Cyril Smythe McCooke (SN 2346), originally from Merrigum in northern Victoria, was resident in Pleasant Street Ballarat when he enlisted on August 10th 1917. He was a 21 year old motor mechanic. He trained with the Australian Flying Corps at Laverton, and was an Aircraft Mechanic 2nd Class by the time he embarked from Melbourne on November 9th on the Port Sydney. After a brief stop at Suez, he disembarked at Southampton on January 7th 1918. He served through the final year of the war, in England, predominantly with the 2nd Squadron AFC. He was denied the Victory Medal because he was deemed not to have served in a theatre of war. He returned to Australia on the Kaiser-i-Hind, reaching Melbourne on June 16th 1919. He was discharged on July 9th 1919.

Lucas’s Staffs Appreciation of Brave Men, the original Avenue register, records his name as Cyril S. McCook.