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Oct 18, 1891
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Born in Brechin, Ontario to
John and Elizabeth (nee Tiffin) Cooke
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Apr 1, 1916
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Attested into the 109th Battalion CEF
in Coboconk, Ontario
Ø Number 724210
Ø Next of kin given as Mrs. John Cooke, mother,
Coboconk, Ontario
Ø Previous occupation given as Basket Maker
o
Later noted as
Machinist
o
His employer was
later noted as the Gull River Lumber Company
Ø No previous military experience given
Ø Religion given as Methodist
Ø Posted to “D” Company
On attesting he gave his birth date as October
16, 1893, not his actual birth date of October 18, 1891
In the spring of 1916, the 109th
Battalion moved to Camp Borden near Barrie, Ontario for advanced training
In early July 1916, the
battalion moved to the Barriefield Camp, Kingston, Ontario
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Jul 23, 1916
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Embarked the SS Olympic in
Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Jul 31, 1916
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Disembarked in Liverpool,
England and proceeded to the Bordon Camp, near Longmoor, Hampshire
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Aug 16, 1916
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The battalion moved to
Bramshott to continue training
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Aug 19, 1916
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Appointed to the rank of
provisional Lance Corporal
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Oct 5, 1916
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Transferred to the 21st
Battalion
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Oct 6, 1916
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Arrived at the CBD (Canadian
Base Depot) in the Rouelles Camp, Havre, France and Taken On Strength of the
21st Battalion. On arrival
he was reduced to the rank of Private
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Oct 22, 1916
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After leaving the base depot,
Private Cooke joined the 21st Battalion resting in Divion, France
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Dec 11, 1916
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Proceeded on the Machine Gun
Course
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Dec 17, 1916
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Rejoined the battalion resting
in Calonne, France from course
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Feb 16, 1917
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While in the support trench at
the foot of Vimy Ridge just west of Thelus, France the battalion came under
an artillery barrage and Private Cooke received shrapnel wounds that
shattered the heel in his right foot and injured his right hand and hip. He was evacuated to the No. 6 CFA (Canadian
Field Ambulance) for first aid before being transported to the No. 42 CCS
(Casualty Clearing Station)
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Feb 19, 1917
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Transferred via the No. 23 AT
(Ambulance Train) and admitted to the No. 26 General Hospital in Etaples,
France where surgery was performed to remove bone fragments from his heel
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Mar 9, 1917
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Reported to be dangerously ill
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Mar 21, 1917
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Removed from the dangerously
ill list
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Apr 9, 1917
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Transferred to the No. 2
General Hospital in Havre, France
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Apr 19, 1917
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Invalided to England aboard
the Hospital Ship Grantully Castle
On arrival in England, he was
admitted to the Military Hospital in Devonport
Transferred to the EORD
(Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot) for pay purposes while in hospital
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Jun 7, 1917
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Transferred to the Duchess of
Connaught Canadian Red Cross Hospital in Taplow
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Sep 19, 1917
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Invalided to Canada and
embarked the Hospital Ship Llandovery Castle in Liverpool
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Sep 29, 1917
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Disembarked in Halifax, Nova
Scotia and proceeded to Kingston, Ontario where he was Taken On Strength of
Military District No. 3
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Oct 10, 1917
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Admitted to the Queen’s
Military Hospital in Kingston
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Nov 13, 1917
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Surgery performed to remove
dead bone and repair damage and form a heel by using the astragalus bone to
create a new heel
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May 10, 1918
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Granted leave until May 14,
1918
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Jun 29, 1918
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Transferred to Leek Island
Military Convalescent Hospital in the St. Lawrence River 1,000 Islands. (Leek
Island is now known as Thwartway Island)
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Sep 24, 1918
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Transferred back to the
Queen’s Military Hospital in Kingston
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Sep 30, 1918
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Medical exam in Kingston notes
Ø Complains of
soreness in right hand from shrapnel wound
Ø Complains of pain
in right foot when he puts weight on it and foot is markedly deformed from
heel being shattered by shrapnel
Ø He cannot wear an
ordinary boot on right foot
Ø Medical Board
recommends he be discharged from military service with a pensionable
disability
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Oct 7, 1918
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Discharged from hospital and
posted to the Military District No. 3 Casualty Company in Kingston
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Oct 11, 1918
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Discharged from the CEF in
Kingston, Ontario
Ø Rank on discharge
Private
Ø Entitled to War
Service Badge Class “A”
Ø Proposed residence
on discharge Coboconk, Ontario
Following the end of the war,
the British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent to him at Washago, Ontario
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Sep 22, 1919
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Married Mildred May Rhodes in
Lindsay, Ontario
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Nov 28, 1967
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William Howard Cooke died in
Toronto, Ontario
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