Current Information:

Age-27

138, Ifield Road, West Brompton

Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres, France

On 9th March, 1915, the 1st Royal Fusiliers battalion of 17 Brigade, 6th Division, moved into the trenches near Chapelle d’Armentières between the Lille to Boulogne road and the Lille to Armentières railway, They expected to be relieved on 12th March but this was cancelled and they remained here until 20th March, an 11 day spell in the front line in very cold weather. Charles Cooke died from wounds on 24th March by which time 1st Royal Fusiliers were resting and training 8 miles behind the line. The attrition rate among British soldiers on the Western Front was on average 300 each day and 60% of these were as a result of shellfire. When not involved in an actual battle it was either shell fire or a sniper’s bullet that caused most deaths and injuries.