Pte 51899 William Cook

In 1901 the family is living at 49 Leadenhall Street, Everton, with six children. His father, James, is a 42 year old iron moulder, his mother is 37 years old. William is 5 and has five siblings in the household; James A. aged 12, George 10, Sarah 8, Alfred 3 and new born Henry.

 

Their youngest child, Agnes, was born in 1903 but sadly died at age 2.  The family were living at 6 Leadenhall Street in 1905.

 

The 1911 Census finds the family still at 6 Leadenhall Street, with six children at home. His father, 53, is still working as an iron moulder, his mother is 49. They advise that they have been married for 23 years and have had seven children, one of whom has died. James, 22, is a house painter, George, 20, is a stone mason, Sarah, 18, is a wards maid in the city hospital, William is 15, a messenger in a commercial office, Alfred, 13, and Harry, 10, are at school.

William enlisted in Liverpool initially joining the 6th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. After a transfer he was was serving was serving in B Company, 8th Platoon of the 17^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 51899.

He was killed in action on the 26^th March 1918 aged 23, during the German Spring Offensive. The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he served for nearly two and a half years, enlisting in about October 1915.

The Battalion diary for 26^th March 1918 gives an insight into the events of the day

MOYENCOURT – ROIGLISE – PLESSIER – PLESSIER FOLIES

During the morning the Battalion moved to FOLIES and took up positions west of the village. Later on 2 Companies under Capt. RIGBY-JONES were ordered to man some trenches E. of ROUVROY, the remaining Company  occupying trenches N.E. of FOLIES.

Battn. H.Q. in dug outs just west of the village. 

William now lies in Mezieres Communal Cemetery Extension, France where his headstone bears the epitaph:

“PEACE, HE FOUGHT TO ACHIEVE IT THAT WE MIGHT RECEIVE IT”

Mezieres was the scene of rearguard actions involving French and Commonwealth troops in March 1918. The village was taken by the Germans but was recaptured the following August. The extension to the communal cemetery was begun by fighting units in August 1918, and was increased after the Armistice when graves were brought in from a wide area south-east of Amiens. It was also known as White House Cemetery, from a house on the main road to the north. The cemetery contains 134 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 63 of the burials are unidentified but a special memorial commemorates one casualty known to be buried in an unnamed grave. The extension was designed by W H Cowlishaw.

He was initially declared Wounded and Missing on 26th March 1918.

His family made enquiries on 02nd August and again on 20th November 1918, likely with the British Red Cross, as no International Red Cross records have been found.

 

His death was later assumed to have occurred on or since 26th March 1918.

 

His documents were received by the pension office on 19th September 1918, perhaps indicating when he was officially declared killed in action.

 

His mother Agnes received his Army effects, including a War Gratuity of £13-10s, and a pension of 8/- a week from November 1918.  A pension card in the name of his sister, Miss Sarah Cook, 20 Waterhouse Street, Everton, shows that she was refused a pension.

 

His father died in 1931, aged 73, and his mother just two months later, age 67, still living at 20 Waterhouse Street.

 

William has not been identified on any memorial.

 

We currently have no further information on William Cook, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.