Edgar Christopher Cookson
Lieutenant Commander, Royal Navy
- Register No.
- 249 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Lieutenant Commander all Lieutenant-Commanders →
- Unit
- Royal Navy (register: HMS Comet) all HMS Comet VCs →
- Date of action
- 28 September 1915 on this day → all of 1915 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 21st January 1916 on this day → all of 1916 →
- Born
- 13th December 1883 at Tranmere, Cheshire
- Died
- 28th September 1915 near Kut-el-Amara, Mesopotamia. (killed
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- grave in Amara War Cemetery, Iraq and on Chatham Naval Memorial
Digest of citation
On 28th September 1915 during the advance on Kut-el-Amara, Mesopotamia, HMS Comet commanded by Lieutenant Commander Cookson, and other armed vessels, were ordered, if possible, to destroy an obstruction which had been placed across the river by the Turks. When they approached, very heavy rifle and machine-gun fire was opened on them, and an attempt to sink the centre dhow by gunfire having failed Lieutenant Commander Cookson ran Comet alongside and he himself jumped on the dhow with an axe and tried to cut the cables connecting it with the other two craft forming the obstruction. He was shot several times and Died on within a few minutes
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
COOKSON, Edgar Christopher. (reg No. 249).
Lieutenant Commander Royal Navy.
London Gazetted on 21st January 1916.
Born on 13th December 1883 at Tranmere, Cheshire.
Died on 28th September 1915 near Kut-el-Amara, Mesopotamia. (killed in action).
Memorial at grave in Amara War Cemetery, Iraq and on Chatham Naval Memorial.
Digest of Citation reads: On 28th September 1915 during the advance on Kut-el-Amara, Mesopotamia, HMS Comet commanded by Lieutenant Commander Cookson, and other armed vessels, were ordered, if possible, to destroy an obstruction which had been placed across the river by the Turks. When they approached, very heavy rifle and machine-gun fire was opened on them, and an attempt to sink the centre dhow by gunfire having failed Lieutenant Commander Cookson ran Comet alongside and he himself jumped on the dhow with an axe and tried to cut the cables connecting it with the other two craft forming the obstruction. He was shot several times and Died on within a few minutes.
Additional information: He also held the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).
Additional information
He also held the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).
in action).
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: grave in Amara War Cemetery, Iraq and on Chatham Naval Memorial
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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