TOPIC:

Thank you, Frank
The information I have on James's time with the Welsh Horse comes solely from the unit's War Diary held in Kew. I haven't looked at WO364 but from just now reviewing its contents on-line, it seems to be just the records of 70 individuals. I suspect I am doing something wrong!
I have also checked the Glamorgan Archives in Cardiff, but there is little on the Welsh Horse there apart from some photos of the unit, enabling me to say that I have seen my grandfather though sadly not knowing which of the several hundred he was (there are no family photos around)!
Regards
Chris

ROBERT COOK B. 06061876 Bishop Wilton.

He served in:

A Troop of The Mashonaland Mounted Police Reg no. 367.
E Squadron Matabeleland Relief Force.
Matabeleland Division of the BSAP Reg. No. 667
The Bethunes Mounted Infantry.
Colt Gun Detachment, The South African Light Horse.
French’s Scouts.
Steinaecker’s Horse Reg. No. 1584.
2nd Battalion The Essex Regiment L.Cpl. 15812


The following notes are a compilation of information that I have gathered relating to Robert Cook, his parents, and siblings.

Information has been gleaned from many sources including:

The Family Bible kept by Francis William Cook B1878.
Residents of Bishop Wilton.
A visit to South Africa in 2005 to trace descendants of the family.
KNYSNA and the ANGLO-BOER WAR, by Margaret Parkes and Vicky Williams.
The AngloBoerWar.com website, Forum: The Jameson Raid, Captors, Captives and Others. Special thanks to members Mike Rowan and DocCJ for their research.
SO3 Commemorations and Licencing, Joint Casualty& Compassionate Centre, Imjin Barracks. Special thanks to Miss R E Barron for her research and investigative work that led to the identification of Robert Cook's remains.

Robert Cook was born 06061876 at Cliff Farm, Bishop Wilton in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England

His parents were James Cook (17021846-1881) and Rebecca Cook nee Leak (1839-01071878).

In the 1871 census James Cook B1846 was shown as a butcher/farmer with 145 acres at Cliff Farm, Bishop Wilton, employing I man and 1 boy.

Robert's mother died 01 July 1878 of typhoid fever and heart diseases, when he was only 2 years old, which was just 3 months after she had given birth to my grandfather Francis William Cook. Her 21yr. old sister died just three weeks later.

Rebecca left behind 7 children ranging in age between 3 months and 9 years old.

They were: -

James Cook 29101868 - 15051915
Thomas Leak Cook 27121869 - 10081939
Richard Cook 23051872 - NK
Rebecca Cook 11111873 - NK
William Cook 10061875 - 20071946
Robert Cook 06061876 - 02051915
Francis William Cook 27031878 - 25041950

All the children were born at Cliff farm, Bishop Wilton, opposite St. Edith’s Church.

At 4yrs old (two years after the death of his mother, Rebecca Cook B1839), he left Bishop Wilton with his family, (except for my grandfather Francis William Cook B1878 and his sister Rebecca Cook B1873), and emigrated to South Africa under the British Immigrants Settlement Scheme. They travelled out from Hull on the TYNEMOUTH CASTLE and landed in Cape Town in January 1880. They were allotted the farm EDINBURGH (near Knysna) but did not stay very long owing to the very primitive conditions under which the family had to live.

James Cook B1846 died less than 18 months after arriving in South Africa (believed in a riding accident) as a notice in the Mossel Bay Advertiser dated 20061881 reads:

' DISTRICT OF KNYSNA. Destitute Children. Whereas James Cook, Thomas Cook, William Cook and Robert Cook, between the ages of 11 and 4 years, have been left in a state of destitution in this District, notice is hereby given that unless the said children be claimed within six weeks from this date by some relative or friend able and willing to maintain them, they will be indentured to some fit and proper person or persons according to the law. M. J. Jackson, Res. Mag. Res. Mag.'s Office, Knysna, 8th June 1881.'


JAMESON'S RAID.

