Frank Rene Malyon Cook was born on 8 September
1922 in Armadale, Victoria, Australia. He was the son of
John Malyon Cook and Jeane Cook. The family later
moved to Melbourne, Victoria.
This is were Frank enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force
on 21 June 1941. Not much is known about his time in
the RAAF. He became a Spitfire pilot
with A flight, 130 squadron, stationed at Drem and
later transferred to 229 Squadron, operating out of Coltishall,
Norfolk.
For some time, 229 Squadron was
stationed in the Mediterranean. Frank claimed an Bf
109 destroyed on 12 July 1943, flying Spitfire V
ER533/X-R.
A
week before his 22nd birthday, on 19 August 1944,
F/O Cook and three other Spitfires were on patrol in
the Egmond, Heerenveen, Meppel area. Near Lemmer, a
tow ship with three ships was attacked. Many hits
were observed on the ships. However, an armed
trawler and landing craft both opened up on the
attackers. F/O Cook's Spitfire was hit and crashed
into the Noordoost polder between Creil and Rutten.
