Born in Ballarat, Victoria and a Bank Clerk by trade, Arthur William Cooke was 31 years and single when enlisted on the 13th of July 1915 in the No 1 Mining Corps, Australian Imperial Force, with the rank of Sapper, Number 523, and was listed as returned to Australia on the 18th of January 1919. His Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A38 'Ulysses' on the 20th of February 1916. Admitted to hospital – appendicitis on the 19th of January 1917 and on the 25th of January 1917 admitted to 3rd General Hospital Boulogne – Chronic Appendicitis; on the 4th of February 1917 admitted to Royal Victorian Hospital Netley – appendicitis; admitted to 149 Field Ambulance, France – Pulmonary Tuberculosis on the 4th of March 1918; on the 18th of December 1918 to Hospital, Weymouth – sick. On the 13th of January 1919 left England per 'Ulysses' for return to Australia; Disembarked at Melbourne on the 10th of March 1919 and Discharged from the A.I.F. at Melbourne Medically unfit. Disability - Pulmonary Fibrosis. Tree No. 2635