Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Cecil Cook was born on 10 September 1918 in Gawler, South Australia. He lived with his mother, Ada Blanche Cook, and his grandparents, Naomi and John Lewis Cook at Dudley Park, Adelaide. 

Growing up on Pym Street, Cecil was a creative and hardworking boy. He trained as a draftsman and loved art so much that he submitted his work and won multiple awards at the Adelaide Show. Before he enlisted in World War II he worked as a milkman for Voghts Dairy.

 
In December 1939, and just a few months after World War II broke out, Cecil signed up for the Australian Imperial Force. He was only 21 at the time and had just met his future wife, Jean. Not soon after meeting Jean, he left from Darwin Harbour, and heartbreakingly, he wouldn’t meet his eldest daughter Margaret until his return from World War II.  Margaret was just four years old. 

Cecil started out in signals, learning how to set up and maintain communication lines. He served all over Australia, Northern Territory, New South Wales, and South Australian while working with armoured and signals units. His knack for mechanics and communications earned him the role of ‘Special Trooper III Driver Mechanic’. 

In April 1945, Cecil was posted to the 2/43rd Battalion and shipped out to Morotai, and then Borneo, as part of the final push to drive the Japanese out. The 2/43rd Battalion was part of the landing on Labuan Island on 10 June 1945. 

 
As a signaller, Cecil had one of the toughest jobs of keeping communication lines up and running. The work he did was sometimes under fire and he worked in thick jungle and challenging conditions. On occasions he would spot burnt out cigarette butts and broken spider webs near trees and he worked out quickly that the Japanese soldiers were hiding nearby. His quick thinking during this time saved his life many times and the lives of his army comrades. 

During his service, Cecil was wounded twice by shrapnel and caught malaria multiple times. These events stuck with him long after the war, and as a result, he didn’t talk much about what he went through. When he did mention the war and his time overseas it was clear how deeply it had impacted him, and especially the loss of his mates. 

 
His mates called him “Bluey” because of his blue eyes, auburn/ginger hair and freckles. He was also known for being the ‘local barber’, cutting the soldiers’ hair and keeping the morale up when things got tough. 

After the Japanese surrendered in August 1945, Cecil remained in Borneo to help with the occupation and the processing of prisoners of war. 

 
His daughter Margaret details a story about how her Dad once promised to bring her back a monkey from his overseas deployment. Despite his well-meaning promise, authorities wouldn’t let him bring a monkey home to Australia.  At the time, Margaret recalls when she was living at Medindie, Cecil returned home to Australia in 1946. She fondly remembers sitting on their house gas meter box at the front gate waiting for him to arrive. She recalled how she watched with love as Cecil walked up their street with one swag on one shoulder, and unfortunately no monkey on the other. 

After Cecil’s return home in February 1946, he was given a block of land in Prospect, and he undertook training as a ‘brickie’ (bricklayer). He went on to use these skills to build his family home where he and Jean raised their four children; Margaret, John, Robert and their youngest, Graham. 

 
Cecil received several medals that acknowledged his dedication and sacrifice. These medals included the Pacific Star, awarded for his active service in the Pacific theatre; the Defence Medal, which recognised his contribution to the defence of Australia; the War Medal 1939-1945, marking his participation in the global conflict; and the Australian Service Medal 1939-1945, honouring his overall service to the nation during the war years. 

Despite Cecil earning these important medals for his years of war service, he never marched in ANZAC Day parades. Instead, Cecil attended yearly dawn services to honour those he fought with and those lost during the war period. This date was a time for him to quietly reflect and remember his war service contribution and his mates. 

Cecil found peace returning to his family, completing his bricklaying apprenticeship, and connecting with the friends he had made while serving in the army. He lived out his later years in the Prospect family home until his passing in 2005, shortly after being diagnosed with cancer. 

Today Cecil’s children honour their father and his sacrifice by attending ANZAC Day services to recognise his role and responsibilities during WW2. Cecil is greatly missed and loved by all his family.