The Peiwar Kotal Victoria Cross group of three awarded to Major John Cook, 5th Gurkhas, who was subsequently mortally wounded at the assault on the Takht-i-Shah

(a) Victoria Cross, the reverse of the suspension bar inscribed ‘Captain John Cook, Bengal Staff Corps’, the reverse centre of the cross dated ‘2nd DECr. 1878’

(b) India General Service 1854-94, 2 clasps, Umbeyla, North West Frontier (Lieut. J. Cook, 3rd Sikh Inftry.)

(c) Afghanistan 1878-80, 3 clasps, Peiwar Kotal, Charasia, Kabul (Maj. J. Cook, V.C. 5th Goorkha)

(d) Silver Plaque, 126 x 88 mm, inscribed with Sir Frederick Roberts’s Divisional Order announcing Cook’s death from wounds, hallmarked Edinburgh 1879, maker’s mark for William Mortimer, extremely fine £80000-100000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Brian Ritchie Collection of H.E.I.C. and British India Medals.

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The group is also sold with two original photographs of the recipient and another coloured portrait, on porcelain, of Cook in uniform wearing his V.C.; an original manuscript letter from the recipient, dated Kabul , 27th Novr.1879; and a typescript letter from his brother, Walter, signed and dated Fife 1926, written to his nephew in Jamaica, ‘As regards your Uncle John’s medals and V.C.:- these should, of course, be in your keeping as “Head of the Family” and I hope Iris has already sent them to you. With the V.C. is a silver plate engraved with the Gazette notification...’

John Cook, the second son of Alexander Shank Cook, a distinguished Advocate and Sheriff, and his wife Jane Stirling, was born at 3 Darnaway Street, Edinburgh, on 28 August 1843. He was educated at Edinburgh Academy, and also by a Dr Grieg. When Cook was eleven he was nominated a Cadet for the Bengal Infantry by his great uncle, Henry Shank, on the recommendation of his father.

From 1 October 1856, to July 1858, he attended the Scottish Naval and Military Academy, and on 27 June 1859, was recorded at East India House as being ‘... in general conduct, correct and exemplary. On 2 December of that year, Cook became one of the last Cadets to study at Addiscombe, which closed in June 1861.

Cook went to India at the age of seventeen and soon after his arrival was posted to the 3rd Sikhs. He was mentioned in despatches for his services in the Umbeyla Campaign and was also specially thanked by his Colonel ‘for leading a very effectual bayonet charge’. In 1868 he served as Adjutant of his regiment in the Hazara Expedition, on the North West Frontier. After ten years service he took his furlough entitlement of one year at home, and returned to India in 1871. In 1872 he was promoted Captain, and in 1873 transferred to the 5th Gurkhas as Wing Commander. In 1877 he took another year’s furlough, returning to India in 1878. On 24 September of that year the 5th Gurkhas were warned for active service, and on 2 October proceeded from Abbottabad to Thal ,where it joined Sir Frederick Robert’s Kurram Valley Field Force. Cook crossed the frontier with his regiment as part of Brigadier-General Thelwall’s 2nd Brigade on 22 November, and following the reconnaissance of Peiwar Kotal, won his Victoria Cross on the slopes of the Spingawai Kotal, or White Cow Pass. Cook’s brother, Lieutenant-Colonel Walter Cook, of the 3rd Sikhs (qv), recounted the details for a young relative in 1926:
‘The occasion was the taking of the “Peiwar Kotul”, - the first Pass leading into Afghanistan on the Kurrum side in which the late Lord Roberts, - Major-General Frederick Roberts, V.C. - commanded, the beginning, in fact of his career as a General. The force at Roberts’ disposal was small and poorly provided with guns while the enemy’s position was very strong and, as regards a front attack, practically impregnable. Unless, however, the position was attacked, and captured, at once, further advance was impossible and the tribes would rise and overwhelm Roberts’ small force. General Roberts decided on a night march with part of his force which moved up the “Spingwai nullah” with the object of falling on the enemy’s left flank at dawn, the remainder of the force covering the camp with the guns.

