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Does anybody have any information on my grandfather William John Cook please? He was in the Royal Field Artillery during WW1 and served in India with them before that time. I understand that he was also in the Boer War as a drummer boy aged 9 but I have no information to confirm this. If anybody can help I would be most grateful.

Hi do you have his date and place of birth

Would need some more background on him to find the right man.

When was he born and where, who were his parents ,did he have siblings and if so do you have some names . ?

Hi Pamela,

just looked at http://www.forces-war-records.co.uk . There was a W Cook 1902 Boer War, who was a drummer in the Bedfordshire Regiment. Without futher details of his birth, where he lived etc, it will be hard to identify him.

That W Cook seems to have died, as he's on a memorial?

Name: COOK, W

Rank: Drummer
Soldier number:
Unit: 4 Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment
Notes:
Age:
Literary references:

Memorial:
West wall Hertford Library, Old Cross. Tablet. Borough Hertford HERTFORDSHIRE England

There is this one, but he seems a little old?

Name: William John Cook
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1887
Age at enlistment: 30
Residence: 15 Darrell Roa?? East Dulwic??
Document Year: 1917
Regimental Number: 210574
Regiment Name: Royal Field ??
Number of images: 17

He was married to Mrs Ethel Cook, but it doesn't look like he'd been in the army before, so probably not your man.

Two children, William Thomas & Bernard Henry.

Who and when did your grandfather marry?

His marriage certificate will give you his age, so you can work out a date of birth if you do not know it, and it will also give you his father's name and occupation which may help find him in the census records.

Another possibly in the Royal Field Artillery:

Name: William John Cook
Regimental Number: 123954
Regiment Name: Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery
Number of images: 4

This one also doesn't fit what you said as he enlisted aged 25 on 10/12/1915, and doesn't seem to have had previous service.

However posting for elimination purposes, so you know which regimental numbers are not his.

A third William John Cook in the Royal Field Artillery (or at least, another regimental number)

British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920

Name: William John Cook
Regiment or Corps: Royal Field Artillery
Regimental Number: 60725

Yet another...we need more information to work with.


British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920
Name: William John Cook
Regiment or Corps: RFA 148 Bde
Regimental Number: 69341

William Cook, 1892, London, is in Pamela's tree.

But then this one is the only one I can see:
Births Sep 1891
Cook William John Bethnal Green 1c 231

Thanks to you all - as you can see I am new to this.

My grandfather was William John Cook - born in Bermondsey 6 March 1892 - married Alice Beatrice Stocking 17 November 1912 - had two sisters Eliza (I think) and Emma, father William Edward Cook, mother not sure about at the moment but have his birth certificate somewhere in my boxes.

As far as I am informed he joined the army at age 9! to become a drummer boy during the Boer War but have not proof of this.

If this is of any help I would be grateful - will continue my hunt for his birth certifacte!

found the family on the 1911 census at 15 Gilhams Court, Rotherhithe, Bermondsey

Mr William E Cook 1865 rotherhithe working at the docks
Emma Cook wife 1867 rotherhithe - married 26 years 3 living children, 1 died
William John Cook 1893 rotherhithe dock worker
Elizabeth James Cook 1897 rotherhithe
Emma Georgina Cook 1899 rotherhithe

think wife Emma may have been Emma Wainwright married William Edward Cook 1884 Bethnal Green

Name: William Edward Cook - porter
Age: Full Age
Spouse Name: Emma Wainwright
Spouse Age: 19
Record Type: Marriage
Event Date: 16 Dec 1884
Parish: Bethnal Green St James the Great
Borough: Tower Hamlets
Father Name: John Cook - deceased, no occupation given
Spouse Father Name: George Wainwright - labourer
Register Type: Parish Register

Witnesses Alice Bacon and possibly W C Bacon (initials are a bit flowery)

1901 census 41 Neptune St, Rotherhithe

William E dock lab aged 36
Emma wife aged 35
Elizabeth J dau aged 4
Emma G dau aged 2
William J son aged 8

1891 37 Risdon St, Rotherhithe

boarding with the Norcutt family

William 1864
Emma 1866

think this may be William Edward Cooks' birth

William Edward Cook
Sept 1864
Lambeth
vol 1d
page 374

London, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906
about William John Cook
Name: William John Cook
Record Type: Baptism
Baptism Date: 22 Mar 1893
Father's Name: William Edward Cook <<Labourer
Mother's Name: Emma Cook
Parish or Poor Law Union: Rotherhithe All Saints
Borough: Southwark
Register Type: Parish Registers

Many thanks everybody - this all gives me something to work on. I am most grateful to you all.