Ernest Albert Cook

A Gunner with 29th Divisional Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery, Ernest died on 23rd of October 1915 at the age of 35. 

Ernest was born at Carlton Colville in 1879, a son of James and Ann Cook. In 1881 his family lived ‘near The Ship’, Carlton Colville. By 1891 they were living at a cottage ‘near the Railway Station’, Carlton Colville.

Ernest served with the Suffolk Artillery (Militia). Ernest was working as a painter when he enlisted in the regular army, at Great Yarmouth, on 1 March 1899, joining the Royal Artillery, service number 33905. Ernest served in South Africa from 28 April 1900 to 31 October 1901 and saw active service in the Boer War, including the Battle of Laing’s Nek. He was awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal. He then served in India until 12 March 1907. He joined Section B of the Army Reserve on 15 March 1907 and was discharged, at the end of his engagement, on 28 February 1911. 

In 1911 Ernest lived with his mother and sister at Marsh Road, Oulton Broad, and Ernest worked as a house painter.  

On 18 October 1913 Ernest married Emily Charlotte Smith, a widow, living at 62 The Hemplands, Lowestoft. Ernest was working as a painter and living at Oulton. Later Emily lived at 229 Raglan Street, Lowestoft.     

Ernest volunteered and by November 1914 he had enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Royal Field Artillery, service number 68588. 

Ernest served with the 29th Divisional Ammunition Column (DAC), an artillery support unit that was part of the 29th Division. He landed in Egypt with his unit on 6 April 1915. The unit was meant to go to Gallipoli but because there was little requirement for artillery they remained in Egypt. 

The 29th DAC was transferred to the 10th Division and was deployed to Salonika. They embarked the transport ship Marquette: 10 officers and 439 other ranks, and departed form Alexandria, Egypt, on 19 October 1915. At 9.15 a.m. the ship was hit by a torpedo and with in ten minutes had sunk. 

Around 100 men of the 29th DAC, including Ernest, died in the sinking.