The night march was long and difficult, the route being up mountain torrent beds, in places precipitous, over ground which it had been impossible to reconnoitre beforehand without giving way the general’s intentions, and through pine forests. The leading Regiment had some Afghans in its ranks and, on nearing the enemy’s breastworks, two of these men treacherously let off their rifles. On this, the order of march was hurriedly changed, your Uncle’s Regiment, the 5th Gurkhas, taking the lead. There was no time to deploy and, instantly on sighting the advanced breastwork in the dawn, your Uncle with his leading files “charged out the breastworks with such impetuosity that the enemy broke and fled”. In the confused melee which followed the charge, a big Afghan, aiming at short range at the Staff Officer of the Column, Major Galbraith, was charged by your Uncle and, his sheepskin coat turning a sword cut, grappled with the Afghan. The Gazette account says “both fell to the ground” but, as a matter of fact, your Uncle cross buttocked the Afghan and, being an immensely powerful man, strangled him with his hands, the Afghan biting him in the arm. Some pretty stiff fighting followed but the enemy’s position being taken in flank was ultimately vacated and the position occupied. The safety of Robert’s Force and its further advance was thus secured but, while it lasted, the initial scrimmage was touch and go and one moment’s hesitation on your Uncle’s part would have given the enemy, already alarmed, time to man all his breastworks. The saving of Major Galbraith’s life was merely the official peg to hang the V.C. on, - so to speak, - the real service was the instant, and successful, onslaught on the breastwork. On this depended the safety of the whole Force and, it is not too much to say, the whole of the future Lord Roberts’ career as a great and successful General. Some months later, the General, then Major-General Sir Fred. Roberts, personally decorated your Uncle with the V.C. at Ali Kheyl and never forgot the great service he rendered on the occasion referred to.’

A few days after Cook’s Victoria Cross action, a grateful Major Galbraith sent Roberts the following report, dated ‘Camp near Zabbardast Kila, the 5th December 1878’): ‘I have the honour to submit the following statement, in the hope that, should you see fit, you will bring the name of Captain Cook, 5th Goorkha Regiment, to the favourable notice of His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief. On the morning of the 2nd of December 1878, after our troops had stormed the second entrenchment above the “Spin Gawai,” the enemy attempted to rally in the woods at our right flank, and at the same moment about 150 to 200 men were observed moving down from a height on the left. The latter were at first supposed to be our own sepoys, and were thus enabled to approach unmolested within 50 yards of the entrenchment, when, their identity being established, Captain Cook opened fire with about 15 or 20 of his men. A very heavy fire was interchanged for two or three minutes, during which time he was reinforced by about 12 men of his own regiment and the 72nd Highlanders, when, seeing that the enemy had a mountain gun with them, he charged out of the entrenchment with such impetuosity that the enemy broke and fled, leaving many of their men and three battery mules on the ground. At the close of the melee, I was on the left flank of the Goorkhas when a man rushed towards me from behind. I had seen him advancing, but thought him a friendly sepoy, until he raised his rifle at about three yards from me; fortunately an intervening tree sheltered me for the moment, and gave me time to turn and discharge my pistol at him without effect. Captain Cook seeing my danger, with a shout distracted his attention to himself, and aiming a sword cut which the Duranee avoided, sprang upon him, and grasping his throat, grappled with him. They both fell upon the ground, the Duranee, a most powerful man still endeavoring to use his rifle and seizing Captain Cook’s arm in his teeth, until I was able to end the struggle by shooting him through the head. The whole affair was the work of a moment, but I feel convinced that but for Captain Cook’s prompt endeavour to draw the man’s fire upon himself, I should, in all probability, have been shot before I could have again discharged my pistol, several others of the enemy were at the time within a few yards of us. I would beg further to mention that I repeatedly observed the gallant manner in which Captain Cook led his men during the action, and that in charging from the entrenchment a bullet passed through his helmet immediately above his forehead.’ Roberts concurred that, ‘This officer’s courage is undeniable, and on the occasion now brought to notice, humanly speaking, he saved Major Galbraith’s life’.

