FRANK ALFRED COOK
1876 – 13th December 1917
William Alfred Cook was born in Appledore, Devon in 1876, the son of Alfred Cook and Elizabeth
Cook (Tully) of 17 Earl Road, Penarth. They were both born in Appledore. Looking at the 1881
census Alfred, Elizabeth and their children - Thomas Crockford, age 16, Charles Dennis, age 13,
Blanch, age 6 and Frank, age 4 - were all living at 10 De La Beche Street, Swansea. Alfred was a
shipbuilding manager. By 1901, they were in Falmouth and Alfred was a Surveyor of Classification
of Ships and the only child at home was Blanch. At some stage they moved to 17 Earl Road,
Penarth.
Frank became a First Engineer with the Mercantile Marine service. Little has been recorded on the
men of the UK Mercantile Marine who were casualties in World War One. Merchant Navy seaman
who had served at sea for at least six months during WW1 and who had served on at least one
voyage through a danger zone were entitled to the Mercantile Marine Medal awarded by the Board
of Trade.
The reverse of the medal shows a merchant ship on a stormy sea with an enemy submarine and an
old sailing ship to the right of the merchant ship. During the period from 5th August 1914, the day
following the British declaration of war against Germany, and until the armistice on 11th November
1918, 2,479 British merchant vessels and 675 British fishing vessels were lost as a result of enemy
action, with respectively 14,287 and 434 lives lost. Frank served on the SS Bangarth (Liverpool).
The Bangarth wwas 1872grt, defensively-armed. The collier was torpedoed without warning and
sunk by submarine in the North Sea, 13 nautical miles (24km) north north east of the mouth of the
River Tyne by SM UB-34. Two lives were lost. The Bangarth was owned by R & J H Real Ltd., of
Liverpool. She was heading from Methil to Dunkirk, probably carrying coal, which was deemed to
be one of the quickest and safest routes.