The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Second Lieutenant K B Cooksey

Photograph by "MrBob"

Second Lieutenant Kenneth Barsano (Bassano) COOKSEY, 3rd Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, (and Royal Flying Corps ), killed in action, at Souchez, Pas de Calais, France, 8th April 1917, age 21.

Born 1896, Old Hill, Staffordshire, son of Thomas and Annie E. Cooksey, of Blackdowns, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire.

31st March 1920, Probate - Cooksey Kenneth Bassano, of Old Hill, Staffordshire, Second Lieutenant, Royal West Kent Regiment, attached R.F.C. died 8th April 1917 in France. Administration London 31st March to Thomas Cooksey, Solicitor. Effects £155 12s.

Buried at Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, XV. H. 21., Souchez, Pas de Calais, France.

16th January 2021, email from Yves Durin, GECEBAS group leader, Comité Historique de Souchez -

Hello, We pay tribute to the Allied soldiers commemorated in the CWGC cemeteries in Ablain-saint-Nazaire and Souchez, France. We noticed an error concerning the location of the death of Second Lieutenant Kenneth Bassano Cooksey. While escorting a mission on April 8, 1917, their RE8 N ° A4118 aircraft fell in ETAING, near BIACHE-SAINT-VAAST. The pilot and his observer, Reginald Hansford Jones, were killed instantly and buried at first in BREBIERES. The aircraft may have broken down, but it is possible that it was shot down by German ace Wilhem FRANKL who won several victories on the same day before crashing. The remains were transferred after the war to the Cabaret Rouge assembly cemetery in Souchez, about 18 miles from Brebières.

London Gazette 28th December 1915.

The under mentioned to be Second Lieutenants (on probation). Dated 28th December, 1915. Kenneth Bassano Cooksey (from Inns of Court Officers Training Corps), Royal West Kent Regiment.

London Gazette 22nd December 1916.

War. Office, 22nd December 1916. SPECIAL RESERVE OF OFFICERS.

The under mentioned Second Lieutenants (on probation) are confirmed in their rank: Royal West Kent Regiment. - K. B. Cooksey.

London Gazette 9th March 1917.

ROYAL FLYING CORPS. Military Wing. - The under mentioned appointments are made: Flying Officers. - 19th February 1917.

Second Lieutenant K. B. Cooksey, Royal West Kent Regiment., Special Reserve, and to be seconded.

This page was last updated on 22-Jan-2021.