Thomas Cooke (British Army officer)

General Thomas Arthur Cooke CVO (1841–1912) was a British general whose career spanned the 19th and 20th centuries.

Cooke was gazetted into the 5th Regiment of Foot in 1862^[1] before transferring to the 17th Lancers in 1866.^[2] From here he rose steadily^[3] and was mentioned in dispatches during the Anglo Zulu War.^[4] He assumed command of the regiment in 1886^[5] and subsequently served in India (where he was awarded the Kaisar-i-Hind Medal for public service as President of the Plague Committee^[6]). Promotion to the rank of major general followed on 23 May 1898.^[7]

In 1902 he was general officer in command of a camp which hosted many of the colonial troops visiting the United Kingdom for the Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra,^[8] for which he was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) two days after the ceremony, on 11 August 1902.^[9][10][11]

From 1906 to 1908 he was colonel of the 5th Royal Irish Lancers.^[12]

He was buried at Kensal Cemetery in a ceremony attended by many of his former comrades.^[13]

Notes

1. "Hart's Annual Army List, Militia List, and Imperial Yeomanry List"-Thomas Arthur Cooke
2. "The 17th/21st Lancers" Ffrench Blake, R.l.V: London, Hamish Hamilton, 1968 ISBN 978-0-241-01543-8
3. The Times, Friday, 28 April 1882; p. 4; Issue 30493; col C From The London Gazette, Tuesday, 25 April. Thomas Arthur Cooke 17th Lancers Major to Lt Colonel
4. "The Field Guide to the Anglo-Zulu War" Laband, J./Thompson, P.(1999 Scottsville University of Natal Press) ISBN 0869809512
5. The Times, Wednesday, 19 May 1886; p. 13; Issue 31763; col C From The London Gazette, Tuesday, 18 May. Lord Chamberlain's Office, St. James's Palace, 10 May Official Appointments and Notices
6. The Times, Wednesday, 23 May 1900; p. 10; Issue 36149; col A Birthday Honours
7. Ffrench Blake(Ibid)
8. "The Coronation". The Times. No. 36822. London. 17 July 1902. p. 5.
9. "Court Circular". The Times. No. 36844. London. 12 August 1902. p. 8.
10. "No. 27467". The London Gazette. 22 August 1902. p. 5461.
11. The Times, Saturday, 23 August 1902; p. 4; Issue 36854; col E To be Commander The Royal Victorian Order
12. "5th Royal Irish Lancers". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 9 June 2007. Retrieved 10 August 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
13. The Times, Saturday, 18 May 1912; p. 11; Issue 39902; col B

Honorary titles
Preceded by Sir Drury Drury-Lowe	Colonel of the 17th (Duke of Cambridge's Own) Lancers 1908–1912	Succeeded by Sir Douglas Haig