Bernard William COOK

Bernard William COOK Update Details

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COOK, Bernard William

Service Numbers:	Not yet discovered
Enlisted:	Not yet discovered
Last Rank:	Lieutenant
Last Unit:	5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen
Born:	Torquay, England, United Kingdom, 15 March 1879
Home Town:	Ormiston, Redland, Queensland
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Civil Engineer (Com. Govt.), State Cricketer
Died:	Chelmer, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 15 March 1944, aged 65 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery:	Mount Thompson Memorial Gardens & Crematorium, Queensland
Memorials:	Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial

1 Oct 1899:	Involvement Lieutenant, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen
6 Mar 1901:	Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Lieutenant, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 488 notes 5th QIB embarked at Pinkenba 6 Mar 1901 aboard Templemore arriving Port Elizabeth 1 Apr 1901.
5 May 1902:	Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Lieutenant, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 491 notes 5th QIB embarked at Cape Town 27 Mar 1902 aboard St Andrew returning to Australia arriving Brisbane 30 Apr 1902, disbanded 5 May 1902.

Biography contributed by Claude McKelvey

Bernard William Cook was born in 1879 in England, a son to Alfred Cook and Annie Maria Cook (nee Bowden). He came to Australia as a child with his parents, residing in Ormiston, Redland Bay, Queensland at the time of enlistment for the South African (Boer) War.

At the completion of his unit's Boer War service he remained in South Africa for further service when the unit returned to Australia in Mar 1902. It is assumed he was discharged in South Africa as he remained there for several years after the war, marrying Prudence Jane Glover who was from Widnes, Lancashire, England who was sent to South Africa by the Imperial Government to teach English.

They had relocated back to Brisbane by 1908 when the first of their two children was born, eventually settling in the Sherwood and Chelmer area. He was employed as a Civil Engineer by the Commonwealth Government working in a number of states and was a noted sportsman representing Queensland in inter-State cricket. He later worked as a commentator on cricket with ABC, 4BC and 4BK radio stations. He also owned and operated the Sherwood Picture Theatre.

(sources- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 492; Obituaries in the Telegraph and Courier Mail newspapers).

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