sons, London (company dissolved on 25th June 1902).

After Lionel's death on 25 Oct 1953, his son, Ian Hay Cooke, sold the business to George Alexander McNicol.




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That is an excellent artefact, Neville.

Interestingly there was no man with the surname Riley in either the civilian side or military during the siege.