COOKE, Herbert William Allen

COOKE, Herbert William Allen – A Southern Downs Veteran

CONFLICT : WWII
SERVICE NO : QX1239
RANK : Gunner
UNIT : 1st Anti-Tank Regiment
ENLISTMENT DATE : 3/11/1939
AGE : 24
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT : Toowoomba, Queensland
PLACE OF BIRTH : Brisbane, Queensland
RELIGION : Church of England
OCCUPATION : Salesman
DATE OF DEATH : 12/04/1941
PLACE OF BURIAL : No Known Grave, Greece

MEMORIALS : Warwick State High School Roll of Honour 1939-1945, Warwick The Fallen 1939-1945, Warwick War Memorial, Warwick St Andrew’s Church The Fallen 1939-1945 Plaque, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Athens Memorial

View this person’s Service File : COOKE, Herbert William Allen

NOTES : Herbert or Bert as he was known, and his brother Owen Vincent Cooke A24168 both enlisted during the Second World War. Owen served in the RAAF while Herbert served in the Army.

Herbert was the son of Arthur Vincent and Jessie Cooke (nee Webb) of Fitzroy Street, Warwick. He attended Warwick East State School where he attained a scholarship to enter Warwick State High School. When he finished his education he worked for SC Reason and Co., who operated a garage and auctioneering business on the corner of Palmerin and Albert Streets.

Bert spent time serving in the Middle East before being deployed as a part of the force involved in operation ‘Luster’ in Greece. Their force of 58,000 men was no match for the superior German force comprising of 200,000 men who invaded Greece on the 6 April 1941. Bert lost his life during the fighting and his body was not recovered. He lies somewhere in Greece in an unmarked grave.

Read about Southern Downs Military History here.