I have no details of Robert's life between 1881 and 1895 but on 3 September 1895 (at 19 years of age) he became a member of A Troop of The Mashonaland Mounted Police (Reg no. 367) and took part in the Jameson Raid on 29 December 1895. He was one of the raiders who were taken prisoner at Doornkop on 2 January 1896 and then repatriated into the care of the British Army at Volksrust on 21 and 22 January 1896.

He was repatriated to the UK on the HARLECH CASTLE, and subsequently returned to Bishop Wilton where he stayed until he received a telegram asking if he wished to retain his employment in the BSA Company. He returned to South Africa on the TROJAN, sailing from Southampton on 4 April 1896.

On his return to south Africa he transferred to E Squadron Matabeleland Relief Force on 01 May 1896 and that year he qualified for the British South Africa Company’s Medal with ‘Rhodesia 1896’ reverse.

He saw active service at Thabas Amamba ( iNyati District) , the Motopos and Sekombe’s Kraal. On 11 November 1896 he attested into the Matabeleland Division of the BSAP ( Reg. No. 667) and was discharged at his own request on 11th May 1898.


BOER WAR

In 1899 he took part in the Second Boer War. He is listed as serving with The Bethunes Mounted Infantry from 19 October 1899 to 19 November 1900, spending part of this time with The South African Light Horse.

During the Boer War he initially attested into Bethunes Mounted Infantry and was later attached to the Colt Gun Detachment of the SALH. He took part in the relief of Ladysmith on 1 March 1900 and he was mentioned in Buller’s dispatch dated 13 September 1900. On 19 January 1901 he was discharged time expired from the Bethunes Mounted Infantry.

He signed on again with French’s Scouts and was slightly wounded at Boschmanskop , southeast of Springs, on 23 April 1901. Having recovered from his wounds, he transferred to Steinaecker’s Horse ( Reg. No. 1584) with the rank of Corporal.

For his service during the Boer war he was awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902 and the King’s South Africa Medal 1902.

His medal entitlement was: BSA Co. (1896 reverse). Tpr. MRF QSA ( Tugela Heights, OFS, Relief of Ladysmith, Laings Nek, Belfast) Tpr. BMI KSA ( SA01, SA02 ) Cpl. Steinaecker’s Horse.

He applied for his BSA Co. medal while serving with Steinaecker’s Horse in 1902. It would seem that after leaving the BSAP he was a prospector and miner.


WORLD WAR 1

Around the start of November 1914, Robert enlisted into 2nd Battalion The Essex Regiment in Cape Town.

He arrived on the Western Front on 14 March 1915 and the War Diaries of 2nd Battalion The Essex Regiment show that they moved into the front line near Ypres, an area known to the troops as 'Irish Farm', on 30 April 1915.

From the Essex Regiment War Diaries.

At 17:00 hours on 2 May 1915 the enemy attacked with gas. Much fighting ensued. By the end of the day casualties had amounted to 23 killed, 72 wounded and 175 missing. Lance Corporal Cook was killed during the course of this action.

The remains of 24 soldiers were found between 2014 and 2015, during groundwork at an industrial development at Briekestraat, just north of Ypres. The location, thought to be the original Irish Farm Cemetery, is an original wartime cemetery created by 1st Battalion The Royal Fusiliers under war conditions. Until the discovery, it was believed that all those buried there had been transferred to the New Irish Farm Cemetery, some 300 metres away, after the war.

Robert Cook was the only one to be identified.

Remnants of his medal ribbon bar had survived the hundred years of burial and they showed that he had been awarded medals for service during the Boer War. A process of elimination and good detective work by Miss R.E. Barron of the Joint Casualty& Compassionate Centre, Imjin Barracks, led to me being traced and Robert's remains being identified positively through DNA comparison.

Robert will be buried at 2.30pm. on Wednesday the 27 October 2021 in Plot IV, Row AA, Grave 18 in New Irish Farm Cemetery. This is in the same row as all the other casualties found at Irish Farm.

