COOK, Frederick

Frederick Cook lived with his parents in South Road, Stourbridge. He attended Hill Street Council School and, as there is no other identifiable Fred Cook in the west midlands, he probably had links with Lye. He volunteered for service early in the war and joined the Royal Engineers. He was posted to the Signal Company of the 9th Division on the Western Front. After suffering heavy casualties at Loos in September and October 1915 the Division moved to the Messines Ridge near Ypres. Although this was a relatively quiet sector, shelling was frequent and Sapper Frederick Cook was killed by shellfire on the 19th December. He was 19 years of age and is buried at Vormezeele Enclosure No. 3 Military Cemetery (14 C 3). His name is commemorated on the Lye and Wollescote, Stourbridge, Lye church, St. Thomas's church, Stourbridge, and Greenfields school Memorials.