During the 2nd Afghan War, on 2 Dec 1878, at Peiwar Kotal, Captain John Cook acted with great bravery when he saw a major in a struggle with a Durani Afghan. He left the entrenchment and rushed to help. He distracted the Afghan who bit into his arm and could not be dislodged until he was shot in the head. For this act of bravery he was awarded the Victoria Cross, gazetted 18 Mar 1879.
John Cook was born in Edinburgh on 28 Aug 1843. He joined the Indian Army after passing out at Addiscombe in 1860. His first regiment was the 3rd Sikh Infantry but he transferred to the 5th Goorkha Regiment as a captain on 19 Dec 1872. He was wounded in the action at Sherpur on 11 Dec and shot in the leg the next day, in the attack on the That-i-Shah peak near Kabul. He was taken to hospital but died on 19 Dec 1879.
