28-03-2025
"Like 1,000 fireworks' nights": D-Day veteran gives talk at Millthorpe
A D-Day veteran gave an "inspirational" talk to students about his experiences during World War II.
Ken Cooke, who turns 100 this year, visited Millthorpe School to speak to 240 Year 9 students.
The visit was organised after Mr Cooke's granddaughter, who works at the school, mentioned that he was in Normandy for the 80th anniversary commemorations last year.
The visit was organised after a remark by Mr Cooke's granddaughter, who works at the school (Image: Supplied)
Assistant principal and teacher Adam Baybutt was eager to invite Mr Cooke to speak to the students.
The students had recently learned about D-Day as part of their history curriculum and were chosen to hear Mr Cooke's talk.
To prepare for the talk, the students investigated other D-Day readings, including one from a diary of another D-Day veteran, WM Christie, who is the great-great-grandfather of a current Year 9 student.
To prepare for the talk, the students investigated other D-Day readings (Image: Supplied)
Mr Cooke, who was called up aged 18, shared his experiences of being sent to basic training and arriving in Southampton on June 4, 1944, realising he was about to take part in something monumental.
He landed at Gold Beach at 7.45am on June 6, 1944, and despite his young age and lack of training, he recalls a sense of excitement.
He described the scene to be "like 1,000 fireworks' nights all at once.
"I don't know why I did it, but I just rested on the side and watched it all happen."
It was only when he learned of the tragic deaths of some of his friends that the enormity and danger of the situation began to sink in.
Mr Cooke later suffered a serious shrapnel wound and returned to Britain to recover.
Mr Cooke was called up at the age of 18 (Image: Supplied)
He returned to action in Germany, where he was injured for a second time towards the end of the war.
His hour-long talk concluded to "rapturous applause" from the students, who were deeply moved by his first-hand account.
He left the students with a powerful message for the future: "I want you to promise me now that you won't let what happened to me, happen to you.
"Can you promise me that?"
Mr Baybutt said: "It is difficult to put into words just how fortunate and privileged we feel at being able to welcome Mr Cooke into our school.
"This is undoubtedly a highlight of my 17-year career at Millthorpe.
"The students were impeccable and listened to Ken's talk with interest and complete respect."
Students from other year groups who did not attend the talk were invited to come along to the main hall at the end of the school day, and more than 80 students did so.
They waited patiently to meet Mr Cooke, shake his hand, ask pertinent questions, and even have a photo taken.
After the talk, many students wrote letters of thanks to Mr Cooke.
