(8672 A. Sjt. W. Cooke 2/R. Dub. Fus.) two tiny edge bruise, GVF £2500
DCM London Gazette 16 June 1915 (France)
“For conspicuous gallantry and coolness on 25th April 1915, and the following eight days,
patrolling every night up to the enemy’s lines. From the top of a farm he killed about ten Germans,
and then went out and took prisoner their leader, an officer.”
Russian Medal of St. George, 2nd Class London Gazette 25 August 1915. (Unique to the regiment).
MID 17 February 1915 according to 2nd Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers War Diary, entry of 18, 19
and 20 February 1915.
The Legendary Acting Sergeant William Cooke was born in Kilcullen, Co. Kildare and enlisted at
Naas; He entered France on 23 August 1914 with 2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers; He returned home in
early June 1915 as what can only be described as a bit of a celebrity, having made quite a name for
himself in the regiment and at home (see Kildare Observer); On rejoining, he was posted to the 1st
Battalion in Gallipoli, where sadly, he was killed in action on 3 October 1915, being buried in Azmak
Cemetery, Suvla. The Kildare Observer which made several references to Sergeant Cooke, one as
follows from a wounded soldier whohad much to say in admiration of “Billy” Cooke, as he called him,
“and the coolness and fearlessness of that man” he said “I never saw the like of. He didn’t know what
fear was. His chief amusement was going out on his own and looking after snipers. It was not
an unusual thing when an officer asked, “Has anyone seen Corpl. Cooke”, to hear the answer “He’s
out there cutting the Germans barbed wire”. He seemed to have a charmed life. He walked off with his
rifle in his hands, whistling, searched about for some “fun”, as he described it, and always walked back

whistling, and as cool as you please, with his cap on the back of his head. If he’d been in any other
regiment he’d have got the V.C. long ago. He’d have been recommended for it, but Colonel Loveland
was killed. I’ve seen him myself with his eyes fixed one evening on a brick in the wall of a house which
was being chipped by bullets, always in the same place, bullets fired by a sniper from a house some
distance away. I’m going to get that fellow, he said, and taking off his coat and cap he put them on
a broom that was lying about, and propped them up near where the bullets were hitting. The coat
and cap suffered badly, and “Billy” went round another way to find his man by the flash of his rifle,
which was the only means he had of finding him, and he got him all right, too, that brick was not
chipped again. “Billy” did not know what fear was, but if he gets a chance at all he’ll be off again. He
says it’s the best fun he knows out there, though most of us found it no fun, I can assure you…”. Sold
with copies of various research, including MIC, DCM card, War Diary, entry from Orange Green and
Khaki (page 76, refers Brigadier W Carden-Roe, Royal Irish Fusiliers and his pleasure in witnessing
Cooke’s DCM exploits).