SERGEANT COOKE RECEIVES DECORATION
LEINSTER LEADER 19 JUNE 1915
D.C.M. FOR DUBLIN FUSILIER.
INTERESTING MILITARY FUNCTION AT NAAS DEPOT.
SERGEANT COOKE RECEIVES DECORATION.
SOME OF HIS EXPLOITS. INTERVIEW WITH RECIPIENT.
A very pleasing ceremony took place at the Depot of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers in Naas on Tuesday last when Sergeant W. Cooke of that regiment, whose gallant exploits on the field of battle have already been the subject of many Press Notices, was decorated by Col. Briggs, Commanding Officer, with the Distinguished Conduct Medal and ribbon which has been awarded to him for gallant conduct. The full Depot force was on parade on the barrack square for the ceremony. The official communication notifying the award having been read as follows :— No. 8672. Sergeant W. Cooke, 2nd Battalion of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, has been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for the following act of gallantry —- For great coolness during the engagement of April 25th and the following eight days east of Ypres patrolling every night up to the German lines. From the top of a farm-house he killed some ten Germans and then went out and took their leader, a German Officer, prisoner. Col. Briggs, Commanding Officer R.D.F Depot Force, addressing those present, said that it gave him great pleasure to bestow upon Sergeant Cooke the decoration which he had earned by his distinguished conduct on the battlefield. The regiment was proud of him and proud of the manner in which he had upheld the traditional bravery of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers as gallantly and as bravely as Sergeant Cooke had done. Amidst loud cheers Colonel Briggs pinned the Distinguished Conduct Medal on Sergeant Cooke’s breast, and shaking hands with him once more congratulated him upon the recognition of his gallant conduct.
INTERVIEW WITH SERGEANT COOKE, D.C.M.
Subsequently our Reporter had the pleasure of an interview with Sergeant Cooke. A man of very modest demeanour. He at first showed great reluctance to speak of the gallant act which had merited royal recognition. Our representative, however, having pointed out to him the fact that the honour was one in which quite apart from his own personal feelings, the whole regiment had more or less a share and that they would be glad to see the gallantry of one of the regiment recorded in the public Press.
Sergeant Cooke at last consented to speak of his exploits. “For obvious reasons however,” he said, “I cannot give you a detailed account of our actions from day to day , but if you wish I will tell you of the principal events which occurred during my time at the front.”
Having expressed willingness to hear of the events which he considered of importance Sergeant Cooke continued —“You know I am a Co. Kildare man. I was born at Kilcullen where my home is at Sunnyhills. I was after serving eight years in the “Dubs” and was on the reserve when I was called up for active on the 5th August last on the outbreak of the war. I proceeded to the Depot here and went from that to Gravesend on the 6th. It was from Gravesend we went to France where we landed at Boulogne on the 22nd August.
There we stayed for a night before advancing to the firing line. We got close to the German lines on the 24th, but were not under fire until the following day when we were under a light shell fire.
On the 26th the second Battalion of the “Dubs.” My regiment, met the Germans for the first time in a straight fight. The battle started early in the morning and we were at it all day. Shot and shell fell continuously for, remember, this was in the early stages of the war and we were meeting the full force of the German troops fresh from the reserve and with all the much fixed of German heavy guns with their artillery. The “Dublins” however, struck in the trenches and fought it out all through the long day and in the evening when the order came to “fall back” (for not a man of us moved till then) our losses were terrible but the German losses must have been appalling for they advanced in close formation and our guns simply moved them down. They hurled fresh troops up, however, to fill the gaps and endeavoured to bear us down by weigh of numbers, but we held them off throughout the day.”
“It must have been a fierce engagement,” our representative remarked.
“Well,” replied Sergeant Cooke, “words fail to describe it. You will understand in a way, however, what it was like when I tell you that we went into action 102 strong and when we came out of action that that evening there were ONLY 27 OF US LEFT, including officers. Amongst the latter were Capt. Clarke and Capt. Tregoana. Capt. Clarke has since been wounded.