His headstone will read:

BORN IN BISHOP WILTON
SON OF JAMES AND REBECCA
A JAMESON RAIDER &
VETERAN OF THE BOER WAR


ORDER OF SERVICE

Lance Corporal Robert Cook
Lance Corporal Robert Cook was born in Bishop Wilton, Yorkshire, on 6 June 1876. He was one of seven children born to James Cook and Rebecca Leak. In 1878 his mother Rebecca died. James then emigrated to South Africa with his five eldest sons.
Having travelled to South Africa as a young boy, Robert served with various British Colonial regiments. On 29 December 1895 he took part in the Jameson Raid as a Trooper with A Troop of The Mashonaland Mounted Police. In 1896 he qualified for the British South Africa Company’s Medal with ‘Rhodesia 1896’ reverse, whilst serving with the Matabeleland Relief Force. In 1899 he took part in the Second Boer War. He is listed as serving with The Bethunes Mounted Infantry from 19 October 1899 to 19 November 1900, spending part of this time with The South African Light Horse. He is listed as wounded on 23 April 1901 at Boschmanskop whilst serving with French’s Scouts. For this service he was awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902 and the King’s South Africa Medal.
In November 1914, Robert enlisted into The Essex Regiment. He arrived on the Western Front on 14 March 1915. The War Diaries of 2nd Battalion The Essex Regiment show that they moved into the frontline near Ypres on 30 April 1915. At 17:00 hours on 2 May 1915 they were attacked with gas, they were shelled and then attacked by the enemy. By the end of the day casualties had amounted to 23 killed, 72 wounded and 175 missing. Lance Corporal Cook was killed during the course of this action.
Between 2014 and 2015 twenty four sets of remains were found during construction work at what is believed to have been the site of Irish Farm Cemetery. Irish Farm was in use as a Regimental Aid Post in May 1915. It had previously been thought that after the Great War the graves in Irish Farm Cemetery had all been moved to New Irish Farm Cemetery, a short distance away. Nineteen of these soldiers were buried in September 2017 with full military honours. A further four soldiers were buried in 2019. Lance Corporal Robert Cook is the only one of these twenty four soldiers to have been identified. He will now be laid to rest alongside his comrades.
Close to a location known by the troops as ‘Irish Farm’, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s New Irish Farm Cemetery was first used in August 1917 and by the war’s end contained 73 burials. After the Armistice, the cemetery was greatly increased in size when more than 4,500 graves were concentrated from several small cemeteries and the surrounding battlefields near Ypres.



WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OTHER SIBLING?

JAMES 1868-1915

James died 15 May 1915 at Swakopmund, German South West Africa ( Now Nambia).

A newspaper clipping supplied by Robert Cook B13061925 reads:

"We regret to record the death of Trooper James Cook (well known as Jimmy, of the Phoenix Hotel, Barberton), of Geyers Waterberg Commando, which occurred at Swakopmund on May 15th. The deceased was popular with all who knew him, and sympathy will be extended to Mr. and Mrs. Worthington in their loss."

His body lies in a Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery in Swakopmund.


THOMAS 1869-1939

Information from son, Robert Cook B13061925:

"Christened in York Minster.
Served with the British in the Boer war and the rebellion in South West Africa.
Also served under Colonel Plumer in the Matabele and Mashona war in Rhodesia.
He met my mother who was a prisoner of war in a concentration camp at Pinetown Natal and married soon after the war.
He passed away on Thursday 11.10pm August 10th 1939. "

Information from grandson, Thomas Leak Cook B11111944:

" Grandpa came to Cape Town with his father and one brother.(his father was a master butcher).He died suddenly and the two boys were destitute and worked as cattle herders and then returned to England. Grandpa joined the British army and returned to fight the Boers. He joined the BSAP Company as a trooper and escorted the Pioneer column to Salisbury. Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) He served in the Mashonaland and Matabeleland rebellions.He was with Allan Wilsons patrol chasing Lobengula. He was sent to get re-inforcements. The Shangani River came down in Flood and they were unable to assist Major Allan Wilson. He also was a scout with Frederek Courtenay Selous ( well known hunter and explorer) hence the name Selous Scouts. Chasing the Matabele and made contact with them in the Matopos under Col Pennyfather. He also escorted the train taking Cecil John Rhodes body from Cape Town to Bulawayo and then on to the Matopos Hills for burial."

