PropertyValue
rdf:type
rdfs:label
  • John Cooke (Royal Navy officer)
rdfs:comment
  • John Cooke (c.1762 – 21 October 1805) was an experienced and highly regarded officer of the Royal Navy during the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary Wars and the first years of the Napoleonic Wars. Cooke is best known for his death in hand-to-hand combat with French forces during the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. During the action, his ship HMS Bellerophon was badly damaged and boarded by sailors and marines from the French ship of the line Aigle. Cooke was killed in the ensuing melee, but his crew successfully drove off their opponents and ultimately forced the surrender of Aigle.
owl:sameAs
dcterms:subject
dbkwik:military/property/wikiPageUsesTemplate
serviceyears
  • 1776
Birth Date
  • c. 1762
Commands
  • *
Branch
  • 22
death place
  • off Cape Trafalgar
Name
  • John Cooke
Caption
  • John Cooke, painted c. 1797-1803 by Lemuel Francis Abbott
placeofburial label
  • Place of burial
death date
  • 1805-10-21
Rank
Image size
  • 300
Battles
  • *American War of Independence **Battle of Rhode Island *French Revolutionary Wars **Glorious First of June **Capture of Résistance & Constance **Capture of *Napoleonic Wars **Battle of Trafalgar
abstract
  • John Cooke (c.1762 – 21 October 1805) was an experienced and highly regarded officer of the Royal Navy during the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary Wars and the first years of the Napoleonic Wars. Cooke is best known for his death in hand-to-hand combat with French forces during the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. During the action, his ship HMS Bellerophon was badly damaged and boarded by sailors and marines from the French ship of the line Aigle. Cooke was killed in the ensuing melee, but his crew successfully drove off their opponents and ultimately forced the surrender of Aigle. Aside from his death, remarkably little is known of Cooke's circumstances. Even his date of birth is unclear, and unlike many of his fellow officers, Cooke was never a notable society figure. He was however well respected in his profession and following his death was the subject of tributes from officers who had served alongside him. Memorials to him were placed in St Paul's Cathedral and his local church in Wiltshire.