350228 Private John Cooke of the 9th Battalion (Ashton Territorials/Ashton Pals), Manchester Regiment, former Service No. 1462:

 

He was killed in action on the 23 March 1918, aged 22 years, and he is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, France. He was awarded the Territorial Force War Medal.

 

John Wright Cooke was born at Haughton, Denton, in 1896 to George Edward Cooke and Mary Ellen Bowler who were married at St Mark’s Church, Bredbury, in 1887. In 1911 he was resident with his parents, sister, Elizabeth (20), and brother, Harry (13), on Ashton Road, Denton, employed in the hatting industry.

Peter Whitehead