Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Serjeant A. Cooke, Military Provost Staff Corps, late Coldstream Guards and Military Foot Police, a prisoner-of-war of the Japanese - captured at the fall of Hong Kong

1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; Defence and War Medals, these unnamed; Army L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 2nd issue, Regular Army (4685565 Sjt., M.P.S.C.) mounted as worn, good very fine (5) £160-200

Alfred Cooke was born on 24 August 1907. He enlisted into the 5th Battalion King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (T.F.) at Denaby on 11 June 1925 and was discharged having joined the Coldstream Guards on 17 April 1931. Serving with the Military Foot Police, he gained a Certificate of Proficiency at the School of Instruction, Corps of Military Police, 1934. Serving in Shanghai and Hong Kong from December 1938, he was taken prisoner by the Japanese at Hong Kong on 25 December 1941. Believed to have latterly worked as a forced labourer at Omine, a small mining village near Kawasaki, on the island of Kyushu, Japan.

After his release, he was transferred to the Military Provost Staff Corps in June 1946. Awarded the Army L.S. & G.C. with Gratuity by A.O. 14 of 1950. Transferred to the Army Reserve on 16 April 1952 and discharged on 12 May 1952.


With original Certificate of Discharge from the Territorial Army, 1931; Soldier’s Record and Pay Book; Certificate of Proficiency, 1934; Army Council Letter of Appreciation for his 21 years service; Certificate of Service; several photographs; a ‘tatty’ registered envelope; the booklets ‘The Last Phase’ at Omine - bearing sketched images of life in captivity, and Chelsea Pensioners Today.