Editing John Cook (VC) (section)

==Military career==
Cook sailed to India in late 1861 at the age of eighteen, joining the [[British Indian Army]], [[Bengal Staff Corps]] as an [[Ensign (rank)|ensign]] before being promoted [[lieutenant]] on 29 March 1862,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=22639|page=3323|date=1 July 1862}}</ref> and soon after his arrival was posted to the [[3rd Sikh Infantry]].<ref>[http://discovery.dundee.ac.uk/portal/files/2425201/Cook_mphil_2013.pdf Discovery Dundee – Cook family papers]</ref>
[[File:3rd Sikhs (5 FF), Kabul 1879.jpg|thumb|3rd Sikh Infantry at Kabul, 1879.|350px]]
He was [[mentioned in despatches]] for his services in the [[Umbeyla Campaign]] in 1863,<ref>[https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?q=1&acc=1975-04-73-1-04-73-1 National Army Museum – Major John Cook VC]</ref> and also distinguished himself while serving as [[adjutant]] of his regiment in the Black Mountain campaign, [[Hazara Expedition]] of 1868 on the [[North-West Frontier Province (1901–55)|North West Frontier]].<ref>Weekes (2009), p.61</ref><ref name="Hensman 2009, p.242">Hensman (2009), p.242</ref>

After being promoted [[captain]] on 19 December 1872,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=23962|page=1714|date=28 March 1873}}</ref> Cook transferred to the [[5 Gorkha Rifles|5th Gurkha Rifles]] as wing commander in 1873.<ref name=stewart/>

On 24 September 1878 at the beginning of the [[Second Anglo-Afghan War]], the 5th Gurkha Rifles were warned for active service, and in October proceeded from [[Abbottabad]] to Thal. Here it joined Sir [[Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts|Frederick Robert]]'s [[Kurram Valley Field Force]]. Cook crossed the frontier with his regiment as part of Brigadier-General Thelwall's 2nd Brigade and following the reconnaissance of [[Peiwar Kotal Pass]], won his Victoria Cross on the slopes of the Spingawai Kotal, or White Cow Pass. Captain Cook led repeated charges against enemy barricades with a joint force of 5th Gurkhas and 72nd Highlanders. At dawn, as the Afghans fled their positions, Cook collected a few men and charged and killed a large number of enemy who were trying to rescue one of their guns before going to the aide of Major Galbraith. Cook's helmet was pierced by an enemy bullet.<ref>[http://www.britishempire.co.uk/forces/armyunits/gurkha/5thgurkhas.htm British Empire Website – 5th Gurkha Rifles]</ref><ref>National Archives, London, document WO 32/7381</ref>

===Gallantry recognized===
Just days after the action, Major Galbraith wrote to General Roberts a report dated 'Camp near Zabbardast Kila, 5 December 1878:<ref name=stewart/><ref>[http://discovery.dundee.ac.uk/portal/files/2425201/Cook_mphil_2013.pdf Discovery Dundee – Cook Family papers]</ref>

{{quote|I have the honour to submit the following statement in the hope that should you see fit you will bring the name of Captain Cook, 5th Goorkha Regiment, to the favourable notice of His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief.<br>"On the morning of the 2nd December 1878, after our troops had stormed the second entrenchment above the "Spin Gawai", the enemy attempted to rally in the woods at our right flank, and at the same moment about 150 to 200 men were observed moving down from a height on the left. The latter were at first supposed to be our own sepoys, and were thus enabled to approach unmolested within 50 yards of the entrenchment, when, their identity being established, Captain Cook opened fire with about 15 to 20 of his men. A very heavy fire was interchanged for two or three minutes, during which time he was reinforced by about 12 men of his own regiment and the [[72nd Highlanders]]. Seeing that the enemy had a mountain gun with them, he charged out of the entrenchment with such impetuosity that the enemy broke and fled, leaving many of their men and three battery mules on the ground. At the close of the mêlée I was on the left flank of the Goorkhas when a man rushed towards me from behind. I had seen him advancing but thought him a friendly sepoy, until he raised his rifle at about three yards from me, fortunately an intervening tree sheltered me for the moment, and gave me time to turn and discharge my pistol at him without effect. Captain Cook seeing my danger, with a shout distracted his attention to himself, and aiming a sword cut which the Duranee avoided, sprang upon him, and grasping his throat, grappled with him. They both fell upon the ground, the Duranee, a most powerful man, still endeavouring to use his rifle and seizing Captain Cook's arm in his teeth, until I was able to end the struggle by shooting him through the head. The whole affair was the work of [a moment] but I feel convinced that but for Captain Cook's prompt endeavour to draw the man's fire upon himself, I should, in all probability, have been shot before I could have again discharged my pistol, several others of the enemy were at the time within a few yards of us."<ref name=stewart/>}}