TOPIC:

It was nice to see that Arthur Cook lived to the ripe age of 100, passing away in 1974. What an achievement.

I wonder if any interviews or recording were made of him?

David

As far as I know, Cook left no recordings or written records of his life. The medals came with a newspaper cutting with a photo showing Cook and other ex-servicemen being introduced to King George VI during his visit to Pietermaritzburg in 1947.

Regards
Brett

PS The visit of the Royal Family to South Africa in 1947 was an historic event in being the last of its kind to South Africa. In 1948, the Afrikaner National Party came to power and Field Marshal Smuts and his party's strong ties to Britain became history. Up until then, South Africa had ranked with Canada, Australia and New Zealand as an ally Britain.

Brett,

It is a shame that these experiences were not handed down for posterity. Meeting the King must have been a momentous event for him and it is good that has been preserved.

Best wishes
David

Gentlemen,
I just think that this particular BSA medal is just so nice, it is certainly very rare indeed!

In fact, another brief glance at the Natal Troop shows a mere fifty men on their main roll and just fourteen more on their supplementry roll, interestingly, so many of them from Durban too.
Maybe, you did the right thing, Brett!

Although the BSACo Medal is indeed the star in Cook's medal group, his QSA should have been more revealing of his service than the no-clasp medal he was awarded.

Cook started his Boer War service with the Colonial Scouts (No. 162), which entitled him to a 'Relief of Ladysmith' clasp. Thereafter he served briefly in the Kimberley Regiment, which earned him a 'Cape Colony' clasp. He then moved to Julius Weil's Imperial Transport Service and the medal roll for this unit lists his entitlement to the 'Cape Colony', 'Orange Free State' and 'Transvaal' clasps, but these entries have been crossed out.

Cook was then appointed as Head Conductor in 17A Company, ASC, with the service number 1. Meurig Jones kindly explained that the "number 1 will be a "service number" in the sense that it was used to identify him, but he wasn't enrolled in the ASC as a regular soldier." Nevertheless, I like the number as it proves that Arthur Edward Cook was Number 1 in at least something during his long life.

Brett