Alderton's WW1 War Dead
Below are the biographical and military details of the sixteen men listed on the Alderton War memorial. I have also included two men whose names do not appear on the Alderton village memorial. Only one of the two Grimmett brothers appears on the memorial, so details of both are included below, and Jesse James, who was born in Alderton but lived in Stanton, where he is commemorated.
Private Frank Cook
Name/Rank: Private Frank Cook
Regiment/Battalion: 1st battalion Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
Service No: 36204
Date died: 29th June 1918
Buried/Commemorated: Aire Communal Cemetery, France
Commemorated: Alderton war memorial
Frank Cook was born in Alderton in 1894. He was the younger brother of Sydney Cook (see earlier entry). Frank’s parents Michael and Elizabeth had sixteen other children between 1883 and 1905. By 1911 Frank was 17 and living and working at the Beckford Hotel as an ostler/servant for the owners Frederick and Eva Pope. Frank married Elizabeth Nellie Moore on 20th September 1915 at Kings Norton Registry office, both their addresses are listed as 8 Harrow Road, Bournbrook. They are both aged 21 with occupations bricklayer/labourer and bullet examiner respectively.
Frank enlisted in the 1st battalion the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry (DCLI) sometime in early 1917 in Birmingham and proceeded to France several months later. The 1st DCLI were part of 95th brigade, 5th Division. According to the medical records of the 14th brigade Field Ambulance unit Frank was admitted on 7th December 1917 with PUO, or Pyrexia of Unknown Origin a common medical term for general illness such as fever and high temperature etc. He was later transferred to 59th Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) at Hesdin for further treatment.
On 28th June 1918 the 1st battalion Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry carried out an attack on the German positions at L'Epinette in northern France. The attack was a success, however the battalion suffered around 35 casualties either killed in action or subsequently dying of wounds. Frank Cook was one of those who died on the following day. He is buried at Aire Communal cemetery which was in the vicinity of several CCS in 1918.
Pension records for Frank (his brother Sydney’s details are on the same record) has Mrs. Elizabeth Nellie Cook as his widow, living at 8 Harrow Road, Bournbrook, Birmingham. There are no details on the card as to how much was paid. Electoral records show Elizabeth Nellie Cook still living at Harrow Road in 1939.
Following Frank’s death, the Army record of soldiers’ effects lists two amounts of £4 1s 6d & £4 10s that were paid to his widow Elizabeth in 1918 and 1919 respectively. The first payment would likely have been the remains of Frank’s army pay and the second a war gratuity paid out to soldiers and their dependants.
Frank was entitled to the two standard WW1 service medals, the Victory medal and the British War medal.
Frank is commemorated on the Alderton war memorial and is buried in Aire Communal cemetery, France.
Regiment/Battalion: 1st battalion Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
Service No: 36204
Date died: 29th June 1918
Buried/Commemorated: Aire Communal Cemetery, France
Commemorated: Alderton war memorial
Frank Cook was born in Alderton in 1894. He was the younger brother of Sydney Cook (see earlier entry). Frank’s parents Michael and Elizabeth had sixteen other children between 1883 and 1905. By 1911 Frank was 17 and living and working at the Beckford Hotel as an ostler/servant for the owners Frederick and Eva Pope. Frank married Elizabeth Nellie Moore on 20th September 1915 at Kings Norton Registry office, both their addresses are listed as 8 Harrow Road, Bournbrook. They are both aged 21 with occupations bricklayer/labourer and bullet examiner respectively.
Frank enlisted in the 1st battalion the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry (DCLI) sometime in early 1917 in Birmingham and proceeded to France several months later. The 1st DCLI were part of 95th brigade, 5th Division. According to the medical records of the 14th brigade Field Ambulance unit Frank was admitted on 7th December 1917 with PUO, or Pyrexia of Unknown Origin a common medical term for general illness such as fever and high temperature etc. He was later transferred to 59th Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) at Hesdin for further treatment.
On 28th June 1918 the 1st battalion Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry carried out an attack on the German positions at L'Epinette in northern France. The attack was a success, however the battalion suffered around 35 casualties either killed in action or subsequently dying of wounds. Frank Cook was one of those who died on the following day. He is buried at Aire Communal cemetery which was in the vicinity of several CCS in 1918.
Pension records for Frank (his brother Sydney’s details are on the same record) has Mrs. Elizabeth Nellie Cook as his widow, living at 8 Harrow Road, Bournbrook, Birmingham. There are no details on the card as to how much was paid. Electoral records show Elizabeth Nellie Cook still living at Harrow Road in 1939.
Following Frank’s death, the Army record of soldiers’ effects lists two amounts of £4 1s 6d & £4 10s that were paid to his widow Elizabeth in 1918 and 1919 respectively. The first payment would likely have been the remains of Frank’s army pay and the second a war gratuity paid out to soldiers and their dependants.
Frank was entitled to the two standard WW1 service medals, the Victory medal and the British War medal.
Frank is commemorated on the Alderton war memorial and is buried in Aire Communal cemetery, France.
