This site commemorates the men and women of Collingham, Linton and Micklethwaite who served during World War 1.
Cook, William ('Willie')
(1891-?)
 

Rank and Unit at End of World War One

Rank Private

Service Number 853252

Service Army

Battalion 117 Battalion

Regiment Canadian Infantry

Other service during World War One
Information from Medal Index Cards (WO372), Medal Rolls (WO329), Service Records (WO363) and/or Pension Records (WO364) held by The National Archives.
Rank Number Unit
Pte 853252 3rd Res Battalion Canadian Infantry
Private 853252 123rd Battalion Canadian Infantry
Private 853252 177 Battalion Canadian Infantry
Private 853252 9th Canadian Engineering Battalion
Pre-war Occupation*/marital status**

Trade or Occupation pre-war: Railway employee
Marital status: Married


* Taken from attestation papers or 1911 census
** Marital status on enlistment or at start of war
Connection with Collingham, Linton or Micklethwaite and reason for inclusion on this web site
  • Lived in Collingham, Linton or Micklethwaite immediately prewar or during the war
  • Named as an Absent Voter due to Naval or Military Service on the 1918 or 1919 Absent Voter list for Collingham, Linton or Micklethwaite

Biography

On the 13th September 1918, The Wetherby News reported the wounding of Pte. Willie Cook:

Wetherby News September 13th 1918

COLLINGHAM

Pte. Willie Cook, second son of Mr and Mrs P. Cook, Church Street, has been wounded in the jaw, right shoulder, and right thigh, and is in hospital at Pendleton, Manchester. Pte. Cook was in the States when war broke out, but went across the border and joined the Canadian Forces. He completed his training in England, and went overseas early this year.

Family background

From this information we were able to identify William 'Willie' Cook as being born in Seaton Ross on the 21st July 1891, the son of Peter and Mary Cook. William Cook is therefore the brother of Harry Cook whose story and service are told on a separate page

In 1901, William was living at Station Cottages, Newton Kyme, Tadcaster, but by 1911, he was working as a servant - a waggoner on the farm - of John Henry Hairsink at Bagley, Tickhill, Rotherham.

William Cook's Canadian Military Service record has survived and show that he enlisted on the 29th April 1916 in Barrie Ontario and served with the service number 853252 in the 9th Canadian Engineers Battalion. It shows that at the time of enlistment, Willie had been living at Brock Street, Barrie, Ontario with his wife, Elizabeth Cook. The record also confirms that Willie was wounded on the 13th September 1918.

Willie's record also shows that he had initially joined and served in the 3rd Reserve Battalion of the Canadian Infantry, before joining 123 Battalion and then 177th Battalion of the Canadian Infantry, before his move the the engineers.

Willie's record also provides a reason why he might have been in North America - his civilian occupation is given as 'railroad' so he may have moved to America to work on the railways.

We do not know exactly when Willie emigrated.

After the war

After the war, Willie returned to Canada.

On the 29th January 1919, he arrived at Buffalo, USA giving his occupation as a miner and he entered the USA, and made a declaration for naturalisation in the USA on the 31st January 1919 at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

In 1921, William's father Peter Cook died and was buried in Collingham churchyard.

Biography last updated 27 January 2020 17:43:47.


Sources

1911 Census. The National Archives. Class RG14 Piece 28142

If you have any photographs or further details about this person we would be pleased to hear from you. Please contact us via: alan.berry@collinghamanddistrictwararchive.info