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