7664 Private Gilbert Beadon Cook
8th(Service)Battalion Regiment
Devonshire Regiment
1st July 1916
Born in Wrington Somerset in 1884. He was baptised on 09/12/1884.
His parents were Francis Radford Cook(1843-1911) and Sarah Jane Padfield(1847-1922).
They married in 1865.
Gilbert had 5 brothers; Francis (1867-1948),
Spencer Padfield(1869-1927),
Frederick Beadon(1872-1872),
William(born in 1873) and Percy Edward(1878-1913).
He also had 2 sisters;
Mabel Nellie Florence(1876-1955) and Lily Beatrice(born in 1880).
In the 1891 census, the family were recorded as living at 1 Bonfield Place,High Street,Weston,Somerset. Francis snr was a policeman.
In the 1901 census, it showed that Francis snr had now retired from the police force and was a police pensioner and that the family were now living at
3 Hanover Street Bath. Gilbert was now employed as an apprentice plumber.
On 29/06/1903, Gilbert enlisted in Bath to the Duke of Cornwall regiment as Private 7444. at his medical on the same day he was listed as being ; Age 19 years 1 month. Height 5 Feet 5 Inches. Weight 108 lbs. Chest Minium - 33 inches, Maximum expansion 35 inches. Complexion fresh. Eyes Brown. Hair Brown. Scar on right buttock. Mole on left side of abdomen.
He joined the regiment at Bodmin on 30/06/1903. He was discharged on payment of £10 on 14/08/1903.
Gilbert re-enlisted again,this time in Exeter with the Devonshire Regiment and in the 1911 census he was recorded as being a Private in the 2nd Battalion Devonshire at St Georges Barracks Malta.
When war broke out, Gilbert was sent to France on 22/08/1914. He was killed in action on 01/07/1916.
He was awarded the 1914-1915 Star,the 1914-1918 British War and Allied Victory medals.
His mother received a pension of 5/- a week from 04/04/1917.
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