Sunday May 27th was a memorable day for the Cook family of Higher Clovelly, for on that day, after an absence of over 10 years, Driver ‘Dan’ Cook, RA, returned to his native village.

In an interview with our local representative he gave the following narrative – ‘I joined the Colours in 1935, was drafted to India and six years later was sent to North Africa, where, after going through the campaign in Eritrea and the big fight at Umbullagga, I was eventually taken prisoner when we were surrounded at Knightsbridge, near Tobruk. I was first sent to a prison camp at Naples and later with about 8,000 others to be a big camp at Maceratta, where after about eight months we were split up in groups and sent to work in different parts of Italy. I was sent to Zevio, near Verona, and worked there as camp cook.

On September 8th we heard rumours of an Armistice and the next morning, finding the guard absent we all dispersed to different farms in the neighbourhood. I went with a pal to where he had been working and remained there for about nine months. Word came through that ‘Jerries’ and Fascists were searching for British Tommies so we cleared off to the mountains and joined the Patriots and assisted them for about eleven months, when we were told to present ourselves to the 5th American Army near Verona, who sent work to my people that I was safe, the first they had heard from me for two years.’

‘Dan’ is the son of Mr and Mrs D Cook and one of a family of 12, seven of whom are serving in the Forces or on agricultural work.

Gazette article dated 5 June 1945