He took part in the relief of Mafeking according to a book, KNYSNA and the ANGLO-BOER WAR, by Margaret Parkes and Vicky Williams.

He settled in Waterburg South Africa (his brother, James, was a member of Geyer's Waterburg Commando).

Buried in cemetery in Portgietrsrus.


RICHARD 1872-?

Richard became a baker in Nelson Street, Knysner.
He served as a Sergeant in the Knysna Town Guard in 1901.



REBECCA 1873-?

Rebecca Cook was left behind in the UK with an aunt, Mary Ann Leak B1828, in Church Street, Dunnington. Mary Ann Leak was married to Henry Taylor B1825, a farmer b. Holtby, York.

The 1881 census shows her living in Dunnington with the Taylor family whilst the 1891 census has her living as a boarder with the Barwell family in Walmgate, York.

In the 1901 census she was shown a living in Hayes in Middlesex with her husband, Frederick Stockdale (B1872 in Bridlington) and her two daughters Ivy and Dorothy. Frederick Stockdale is shown as being a harness and shoemaker and leather dresser.


WILLIAM 1875-1946

Was a leather worker and shoe maker in Millwood House, Knysna.

Orbituary in the Knysna Advertiser (26 07 1946) states that:

He grew up in Knysna and during the Boer War he served with the Lord Roberts' cavalry. At the end of the war he went over to England but did not stay long before returning to South Africa.
He was a staunch churchman and was for many years sidesman of the St. George's Church.
He was a semi invalid for three years preceeding his death but only laid up for ten days before his decease. Survived by his wife and three children.

Buried in a family plot in the Old Knysna Cemetery with his wife, Martha, her mother Annie, and his two infant children John and James Cook. The cemetery is a large sprawling site on treed slopes overlooking the lagoon and the family graves lie together under a huge old Oak tree.

In 1901 he was listed as a pte. in Knysna Town Guard and later transferred to Knsna District Mounted Troop as a sergt. He also served in the South Africa Light Horse under General Broadwood. He was awarded medals with clasps for Paardeberg, Driefontein and the relief of Kimberly.

Millwood House, Knysna, still exists in its original form and today it the site of the Knysna Museum.


FRANCIS WILLIAM 1878-1950

Francis William Cook (my grandfather) was left behind in the UK with the Clint family at no.16 Bishop Wilton. Mrs Clint was his aunt, Elizabeth Clint (nee Leak b1831), who was present at Rebecca's death.

Francis was only 3 months old when his mother died and only 2 yrs old when his father and brothers immigrated to South Africa.

At one stage he was employed as a rullyman on the railways in Sunderland but later returned to Painsthorpe near Bishop Wilton where he was a tenant farmer.

He served in WW1 (and survived), family photographs show him in the uniform of the 2nd Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment, Prince of Wales Own, 14th of Foot but I have more research to do regarding his military service.


Information compiled 16 October 2021 by Arthur Cook B.23051948, Orkney, UK.

Arthur
What a fascinating and detailed account of Robert Cook's life! You must have spent a long time producing that although I suspect you enjoyed it.
I'm pleased that the information on his return to South Africa was of interest to you. May I make a comment and pose a couple of questions, please?
It is interesting to see that Robert was only 19 when he signed up for the MMP. I have seen a couple of references in UK archives that the minimum enrollment age was 20. Do you (or anyone else) know if this was the case and if so whether it only applied to recruitment from the UK?
I see that you describe him as being in the Mashonaland Mounted Police, which is in agreement with the register of raiders on this and other websites. However, as I set out in another thread, all the contempory evidence which I have seen indicates that the bulk of the raiders came from the Matabeleland Mounted Police and there is not a single mention of the Mashonaland Mounted Police until the sometime in the 20th Century in a book authored by Dr Jameson's former private secretary (I think). Do you have any contemporary information on this? I am envious of your having obtained his registration numbers and enlistment dates, so perhaps the Mashonaland MP data came at the same time? May I ask if these details came from family sources or from a publicly available source that I might search for more information about my grandfather? Did they perhaps come with the identification of his body by the War Graves Commission?
A remarkable story - perhaps his re-burial might make the media next week.
By a strange co-incidence, I was on holiday in Yorkshire last week and passed within about 10 miles of Bishop Wilton

