Frederick Cooksey
Male, b. 19 February 1891, d. 18 May 1915
Frederick Cooksey, son of George Philip Cooksey, was born at 118 Lavender Road, Battersea, London, on 19 February 1891.1 He was baptized on 13 April 1891 at St Peter, Battersea, London, on the same date as his elder brother George William.2,3
The family soon moved a few doors along the street to 128 Lavender Road, Battersea, London.45
Some time between 1909 and 1910 Frederick enlisted with the 2nd Battalion East Surrey Regiment at The Barracks, Kingston on Thames, Surrey.6 In 1909 the 2nd Battalion East Surrey Regiment were based in Mhow, India, but by September 1910 they were at Thyetmyo, Burma, and by February 1911; they were at Shewbo, Burma. Frederick, now a Lance Corporal, was certainly garrisoned with the Battalion on 2 April 1911, probably in Burma but possibly in the Andaman Islands where the British had a prison for political prisoners.7 January 1914 the Battalion was at Dacca, Bengal moving to Chaubattia, India April 1914 where they were stationed when war was declared with Germany in August. November 1914 the 2nd Battalion East Surrey Regiment embarked for England, landing at Devonport on 23 December. They were mobilised for war and landed at Havre in France in January 1915. They were soon in action to the south of Ypres where many men were lost, some by poison gas. In the Battle of St Julien, the Battalion had 141 killed and 256 wounded. A week later it lost a further 100 killed and 133 wounded. The 2nd Battalion fought on in France until September 1915 and then in October was transferred to the Salonika Expeditionary Force in Macedonia.
Frederick Cooksey died on 18 May 1915 at age 24 and was buried at Rinella Military Cemetery, Valetta, Malta, the burial being conducted by Reverend E.Edmonds-Smith C.F. It seems likely that Frederick had never made it home to England to fight with his colleagues in France, probably being taken ill during the passage from India and subsequently left en route at one of the military hospitals in Malta.8,9 In 1978 Frederick Cooksey was reinterred the Kalkara Naval Cemetery, Valetta, Malta.10,11,12
During the 100th anniversary commemorations of the outbreak of The Great War ceramic poppies were planted at The Tower of London for each of the Allied military victims with a selection of their names being read aloud each evening by a Yeoman Guardsman. The name of Frederick Cooksey was read on Saturday 16 August 2014 at 8:55 pm and at the conclusion of the ceremony the Last Post was played on a bugle by a guardsman.13
The family soon moved a few doors along the street to 128 Lavender Road, Battersea, London.45
Some time between 1909 and 1910 Frederick enlisted with the 2nd Battalion East Surrey Regiment at The Barracks, Kingston on Thames, Surrey.6 In 1909 the 2nd Battalion East Surrey Regiment were based in Mhow, India, but by September 1910 they were at Thyetmyo, Burma, and by February 1911; they were at Shewbo, Burma. Frederick, now a Lance Corporal, was certainly garrisoned with the Battalion on 2 April 1911, probably in Burma but possibly in the Andaman Islands where the British had a prison for political prisoners.7 January 1914 the Battalion was at Dacca, Bengal moving to Chaubattia, India April 1914 where they were stationed when war was declared with Germany in August. November 1914 the 2nd Battalion East Surrey Regiment embarked for England, landing at Devonport on 23 December. They were mobilised for war and landed at Havre in France in January 1915. They were soon in action to the south of Ypres where many men were lost, some by poison gas. In the Battle of St Julien, the Battalion had 141 killed and 256 wounded. A week later it lost a further 100 killed and 133 wounded. The 2nd Battalion fought on in France until September 1915 and then in October was transferred to the Salonika Expeditionary Force in Macedonia.
Frederick Cooksey died on 18 May 1915 at age 24 and was buried at Rinella Military Cemetery, Valetta, Malta, the burial being conducted by Reverend E.Edmonds-Smith C.F. It seems likely that Frederick had never made it home to England to fight with his colleagues in France, probably being taken ill during the passage from India and subsequently left en route at one of the military hospitals in Malta.8,9 In 1978 Frederick Cooksey was reinterred the Kalkara Naval Cemetery, Valetta, Malta.10,11,12
During the 100th anniversary commemorations of the outbreak of The Great War ceramic poppies were planted at The Tower of London for each of the Allied military victims with a selection of their names being read aloud each evening by a Yeoman Guardsman. The name of Frederick Cooksey was read on Saturday 16 August 2014 at 8:55 pm and at the conclusion of the ceremony the Last Post was played on a bugle by a guardsman.13
Citations
- [S149] 1891 England Census (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 21 February 2007), household of George W Cooksey (b 1851). Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891, Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1891. Source Citation: Class: RG12; Piece: 433; Folio: 152; Page: 34; GSU Roll: 6095543. [C1891-0003].
London, Battersea, 118 Lavender Rd; 3;
George W Cooksey, Head, M, 40, Painter, Employed, Lambeth, London;
Selina Cooksey, Wife, M, 30, Portsmouth, Hants;
Julia Cooksey, Daur, 3, Battersea, London;
George Cooksey, Son, 1, Battersea, London;
Frederick Cooksey, Son, 1 mo; Battersea, London.