On 13 December, a fortnight after the fight at Peiwar Kotal, Cook again distinguished himself by his gallantry when commanding a wing of his regiment in a column marching between Ali Khel and Fort Kurram. The column was heavily attacked by Mangals in the Sapiri Defile, and for five hours the 5th Gurkhas ‘maintained a rear guard fight over most difficult ground with a bold and active enemy thoroughly acquainted with the locality; and though the two officers with him - Captains Goad and Powell - were mortally wounded, he succeeded with Major Fitz-Hugh, in beating off the Mangals and in bringing the convoy safe into camp’. In January 1879 Cook, in command of 200 men, accompanied Roberts to Khost, and in April rejoined the main body of his regiment to escort Cavagnari to Shutargardan.

The award of Cook’s Victoria Cross was announced three months later (London Gazette 18 March 1879) and, as has been stated, he received the decoration from Roberts at a parade of 6450 officers and men to mark the Queen’s birthday at Ali Khel on 24 May 1879. Now that the war was seemingly over and the Kurram had been annexed under the terms of the Treaty of Gandamak, Roberts used the occasion as a demonstration of military might and invited the neighbouring clans to attend. ‘The Afghans’, he recorded, ‘were seated in picturesque groups round the flag staff, when suddenly, as the first round of feu-de-joie was fired, they started to their feet, thinking that treachery was intended, and they were caught in a trap: they took to their heels, and we had considerable difficulty in bringing them back ...’

On the renewal of hostilities after Cavagnari’s murder, the 5th Gurhkas joined the 2nd Brigade, under Brigadier-General T. D. Baker (qv), and took part in the advance on Kabul. On 6 October, Cook distinguished himself twice at the battle of Charasia; firstly in reinforcing the flanking company of 72nd Highlanders in the attack on the enemy’s centre - ‘The company of the 72nd with much difficulty fought their way up, and gained a footing on the first peak, where they were obliged to pause, until reinforced by two companies of the 5th Gurkhas under Captain Cook, V.C.; when they advanced altogether, clearing the enemy from each successive point ...’; and secondly, in the assault on the main ridge.
On reaching Kabul, the 5th Gurkhas were quartered in the Bala Hissar, where, on the morning of the 16th, a gunpowder store exploded killing the Subadar-Major, five N.C.O.’s and six rank and file, a Royal Artillery officer, a Private of the 67th Foot and a number of natives. Cook, who had recently been promoted Brevet Major in recognition of his recent services, described the carnage as the ‘most appalling sight I have ever witnessed,’ and freely admitted to his sister in a letter written on 27 November, ‘We really had a most marvellous escape as we might just as well have been buried alive’. The cause of the explosion was never discovered.

On 4 November, Cook’s brother, Walter, entered Kabul with the 3rd Sikhs, under Colonel Noel Money (qv), after their spirited defence of the Shutargardan Pass, and the brothers, ‘as may be imagined, keenly appreciated each other’s society during the short time that elapsed before the beginning of the stern work with which the year drew to a close’. By this time, John Cook’s reputation for bravery amongst his Gurkhas had acquired almost legendary status. Parsu Khattri, who later rose to become Subadar Major of the regiment, summed up the adulation by saying, “He was the bravest man I have ever seen, braver even than Roberts Sahib Bahadur, whom all the Regiment considered very brave, above all other men.”

On 11 December Cook was attached to Macpherson’s brigade which attempted to attack the Afghans in the rear, at Argundeh, but was forced to retire towards Sherpur in the face of overwhelming numbers. Late in the day he distinguished himself in the rear guard action which saved the brigade’s baggage and found himself fighting shoulder to shoulder with his brother: ‘Before nightfall, Macpherson’s baggage train also got back to Sherpur; not without difficulty, however. The hills through which it had made its way were alive with tribesmen, hungry for spoil and but for the strength of its original escort, and the additional protection afforded it by the squadron of 14th Bengal Lancers, recalled by Captain MacGregor, many of the laden mules would certainly have been cut off and driven away. So persistent and bold were the Afghans that, in the end, it was found needful to resort to a bayonet charge, which, gallantly led by Captain J. Cook, 5th Gurkhas, and Lieutenant W. Cook, 3rd Sikhs taught them to keep their distance. Unfortunately both brothers were wounded in the fight.’

