Walter Cook

A Private with the 7th Battalion, Walter died on 12th of August 1916 at the age of 23. 

Walter was born at Lowestoft in 1893, a son of John and Harriet Frances Cook. In 1901 Walter's family lived at Waterford Villa, Alexandra Road. His father died in 1901/2 and by 1906 Walter's family were living at 83 Rotterdam Road. In 1911 Walter was a grocer's assistant. In 1916 his mother lived at 5 Avondale Road. Later she lived at 79 Norwich Road, Lowestoft.

Walter enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft in early September 1914. He was on one of a number of Lowestoft men who had volunteered to join the Army and who enlisted into 7th Battalion The Buffs (East Kent Regiment). The 7th Battalion was part of the 18th (Eastern) Division and was based in the Colchester area during the first few months of its formation. 

Walter went to France with the 7th Battalion, arriving there on 28 July 1915. From 9 August 1916 the Battalion were in trenches near Bois Grenier. The Battalion's War Diary for 12 August 1916 has:

Quiet day and very hot. At 11.10 a.m. enemy put twelve 4.2 c.m. shells on apparently ranging on Trench 51, the first of these set some hay near Water Farm alight.
Between 10 p.m. and twelve midnight enemy artillery and trench mortars were active on subsector on our right.

The War Diary does not mention any casualties, but it is likely that Walter was killed by the shell-fire. John Kerridge, also from Lowestoft, was also killed on 12 August 1916 whilst serving with the 7th Battalion.