DOMINION TELEGRAMS

Grey River Argus, 3 February 1917, Page 6

DOMINION TELEGRAMS

PRESENTATION OF A V.C. LATE PRIVATE COOKE'S 'GALLANTRY (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON. Tanuary 31. This morning" at Government House his Excellency the . Governor by the King'{s command, presented to Mrs M. E. Cooke, the Victoria Cross, awarded by His Majesty to her husband the late Private Thomas Cooke, Bth Battalion. Australian Imperial Forces, tojrether with a letter sisrned by H"is Majesty and addressed to Mrs Cooke Colonel the Hon. James Allen, Acting- Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, and Maior-General Sir Alfred Robin. Commandant of the New Zealand Military Forces, were present at the ceremony. The act for which the late Private Cooke was awarded the V.C. is describ ed in the London Gazette of September Bth. iqi6, as follows: "For most conspicuous gallantry. He was orderjed to take his gun and srun team to a dangerous part of the line. Here he did fine work. but. came under very heavy fire, with the result that finally he was the only man left. He still stuck to his post and continued to fire his cun. When assistance was ■ sent Ihe was found dead beside his ffun. He sot a snlendid example of determination and devotion to duty."