Allegiance United Kingdom Service/branch British Army Name James Cooke-Collis Rank Major-general | Died 1941 Education Cheltenham College | |
Commands held 11th Infantry Brigade
55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division
Northern Ireland District Battles/wars World War I
World War II Relations Lt.-Col. William Cooke-Collis Awards Order of the British Empire, Distinguished Service Order | ||
Battles and wars World War I, World War II | ||
Major-General Sir (William) James Norman Cooke-Collis KBE CB CMG DSO (7 May 1876 – 14 April 1941) was General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland District.
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Military career
Cooke-Collis was born on 7 May 1876 in Castle Cooke, Kilworth, Co. Cork to Lt.-Col. William Cooke-Collis and Catherine Maria Cooke-Collis (née Oliphant) and was educated at Cheltenham College. He was commissioned into the King's Royal Rifle Corps transferring to the Royal Ulster Rifles in 1900. He served in the Second Boer War as well as World War I.
After the War he was appointed Military Governor at Batoum in Transcaucasia. He became Commander of 11th Infantry Brigade in 1927 and Commander of 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division in 1934. He was appointed General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland District in 1935. He was responsible for ensuring that the Royal Ulster Rifles had its depot in Ballymena, its own recruiting ground, rather than in Belfast. He was invested as a Knight Commander, Order of the British Empire in 1937. He retired in 1938 and died on 14 April 1941, aged 64.
Family
He married Cléonice Gamble, daughter of Major George Francis Gamble on 30 January 1906.