Walter was shot in the chest and was carried into the Sherpur Cantonment, while John, whose pistol had missed fire, had been brought to his knees by a blow to the head. Walter was hors de combat, but John was able to take part in the attack next day on the Takht-i-Shah peak, the highest and most inaccessible point of the range of hills dominating Kabul. In this attack he was destined to receive his death wound. A brother officer communicated the manner in which he fell to his sister, Diana: ‘On the 12th of the month our Regiment was ordered by General Macpherson to storm a high conical hill about three miles from this city, on which the enemy was strongly posted, and we were supported by three companies of John’s old Regiment, the 3rd Sikh Infantry. John led the advance with two companies of our Regiment and we soon came under the enemy’s fire, which occasioned a few casualties among the men. We got about half-way up the hill, but the enemy’s fire became so galling that it was found impossible with our small numbers to get any further, and it was determined that we should take shelter under some rocks and await reinforcements from cantonments. Whilst lying under these rocks your brother observed large bodies of the enemy coming up to a spur to help those already on top of the conical hill, and he went back about fifty yards to inform Colonel Money of the 3rd Sikhs, who was in command of us, of what he had seen. No one could show the smallest part of his body from behind the rocks without having several bullets fired at him; and in going back to Colonel Money a heavy fire was kept up on John, but he escaped untouched. In returning, however, he had to run the same gauntlet, and just as he reached the rock under which we were lying, a bullet struck him, passing through the bone of the left leg just below the knee.’

Owing to the risk of conveyance to Sherpur through the city, Cook and the other wounded had to spend the night on the hill in the open, and in Walter’s opinion, ‘the effect of this delay and exposure was to prove fatal.’ Later when John was admitted to the hospital in the besieged cantonment, he received several visits from his brother. Walter Cook remembered: ‘John was in a small room by himself, under the rampart wall, against which an occasional bullet thudded while we talked. I am writing close on sixty years afterwards, but remember clearly all he said. His only reference to his own condition was to remark that if he had to lose his leg, he would get an appointment in the Pay Department and still “be able to shoot snipe off an elephant.” As a matter of fact, the P.M.O. had warned me that amputation would be immediately fatal. On another occasion, after being told of his condition, John used the Latin, quoted before and since, by more than one fine Soldier, “Dulce et decorum est pro Patria mori.” Towards the end, speaking of his affairs, John merely said, “I’ve nothing to leave,” and I understood from this, that he had not thought it necessary to make a Will. I knew that for some time previously, John had been making our sister Diana an allowance of, I think £100 a year. I also knew that, on learning that he could not recover, he had made a request that, if thought fitting, his sister might be granted a pension in lieu of this allowance. Sir Frederick Roberts interested himself in the matter and saw it through ... John’s personal effects and the local affairs were dealt with in the usual Service manner by a Committee of his brother Officers ... On my last journey to be with John at his death [on the 19th], as I was carried past the Head Quarter Gate of Sherpur, Sir Frederick, who was waiting, came out, took my hand and said, very slowly and earnestly, “I’m awfully sorry.”

Shadbolt conludes: ‘In Major Cook the Punjab Frontier Force lost one of its representative men, and the Indian Army an officer it could ill spare. His name - to quote one of his officers - was synonymous with all that is true and brave and chivalrous. He was modest to a degree. In a letter written to one of his sisters after the battle of the Peiwar, in which he tells of having been recommended for the Victoria Cross, he adds with characteristic generosity, “I think the dead deserve it most.”

Refs: Lummis Files (NAM); IOL L/MIL/9/250; WO 32/7381: IOL L/MIL/10/106; Letter from J. Cook, dated Kabul, 27 November 1879, (Ms.); Letter from W. Cook, dated Brunton, Markinch, Fife, 14 September 1926, (Typescript); Narrative of Events at Kabul in December 1879, W. Cook, dated 20th February 1940 (Typescript); History of the 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (F.F.) 1858 to 1928; The Afghan Campaign of 1878-1880 (Shadbolt); The Second Afghan War (Hanna); Forty-One Years in India (Roberts).