Major-General Sir John Coke (pronounced Cook; 17 November 1806 – 17 December 1897) of the 10th Regiment Bengal Native Infantry was a soldier of the East India Company Army, who raised in 1849 the 1st Regiment of Punjab Infantry, renamed in 1903 55th Coke's Rifles. Major-General Coke received the Delhi medal and clasp, and was made Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath. He was Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant for the county of Herefordshire, and was High Sheriff of Herefordshire for 1879. Early life and family He was born 17 November 1806, the seventh (but fourth surviving) son of the Rev. Francis Coke the only surviving issue of the Rev. Richard Coke (1763–1831), and his wife, Anne Whitcombe. A tradition in the Coke family of Trusley, Derbyshire, states that the founder of it was one Cook or Coke, who was employed in the service of Henry de Ferrars, Superintendent of William the Conqueror's horse armourers and farriers. They are said to have been located near Tutbury Castle, Staffordshire, in some unknown feudal capacity. Career Coke received his commission as Ensign in the 10th Regiment Bengal Native Infantry 3 December 1827, and sailed for India three weeks later. He was promoted Lieutenant 29 August 1835, and that year appointed Adjutant of his regiment, which post he held for nine years. He also passed the Fort William College at Calcutta as interpreter in three languages. In 1843, the 10th Regiment was sent to Sindh to reinforce Sir Charles James Napier. After about a year and a half in Sindh, the corps marched back to Hindustan. 2nd Anglo-Sikh War Coke passed 1845–48 on furlough in Europe, thereby missing the First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–46), but returned to India in April 1848 following the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Sikh War, and Captain Coke joined the army of Sir Hugh Gough, Commander-in-Chief, India, at Ramnagar as a volunteer in 1849, doing duty with Colonel Tait's 2nd Irregular Cavalry. At the action of Chillianwalla his horse was shot when taking Major Dewes' Battery to the front. He was also present at the final victory of Goojerat, and at the pursuit of the Sikhs and Afghans to Peshawur under General Sir Sir Walter Gilbert. Raises the 1st Regiment Punjab Infantry On the annexation of the Punjab by Lord Dalhousie in 1849, John Coke was appointed to raise a regiment for frontier service, and commenced