Editing John Cook (VC) (section)

===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/>}}