Captain Ernest Richard Cooke
8th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's)
Killed in Action
Date of Birth: 1880
Place of Birth: Otley, Yorkshire
Date of Death: 26th April 1916 aged 35
Buried: Vermelles British Cemetery, France. Remembered on Seafront Memorial and St. James’ Memorial Window, Teignmouth, also in Teignmouth Old Cemetery.
Awarded the British War medal and the Victory Medal
Captain Ernest Richard Cooke age 35.
Ernest was born in Otley, Yorkshire in 1880, registered at Wharfedale in Quarter 1 1881; he was the eldest son of Richard and Sarah Cooke. In 1891 he was living with his family in Hanwell, Brentford.
By 1901 the family was living at 1 Grendon Villas in Teignmouth; Ernest was a student at Birmingham University, where he obtained a degree in chemistry. He later was a member of the staff of Messrs. Guinness and Co., of Dublin
Cap Badge of the Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's). ©IWM (INS 7230)
At the outbreak of the war he obtained his commission as lieutenant in the Royal Irish Fusiliers, and was promoted captain in January 1916.
He was one of 3 brothers serving in the British Army and was awarded the Victory and British medals.
His will shows probate granted on 13 October 1916 to Bernard Arthur Pardon, engineer, for a total of £1274.7s.5d.
He was killed in action whilst serving with 8th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers on 25/26 April 1916.
His Medal roll shows 25th, but 26 April 1916 is recorded on his gravestone.
The telegram to Earnest's family
Telegram reads "Deeply regret to inform you that Capt E R Cooke Irish Fusiliers was killed in action 26th April. Lord Kitchener expresses his sympathy".
Buried in Vermelles British Cemetery, France.
Remembered on Seafront Memorial and St. James’ Memorial Window, Teignmouth.
Grave Inscription reads: “The Path of Duty Was The Path to Glory”.
The Battle of Hulluch
Earnest's Medal roll shows the 25th April 1916 as the date of his death.
The 26 April is recorded on his gravestone.
The offical war diary page for the 8th Royal Irish Fusiliers does not mention the death of Earnest on those dates, but it is written "Our lines were shelled by the enemy but not much damage was done. There was a certain exchange of rifle grenades."
Gas attack photographed from the air © IWM (Q 27526)
At dawn the next morning, (27th April 1916) the German army began a machine gun barrage of the Irish Trenches.
It was followed by a heavy Artillery bombardment and an extensive launching of gas shells containing a mixture of Chlorine and deadly Phosgene gas.
It was said that the smoke and gas was so dense that the men in the trenches could not see more than three yards, and that men three miles from the front had to wear gas masks.
At the unearthly hour of five in the morning we were awoken by a fearsome din; all the guns talking at once. It was like a heavy thunderstorm; the whole sky crashing and rolling; the air full of shells...
Then it came. First thin broken wisps of greenish stuff and then stronger whiffs, until our eyes were all bloodshot and dripping....we are a mile behind the line here.
At War with the 16th Irish Division 1914-1918: The Letters of J H M Staniforth
Richard Grayson
The 8th Princess Victoria's Royal Irish Fusiliers were in the 49th Brigade.
Over 27-29 April 1916, 570 officers and men of the 48th and 49th Brigades (16th Irish Division) killed, and 1410 were wounded.
Captain Richard Ernest Cooke 8th Royal Irish Fusiliers (elder son) killed in action in France April 26th 1916 aged 35 buried at British Military Cemetery Vermelles
