John Blair Cook

John was born in 1881 to Edward, a colliery manager. In 1899 he came to university to study Latin and Greek. To continue his studies he took classes in Education, Maths, Logic, Moral Philosophy and English. On 19th April 1907 John graduated. After graduation, John worked as a teacher in Coalburn, South Lanarkshire.

John fought in the First World War with the 5th Royal Scots Fusiliers, rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He took part in the entirety of the Gallipoli campaign, staying on the peninsula from landing until withdrawal. He also fought in Egypt and Gaza and was killed in action in Palestine in November 1917. A distinguished soldier, he was Mentioned in Despatches and received the Distinguished Service Order, the Military Cross and the French Croix De Guerre.

While Cook's death was confirmed by authorities in 1917,

there is a curious discrepancy between the official records and those held by the University. In 1921, the University asked the families of those who had died during the War to provide information to commemorate them on the University's Roll of Honour. When compiling this information, Cook's mother wrote that he had died in November 1918, not 1917. This must have been a mistake, as she had previously provided the quote "He died that we might live" for the inscription on Cook's headstone in 1917.