Chris,
I have no expertise in researching these matters, I am an enthusiastic but amateur gatherer of information for my Family History file and as such a lot of my information is 'stolen' from other peoples research efforts.
My information regarding Roberts date of birth comes from the family bible and it was entered by his father so I expect it to be correct. I have not yet obtained a copy of his birth certificate.
If the information regarding the date he joined the Mashonaland MP on 03091895 is correct then he was 19 years old when he joined.
The source of my information regarding his membership of the Mashonaland MP comes from the JCCC and is corroborated by Mike Rowan, but Robert Cook is not mentioned on the Unit Information for the Mashonaland MP on this site.
The South African Military History Society website, samilitaryhistory.org/vol125ds.html , has a fairly comprehensive account of the raid and shows that the raiders consisted of 372 officers and men of the Mashonaland MP together with 122 officers and men of the BBP.
Another website, www.keith-case.com/Matabele%20War/Jameson%20Raiders.htm , refers to a book dated 1930 by Hugh Marshall Hole that shows Robert Cook to be a member of A troop Mashonaland MP but the author of the website acknowledges that there is confusion amongst some sources between the Moshonaland MP and the Matebeleland MP.
I have an anecdotal account of two of the Cook brothers visiting Bishop Wilton. It came from an elderly neighbour in Bishop Wilton who died 10 years ago and it was an account of something that her father had told her. There is plenty of scope for inaccuracies but apparently it was after the Boer War (but taking account of the possibility that it may have been after the Jameson Raid, suffice to say that it was after a conflict that one or both had taken part in) and they left with her some spent ammunition casings that had been used in that conflict. In order to eliminate the possibility that it may have been after the Raid could you check your passenger lists, outgoing and return, to see what other Cooks were on board apart from Robert (or let me know where I can obtain passenger lists for myself). If I can eliminate that then I can start to enquire about after the Boer War. Robert joined the Essex Regiment in Cape Town after the Boer War and obviously travelled to England before joining the fray. I have no information about anyone accompanying him but ... you never know.
Regards,
Arthur.

Just to clarify matters, Robert Cook attested into the Matabeleland Mounted Police on 3 September 1895 ( no. 367). He transferred to E Squadron MRF on 1 May 1896. I wasnt aware that there was a minimum age requirement for joining the MMP, but I guess that he was only a few months off 20 so maybe they weren't about to get too strict in the application of that particular rule ( assuming there was one).
I am attaching the documentation relating to the issue of his BSA Company medal. This came from the Harare Archives a number of years ago. I'm not even sure that it exists as an operating archive these days.

Arthur
I hope the passenger list has now reached you. I don't have a comprehensive set of lists, just copies of the ones for those Raiders returning to South Africa for the Second Matabeleland War. I will assemble a summary of these travels and post them here. As I noted in my email to you, the only other Cook (and he was a Cooke) on the Raid didn't have the christian names of you relatives.
On the subject of Matabeleland vs Mashonaland Mounted Police, I posted here ( www.angloboerwar.com/forum/2-introductio...-matabele-vs-mashona ) a year or so ago the reasons why I feel it is Matabeleland - I have yet to find any contemporary source which says Mashonaland - Hugh Marshall Hole's book was published much later although I do conceed he was a good deal closer to events than me! I put these points to Keith Case, and he graciously inserted the caveat on his web site (so it's my fault!).
Chris