Written by The North Novie of the Week is Francis N. Cooke of Trenton, NS!
Pte. Cooke lied about his age when he enlisted in 1940, like so many other young men who served in the war. As a 17 year old boy he sailed overseas with the Original North Novies in 1941.
It was while fighting overseas in France and The Netherlands that Pte. Cooke was wounded, yet he persevered bravely with the rest of his unit. Pte Cooke went home with a life long souvenir of the war, a piece of shrapnel lodged into his back, a reminder to both him and his family of what he had been through.
Pte Cooke went on to work many jobs in many places in the years following the war, from the local Post Office to the Halifax Airport. After he retired, he enjoyed long walks and time to himself, but he never stopped helping others.
Pte Cooke passed in 1991. At the time he died, he and his wife were just two months shy of their 40th Wedding Anniversary.
We thank Pte. Cooke for his service!
Nova Scotia Highlanders Regimental Museum 