Cuthbert Cresswell Cooke - Togoland Column

[corisande]

I research the Auxiliary Division of the RIC in the Irish War of Independence. These men came from an extraordinary variey of backgrounds. I have the MIC on this chap, and it states he was in "Togoland Column" and gives an entering war zone date that would confirm that

My notes on Cooke are on this link, including MIC - Click

He bats back and forth to UK during WW1, get MBE in 1918 working in Munitions Ministry. Although I cannot get a commission for him, he has the MIC and is down as "Captain" in ADRIC register

Oddly he goes on to beome a clergyman.

Can anyone with knowledge of Togoland Column confirm if he was in it, or indeed anything about his time in West Africa.

[Carmania]

Corisande

There are a number of references to him in west African newspapers:

Gold Coast Nation, 22 January 1914 - Passenger on SS Appam from Liverpool for the Cape Coast

Gold Coast Leader, 15 August 1914 - Mention of Mr Cooke, Commissioner, involved in a minor incident in Anum

Gold Coast Leader, 12 December 1914 - Mention that Commissioner Cooke returned from Togoland

Gold Coast Leader, 30 January 1915 - Mr Cooke, District Commissioner, report of involvement in a local ceremony

Gold Coast Leader, 30 March 1915 - Mr Cooke, District Commissioner, has left for Europe (byline dated 18 February 1915, in Peki)

Aled

[corisande]

Aled

As always my thanks to you. You are a man of many parts

I must admit I cannot fathom Cooke. He is a Colonial District Commissioner, who has very little fighting experience, goes on to join the Auxiliaries in Ireland, then goes on to become a Church of England Minister

[Carmania]

Aled

You are a man of many parts

This is the full entry from the GCL of 12 December 1914: Commissioner Cooke who returned from Togoland paid our Fia Kwadjo Dey a visit, and narrated all the news of the war in Togoland. He was enthusiastically received with two companies of Osibi of Peki Wodome and Tsame and a big assembly.

I also found one other reference in the GCL of 13 February 1915: Tsib Awodome, Jan 19. The District Commissioner Mr C C Cooke visited here with his clerk on the 14th inst. and gave a notice of his leaving the District for Europe. Mr Taylor is going to take his charge.

Aled

[corisande]

Aled

Thanks for the extra bits. Local newspapers are amazing with the detail that they have on minor local hapenings. We used to live in North Yorks and the man from the Darlington & Stockton Times still stood outside the church at funerals to take a list of those attending - such is local journalism

[bushfighter]

As his MIC theatre date coincides with the taking of Lome, see;

http://www.kaiserscross.com/188001/300143.html

I would guess that he was in Barker's column.

Harry

[corisande]

Thanks for that confirmation Harry.

What I find odd is that he does not appear to have had any military training, but seems to have been a Captain by the time he joined ADRIC - they did check this aspect of men's credentials, and I have not found any wrong attributions of rank.

It is difficult to draw any conclusion as to his role in Barker's Column

[bushfighter]

Colony and Protectorate Governors appear to have enjoyed freedom in commissioning "suitable gentlemen" as they chose fit.

I guess again and suggest that he was on Political duty. When initially occupying a German territory Political Officers tended to be commissioned, perhaps to ensure that they received acknowledgement within the military system.

Harry

[Carmania]

Corisande

Cooke is mentioned briefly in the Parliamentary report: 'European War. Gold Coast. Correspondence Relating To The Military Operations in Togoland' published in April 1915. I'll send you a copy by email.

Aled

[corisande]

Aled

Thanks for sending me that

For Bushfighter's benefit, it turns out Cooke was part of the Krachi Column under Captain Elgee

[SaguaroSix]

A bit late to the party, but thank you everyone for compiling this information. Cooke was my great-uncle's father and evidently, father and son both shared quite the unexpected biographies. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/dorian-cooke-qzhwptl9dnr

 

[athelstan]

Also somewhat late to the party but the National Archive file WO32/5789 contains various accounts of the Krachi Column.  I have found a reference to Cuthbert in one of them written up in 1928 by A.J. Beckley, Collector of Customs in the Frontier Preventive Service.   See the extract below and section 15.    

 

A short account of the movements of Captain Elgee’s Krachi Column (also in WO32/5789) written by two clerks attached to it is also shown below (from WO32/5789).  Note the last line on the second page regarding the column encountered no opposition.

 

 

james w

[corisande]

Thanks @athelstan , I clearly do not look at this sub forum that often, and just noticed it

I have made a note of its contents