On the 26th I was on duty at an observation post together with some chaps from the Seaforth Highlanders and others from the Warwickshire regiment. From our post I observed that the German guns were shelling a field hospital and I sent back word not to send any more wounded here. I sent the message by one of the Warwicks, but it never reached our lines and I heard no more of the poor chap. He must have been killed.
After this the Germans must have located the whereabouts of the observation post for the shells began to fall continuously around the building in which we were so that we had to endure some heavy losses. However, I was able to send back word that the Germans were advancing in force on the right flank to the Captain. I held on to the post with 22 men until the staff officer came along and ordered us to retire at once as we were almost cut off from the main body.
“You went out to the front as a private,” our representative asked.
“Yes,” answered the Sergeant, “I got my promotion on the field. Capt. Campbell gave me my Lance stripe in action on 15th September for proficiency in reconnoitring and so on. At St. Ives l was recommended for the second time.”
“What were the particular acts for which you were recommended?” our representative asked.
“Well, I really did no more than l had been doing all along. The recommendation was really the result of mu conduct from day to day but — well, yes, there was one incident which occurred at St. Ives on which my officer congratulated me.
You must understand, Sergeant Cooke explained the German occupied an “L” shaped trench, the short side of which was parallel to our trenches. l went out at night reconnoitring the trench opposite us and it was then that l discovered the long trench running back at right angles, l returned to our lines and made a report to Capt. Franckland, T.C.H. (who was since killed at the Dardanelles after being sent three on promotion to Major) and l then started out reconnoitring the long trench. l had advanced past the cross trench and was on the point of returning, having seen all l wanted, when an observation party of Germans left their trenches and l found that my way back was barred by them.
I had my rifle with me and about 50 rounds of ammunition so l lay there and waited until the next flare shell went up which would show them to me. When it did l did immediately began to pour rifle fire into them as fast as l could. They were completely taken by surprise and l had knocked out a lot of them when at about the 25th shot my rifle jammed. I then jumped up and charged them with the bayonet at the same time shouting “Come on the “Dubs.” Come on boys—we have them now.” They got the impression that l had a force of men at my back and what was left of them cleared back to the trench so that l got back to our lines all right where l got a great welcome from all.”
“What about your famous fight with the Germans for a farm-house?” our representative asked, “that is what the public are anxious to hear about.”
“Oh, that was at St. Julian,” Sergeant Cooke said, “We were in a heavy action there and l had brought in several wounded Germans and I captured another German on the might of the 25th.
We were in the trenches and l saw that the enemy were sending down gas on us, l could see it as an immense yellow cloud nearly twenty feet high rolling towards the trenches, l said to the officer that they would attack us under the cover of the gas so l crept out and got to the farm for the purpose of watching their movements. There l got on the roof and l saw the Germans advancing. A file of them came up the lane towards the farm. I opened fire on them from the roof, taking the man farthest away first and l succeeded in bagging the lot.
Then they came on in force, but l saw them coming so l got a young chap named Maloney to get a machine gun into the lower part of the house. I remained on the roof directing the fire and when they came on again we simply moved them down. When l left the roof, l observed a German officer behind the ditch not far off. I advanced upon him with my rifle presented and took him by surprise. He surrendered and l brought him back to the lines. Continuing Sergeant Cooke, said that he was wounded in action on the 19th of May by a bullet wound in the side of the head. He was also suffering from gas poisoning at the time but had declined to go into hospital.”
“When do you expect to go out again? Our representative asked.
“I am leaving here on Monday next,” was the reply. “and l hope to get out soon. I have two brothers at the front —one in the Irish Guards, John, and another, Robert, in the 13th Hussars and also several other relatives. I an anxious to be out soon again and doing my little bit for the honour of the “Dublins.” If l am to be killed l hope to die like an Irishman and a soldier.
Our readers will join in hoping for the safe return of this gallant Kildare man whose bravery has added lustre to the laurels of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers.
Re-typed by Hannah Mustapha