George W was not, of course, born in Lambeth but in Clerkenwell. It was also the first time that he was referred to as George W Cooksey. The family occupied three rooms and two other familes, the Smiths and the Avery's each occupied two rooms. There was also a 118a occupied by the Ball family. - [S185] Ancestry.com. England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906 London (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 26 March 2014). Original data: Register of baptisms at St Peter, Battersea, London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London, reference p70/pet, Item 003/005. [LONPAR/B0020].
1891, April 13, b. Feb. 19 1891, Frederick, s. of George & Selina Cooksey, 118 Lavender Road, Painter. - [S194] Find My Past. 1837-2006 England & Wales Births Index (www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 26 March 2014). Original data: England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes, London, England: General Register Office. GRO Index of births. [GROINDXB].
1891, Jun Q, Cooksey, Frederick, Wandsworth, Volume 1d, Page 639. - [S186] Ancestry.com. England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906 London (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 13 March 2014). Original data: Register of baptisms at St Mary, Battersea, London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London, reference P70/MRY2, Item 024. [LONPAR/B0014].
1892 Dec 9th, born Nov 17th 1892, Albert Edward, s. of George & Selina Cooksey, 128 Lavender Road, Painter. - [S150] 1901 England Census (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 24 November 2006), household of George W Cooksey (b 1851). Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901, Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1901. Source Citation: Class: RG13; Piece: 453; Folio: 48; Page: 27. [C1901-0002].
London, Battersea, 128 Lavender Road;
George W Cooksey, Head, M, 46, Painter, Worker, London Clerkenwell;
Selina Cooksey, W, M, 40, Hants, Gosport;
Julia Cooksey, Daur, 13, London, Battersea;
George, Son, 11 London, Battersea;
Frederick, Son, 10, Battersea, London;
Albert, Son, 9, Battersea, London;
Thomas H, Son, 6, Battersea, London;
Philip, Son, 4, Battersea, London;
Ellen F, Daur, 1, Battersea, London;
Lilian F, Daur, 3 mths, Battersea, London.
Daughter Lilian is shown with a middle initial of 'F' but at birth she was recorded as Lilian Mary. - [S197] Find My Past. Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-1919 (www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 17 March 2014). Original data: Soldiers Died in the Great War database © Naval and Military Press Ltd (2010) . [MILITARY].
Rank: Private; Initials: F; Enlisted: Kingston-On-Thames, Surrey; Regiment, Corps etc.: East Surrey Regiment; Battalion etc.: 2nd Battalion; ... Number: 9645; Date died: 18 May 1915; ... Theatre of war: Malta. - [S196] Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census (www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 27 March 2014), household of Burma and Andaman Islands 2nd Battalion East Surrey Barracks. Original data: Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911, Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1911. Source Citation: Class: RG14; Piece: 34979; Registration District: 641, ED institution or vessel: Burma and Andaman Islands. [C1911-0026].
Frederick Cooksey, Lance Corporal, 21, Not Married, 2/East Surrey Regt, Surrey London.
The census return does not include the exact location. Some personnel are marked as being at Shwebo; Frederick was not so marked. - [S198] Find My Past. British nationals armed forces deaths 1796-2005 (www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 17 March 2014). Original data: GRO War Death Army Other Ranks (1914 to 1921) . [MILITARY/MIL0005].
Armed Forces registration event: Death; Name: COOKSEY, Frederick; Unit: East Surrey Regiment; Rank: Private; Number: 9645; Year: 1915; Volume: I68; Page: 214. - [S199] S Bidmead, Malta Family History (http://website.lineone.net/~stephaniebidmead/… : accessed 24 August 2014), Resource for family historians researching information relating to Malta. [GENWEB]
Frederick Cooksey, 9645, Private, 2nd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment, aged 24 years, died 18th May 1915, buried by Reverend E.Edmonds-Smith C.F. - [S199] S Bidmead, Malta Family History
In 1978 any remains were transferred to Kalkara Naval Cemetery into a Mass Grave. - [S200] Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Cemetery details of Malta (Cappucini) Naval Cemetery (http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/11204/… : accessed 24 August 2014) . [GENWEB].
The Cemetery is about 2 kilometres south-east of Rinella, a bay and hamlet opposite Valletta across the mouth of the Grand Harbour and on the southern outskirts of the village of Kalkara. The cemetery, which once belonged to the Admiralty, is close to a Capuchin monastery from which it takes its name. From the spring of 1915, the hospitals and convalescent depots established on the islands of Malta and Gozo dealt with over 135,000 sick and wounded, chiefly from the campaigns in Gallipoli and Salonika, although increased submarine activity in the Mediterranean meant that fewer hospital ships were sent to the island from May 1917. - [S201] Deceased Online, British Cemetery and Cremation Records (http://deceasedonlineblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/… : accessed 24 August 2014), Overseas Garrison Burials. [GENWEB]
Rinella Cemetery is situated at a fort across the Grand Harbour from Valetta and was used by British servicemen and their families between 1865 and 1915. These bodies were later removed to Capuccini Cemetery on the island.. - [S164] Correspondence from S. Jensen, Saltash, Cornwall, to A.R. Mead, dated 18 August 2014, A.R. Mead's records, Epsom, Surrey, reference COR92, relating to the Cooksey family, 1800 to date. [COR92].
Stephen Jensen applied to have Frederick Cooksey's name read at one of the evening WW1 commemoration roll calls at The Tower of London. The application was successful and Frederick's name was the 159th of the 180 to be called out on Saturday 16 August 2014.