NewsBeat
York D-Day veteran Ken Cooke shares life story in new book
Ken Cooke’s Every Day is an Adventure is released on Saturday, September 26 with a signing by Ken in St Lawrence Parish Church in Lawrence Street.
Friends Amanda Stirk and Gillian MacDonald wrote the book and have both known the veteran of the D-Day Normandy landings since they were girls, as the women’s parents travelled in the same circles as Ken and his wife Joan.
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Ken Cooke recently had the Freedom of the City of York conferred upon him in an event at The Guildhall (Image: City of York Council)
Their work started from a conversation the two friends had with Ken whilst he was gardening at his home off Hull Road one day earlier this year.
Gillian said: “We were saying he had had such an interesting life that someone should write a book about it.
“It just evolved from there – initially it was going to be a small undertaking, but it grew and grew.”
She said her own mother and father, who have now both passed away, would spend long hours chatting to Ken and Joan after their retirement, adding that her father always said “what a lovely chap” he was.
Ken is well-known and admired for the contribution he has made to keeping the memory of York Normandy Veterans alive in and around the city he has lived in for most of his life.
Ken Cooke, 100, said it was a “pleasure” talk to the young people at Millthorpe School in November last year (Image: Newsquest)
Gillian said: “This is why he was so enthusiastic about the book.
“It’s another way of educating people about the war.
“He’s extremely grateful for the life he leads and loves giving talks to the young and the elderly and also enjoys all his duties as an ambassador for other organisations in York very much.
“Ken spoke about his life to us and we recorded it.
“Amanda typed it up and the book is all Ken’s words, none added, not taken away.
“We regard him as our hero.”
Amanda said she lived opposite Ken when she was young and played with his son Stephen who is the same age as her.
She said she can remember Ken and his wife going to Christmas parties at their house where he was “the life and soul of the party.”
Gillian said she’s also known Ken through her husband Peter who worked at Rowntree’s in Haxby Road, where the two men worked together.
The two friends said they think Ken’s secret is his zest for life and his interest in everything that is going on in the world.
Mrs MacDonald added: “He is also a very kind man.
“He rings up his late veteran friends’ widows for a chat which they really enjoy.
“We were surprised at Ken’s energy and enthusiasm for all things new.
“He is extremely humble and thankful for his good fortune in life – he just takes everything in his stride.”
At first, 50 copies of the book were set to be printed for friends and family but after a suggestion by Ken’s friend of 16 years – and secretary of the Normandy Veterans Association – Nick Beilby, that number increased tenfold, with all profits from sales of the book going to a veterans’ charity.
An audiobook is also being prepared.
Nick Beilby said: “Readers are going to find out about the real Ken Cooke, not just the veteran, and how deeply embedded he is with the life of the city.”
The book launch for Ken Cooke : Every day is an Adventure is from 10am to 1pm on Saturday, September 26 in St Lawrence Parish Church, Lawrence Street.
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