2722361 Guardsman Ben COOKE, 1 Irish Guards: POW

Date of Enlistment: 29 August 1940

Army Number: 2722361
Rank: Guardsman
Name: Reuben (Ben) COOKE
Unit: 1 Irish Guards


Date of Birth: 28 August 1910
Place of Birth:
Address as of May 1945: 375, Lees Road, Oldham, Lancashire

Date of Capture: 3 February 1944
Date declared Missing: 4 February 1944
Place of Capture: Anzio, Italy

POW Number: 55154
POW Camps: Stalag VIIIC, Stalag VA, Stalag 344

 

Army Number: 2722361
Rank: Guardsman
Name: R COOKE
Unit: 1 Irish Guards
Theatre: Italy
Missing Personnel file: 1st Battalion IRISH GUARDS - Italy, Missing Personnel file
TNA Reference: WO 361/784
Notes: Missing 4 February 1944

 

Name: Ben Cooke . Date of Birth: 28/08/1910 . Place of Birth: [unspecified]. ... | The National Archives
Reference: WO 416/75/392
Description:
Name: Ben Cooke.
Date of Birth: 28/08/1910.
Place of Birth: [unspecified].
Service: British Army.
Rank: [Guardsman].
Regiment/Unit/Squadron: [Irish Guards].
Service Number: 2722361.
Date of Capture: 3 February 1944.
Theatre of Capture: Italy.
Camp Name/Number: Stalag VA Ludwigsburg.
PoW number: 55154.
Date of Death: [unspecified].
Number of Photographs: 1.
Number of Fingerprints: 1.
Number of X-rays: 0.
Number of Cards: 1.
Date: [1939-1945]

 

General Questionnaire for British Ex-Prisoners of War
PART I

1. No.: 2722361
Rank: Guardsman
Surname: COOKE
Christian Names: Reuben
Decorations: Africa Star

2. Unit (Army): Irish Guards
3. Division (Army): First Division

4. Date of Birth: 28 Aug 1910
5. Date of Enlistment: 29 Aug 1940
6. Civilian Trade: L.M.S. Railway
7. Private Address: 375 Lees Road, Oldham, Lancashire

8. Place and Date of Capture: Anzio, Italy, 3/2/44

9. Were you Wounded when Captured: No


10. Main Camps or Hospitals in which imprisoned
Camp No. / Location / From & To
[Stalag] 344 / Ober Silesia


11. Were you in a Working Camp?
Location / From & To / Nature of Work
East Germany / Sept 44 - 22/1/45 / Electric Cables


12. Did you suffer from any Serious Illnesses while a P/W?:
Nature of Illness / Cause / Duration
Slight touch Malaria / - / 7 days

Did you receive adequate Medical Treatment?:
Yes


PART II
1. No.: 2722361
Rank: Guardsman
Surname: COOKE
Christian Names: Reuben

2. Lectures before Capture
(State where, when and by whom)
(a) Were you lectured in your unit on how to behave in the event of capture?:
No
(b ) Were you lectured on escape and evasion?:
No

3. Interrogation after Capture
(State where, when and methods employed by enemy)
Were you specially interrogated by the enemy?:
Yes, Anzio, Craft

4. Escapes attempted.
Did you make any attempted or party successful escapes?
(Give details of each attempt separately, stating where, when, method employed, names of your companions, where and when captured and by whom. Were you physically fit? What happened to our companions?)
-

5. Sabotage.
Did you do any sabotage or destruction of enemy factory plant, war material, communications, etc., when employed on working-parties or during escape?
(Give details, places and dates).
Damaging. High Power Cables, every opportunity
Damaging Dynamos, Burning Metals
Such as = Iron, brass, aluminium, lead, in large quantities


6. Collaboration with enemy.
Do you know of any British or American personnel who collaborated with the enemy or in any way helped the enemy against other Allied PoWS?
(Give details, names of person(s) concerned, camp(s), dates and nature of collaboration or help given to enemy).
-

7. War Crimes.
If you have any information or evidence of bad treatment by the enemy to yourself or to others, or knowledge of any enemy violation of Geneva Convention you should ask for a copy of “Form Q” on which to make your statement.
-

8. Have you any other matter of any kind you wish to bring to notice?
-


SECURITY UNDERTAKING.
I fully realised that all information relating to the matters covered by the questions in PART II are of a highly secret and official nature.
I have had explained to me and fully understand that under Defence Regulations or U.S.A.R. 380-5 I am forbidden to publish or communicate any information concerning these matters.


Date: 10th May 1945
Signature: R. Cooke