Not much is known about Percy Frederick Meadows Cooke. He was born in 1920, son of Ralph Percy and Christina Mabel Cooke, of Bluff, Southland, New Zealand.

He joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force and became an observer with 57 squadron, operating out of Feltwell.

On 12 October 1941, Percy and his crew participated in a mission to Nuremberg. His crew consisted of:

Sgt Arthur William Jeffries
P/O Hilyard Lowell Myers RCAF
Sgt Percy Frederick Meadows Cooke RNZAF
Sgt William Christopher Wood
P/O L. Rickard RCAF
F/S William Harold Stanley  Byers RCAF

57 Squadron

Sgt Cooke and his crew took off at 19.00 from Feltwell in Wellington R1757. It was Sgt Cooks's fourth operation. Due to unknown circumstances the Wellington crashed into a marschy area near Blankenham, the Netherlands.

Only P/O Pickard managed to survive the crash. He became a PoW. The other crew members died and were first buried by a Dutch family in the small fishing village of Vollenhove. Later the crew was buried at Emmeloord General Cemetery. Only P/O Myers is buried at Kuinre.

Sgt Percy Cooke is buried at Emmeloord General Cemetery, Coll. grave 102-105.

(Picture courtesy of NZ Roll of Honour)

Emmeloord, The Netherlands

See also:
Sgt Arthur Jeffries
P/O Hilyard Myers
Sgt William Wood
F/S William Byers

All casualties of 57 Squadron

Sources:
New Zealands Roll of Honour
Martyn, Erroll W., For Your Tomorrow, Christchurch, 1998
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Lostbombers.co.uk
RAF Squadron crest © Crown Copyright is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office
 

Directions to Emmeloord General Cemetery

Posted 9 May 2009

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This website is dedicated to the men and women who died and/or are buried in The Netherlands during World War II.

 

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