Main CPGW Record
Surname: CORK
Forename(s): John
Place of Birth: Skipton, Yorkshire
Service No: 18243
Rank: L/Corporal
Regiment / Corps / Service: Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)
Battalion / Unit: 2nd Battalion
Division: 4th Division
Age: 26
Date of Death: 1917-08-09
Awards: ---
CWGC Grave / Memorial Reference: Bay 6
CWGC Cemetery: ---
CWGC Memorial: ARRAS MEMORIAL
Non-CWGC Burial: ---
Local War Memorial: SKIPTON, YORKSHIRE
Additional Information:
John Cork was the son of Frederick and Mary Ann Cork, née Truman and brother of Private Thomas Cork (357331) (q.v.). Their father was born at Skipton, Yorkshire and mother at Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland. John and Thomas’s sister, Edith Maud, married Private Joseph Henry Bowers Whitehead (267012) (q.v.). They were also related, through their father, to T/2nd Lieutenant George Cork Dalgoutte (q.v.).
1901 Skipton, Yorkshire Census: 9, Dawson Street - John Cork, aged 7 years, born Skipton, son of Frederick and Mary A. Cork.
1911 Skipton, Yorkshire Census: 9, Dawson Street - John Cork, aged 17 years, born Skipton, son of Frederick and Mary Ann Cork.
The British Army Service Record for John Cork exists but may be incomplete.
British Army WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards: Pte John Cork, 18243, W. Rid. R. K. in A. 9.8.17.
British Army WW1 Medal and Award Rolls: Pte John Cork, 18243, 10th W. Rid. R.; 2nd W. Rid. R. K. in A. 9.8.17.
Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects: L/Cpl John Cork, 18243, 2 W. Riding. Date and Place of Death: 9.8.17. France. To whom Authorised/Amount Authorised: Father - Fred. £12 6s. 4d.
UK, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923: joint card(s) exist for John and Thomas. Name(s) on card(s): Name of Dependant: Mrs Mary Cork. Relationship to Man: Mother. Address: 9, Dawson Street, Skipton.
Data Source: Craven’s Part in the Great War - original CPGW book entry
View Entry in CPGW BookEntry in West Yorkshire Pioneer Illustrated War Record:
CORK, L-Cpl. John, aged 24, Duke of Wellington’s West Yorkshire Regiment, son of Mr. Fred Cork, hairdresser, Sheep Street, Skipton, killed in action, Aug. 9, 1917.
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L/Corporal John CORK
Regiment / Corps / Service Badge: Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)
Divisional Sign / Service Insignia: 4th Division
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Additional Photo(s) For Soldier Records
Frederick Cork
Frederick Cork, the father of Thomas and John Cork
Courtesy of John Cork
William Truman Cork
William Truman Cork, the brother of Thomas and John Cork (William served in the Great War with the King's Royal Rifle Corps and was taken prisoner in 1918)
Courtesy of John Cork
View Craven Herald Articles
View Craven Herald Articles
02 February 1917
SKIPTON SOLDIER'S TRYING EXPERIENCE
Pte. John Cork, of the West Riding Regiment, son of Mr. F. Cork, hairdresser, Sheep Street, Skipton, was wounded in the head, shoulder, and legs on January 5th, and is being nursed in a British hospital. On the morning of the date named he had come out of the trenches with other men of his Regiment, and was having dinner at the billet in a ruined church when an enemy shell came through the window and burst inside the building. Seven of the Regiment were killed and 40 wounded, only one man escaping without injury. Pte. Cork is 23 years of age, and prior to enlisting in January last year was a grocer's assistant at the shop of Messrs. Carr, Skipton.
24 August 1917
CORK – August 9th 1917, killed in action on the Western Front, Lance-Corporal John Cork, Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, son of Mr. Fred Cork, Skipton, aged 24 years.
24 August 1917
SKIPTON TRADESMAN’S SECOND BEREAVEMENT – LANCE CORPORAL JOHN CORK
We regret to announce that Mr. Fred Cork, tobacconist, &c., Sheep Street, Skipton, has had another son – Lance Corporal John Cork – of the Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment killed in action. Twenty-four years of age, he enlisted in January 1916 and went out to France in June of the same year. He was wounded in the head, shoulder, and thigh on the 5th of January last, and on his recovery, after a month at the Bristol Hospital, he returned to France. He was for many years a member of the Gargrave Road Primitive Methodist Church Choir. He served his apprenticeship with Mr. Walter Shuttleworth, grocer, Keighley Road, Skipton, and prior to enlisting was in the employ of Mr. Carr, grocer, Skipton.
