William Ernest COOK

William Ernest COOK Update Details

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COOK, William Ernest

Service Number:	VX24835
Enlisted:	10 June 1940
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	2nd/21st Infantry Battalion
Born:	New South Wales, Australia , 16 April 1920
Home Town:	Prahran, Stonnington, Victoria
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Biscuit Maker
Died:	Executed whilst a prisoner of the Japanese, Ambon, Netherlands East Indies, 15 February 1942, aged 21 years
Cemetery:	No known grave - "Known Unto God" Commemorated ~ Column 3, Ambon Memorial, Maluku, Indonesia.
Memorials:	Ambon Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial

World War 2 Service

3 Sep 1939:	Involvement Private, VX24835
10 Jun 1940:	Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, VX24835
17 Jul 1940:	Transferred Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Private, 2nd/21st Infantry Battalion, Part of Gull Force.

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Biography contributed by Stephen Bonald

Private William Ernest Cook (VX24835) was a member of the 2nd/21st Australian Infantry Battalion which formed part of “Gull Force”.

This force consisted of 1131 Australian soldiers, Dutch and local native troops whose objective was to occupy Ambon Island, which is located approximately 350 miles North Northeast of Timor in the Banda Sea and hinder the Japanese advance Private William Ernest Cook was a member of the large garrison (Laha Garrison), positioned around Laha Airfield prior to the Japanese invasion of 30 January 1942.

After a series of short but fierce battles, fighting on Ambon Island ceased on 2 February 1942. Although many of those captured on other parts of the island survived the war. The troops who had survived the “Battle of Laha” (approximately 315 personnel) were systematically executed and buried in one of four mass graves. The executions took place on the 2nd, 5th, 10th and 20th February 1942 at or near Laha Airfield.

In Private Cook's case investigations after the war determined he was executed by the Japanese on the 15 February 1942 at Laha, Ambon, it was impossible to positively identify many of the remains found at Laha. Unfortunately, and sadly Private William Ernest Cook was one of these servicemen to which the fortune of war, has denied a formal burial given to his comrades in death."

“Not one life can we call lost, for with it will be riven, the sacred memory of a life, unto his country given." -

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