Second-Lieut. V. F. de W. W. Vredenburg, in a letter to Lance Corporal Cork’s sister, states:– “It is with deepest regret that I have to inform you of the death in action of your brother, Lance Corporal Cork. He took part in a raid on the enemy trenches on the night of August 9th, and was killed during the advance. His death was absolutely instantaneous. May I extend to you the deepest sympathy of the officers and men of his company in your grief. I looked upon him as an exceedingly capable soldier who did his duty at all times uncomplainingly and well.”
Mr. Cork had another son – Private Tom Cork – killed in action in August, 1916; and he has also another son – Rifleman Willie Cork – serving with the King’s Royal Rifles in France.
Deep sympathy is felt with Mr. and Mrs. Cork and family in this their second loss.
View West Yorkshire Pioneer Articles
View West Yorkshire Pioneer Articles
02 February 1917
SKIPTON SOLDIER WOUNDED
Pte. John Cork, of the Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment, son of Mr. Fred Cork, hairdresser, Sheep Street, Skipton, was wounded on January 5th in the head, shoulder, and leg, and is at present in hospital at Bristol. It appears that on the morning of the date in question he had lust come out of the trenches with his regiment. They were billeted in a ruined church and were just having dinner, when a German shell came through the window and burst inside the premises, thus causing Pte. Cork’s injuries. Seven others were killed, and forty injured, there only being one man who escaped without a scratch. Pte. Cork is 23 years of age, and enlisted about a year ago. He was formerly a grocer’s assistant in the employ of Mr. Carr, of Skipton.
24 August 1917
CORK – Killed in action, Aug. 9th, Lance-Corpl. John Cork, of the West Riding Regiment, son of Mr. Fred Cork, hairdresser, Sheep Street, Skipton, aged 24.
24 August 1917
MORE SKIPTON SOLDIERS KILLED
Lance-Corporal J. Cork
We regret to announce that Mr. Fred Cork, hairdresser, Sheep Street, Street, Skipton, has had another son – Lance-Corporal John Cork, of the Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment – killed in action. Twenty-four years of age, he enlisted in January, 1916, and went out to France in June of the same year. He was wounded in the head, shoulder, and thigh on the 5th of January last, and on his recovery after a month at the Bristol Hospital, he returned to France. He was formerly a member of the Gargrave Road Primitive Methodist Church choir. He served his apprenticeship with Mr. Walter Shuttleworth, grocer, Keighley Road, Skipton, and prior to enlisting was in the employ of Messrs. G. E. Carr and Co., Ltd., grocers, Skipton.
Second-Lieutenant V. F. de W. W. Vredenburg, in a letter to Lance-Corporal Cork’s sister, states:– “1t is with deepest regret that I have to inform you of the death in action of your brother, Lance-Corporal Cork. He took part in a raid on the enemy trenches on the night of August 9th, and was killed during the advance. His death was absolutely instantaneous. May I extend to you my deepest sympathy of the officers and men of his company in your grief. I looked upon him as an exceedingly capable soldier who did his duty at all times uncomplainingly and well.”
Mr. Cork had another son – Private Tom Cork – killed in action in August, 1916, while he has also another son, Rifleman Willie Cork, serving with the King’s Royal Rifles in France. Much sympathy is felt with Mr. and Mrs. Cork and family in this their second loss.
31 May 1918
CRAVEN AND THE WAR
Skipton Prisoner of War
Pte. Willie Cork, of the King’s Royal Rifles, son of Mr. Fred Cork, hairdresser, Sheep Street, Skipton who has been reported missing since April 13th, is a prisoner of war in Germany. Pte. Cork, who is 21 years of age, enlisted when 19, and was formerly employed by his father. A brother, Pte. Tom Cork, of the King’s Liverpool Scottish Regiment, has been previously presumed killed after being missing, while another brother, Pte. John Cork, of the West Riding Regiment, has also been killed in action.
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