BORN PELSALL, STAFFORDSHIRE, 07/03/1890. SON OF SAMUEL COOPER (1866-1941) & MARIA JANE BREEZE (1864-1948). SON OF A ROOFER/SHINGLER. ONE OF TEN CHILDREN. WAS A LABOURER IN HULL.
EMIGRATED TO AUSTRALIA. A SINGLE MAN. HE WORKED AS A POLICE CONSTABLE. LIVED ARBURY BRIDGE JUNCTION, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA.
HE ENLISTED AGED 25, IN THE 5TH AUSTRALIAN MACHINE GUN COMPANY, AT LIVERPOOL, NEW SOUTH WALES, ON 09/03/1915. DESCRIBED AS 5 FOOT 8 INCHES TALL, 168 LBS. BROWN HAIR, FAIR COMPLEXION. PROMOTED TO CORPORAL ON 29/03/1915. LEFT SYDNEY FOR GALLIPOLI, ON 12/05/1915. PROMOTED TO SERGEANT ON 28/11/1915, AT GALLIPOLI. ARRIVED ALEXANDRIA ON 09/01/1916. ARRIVED MARSEILLES, FRANCE ON 17/03/1916. TRANSFERRED TO THE 5TH MACHINE GUN COMPANY. KILLED IN ACTION ON 14/11/1916, AGED 26.
HIS NAME IS LISTED ON THE VILLERS-BRETONNEUX MEMORIAL. ALSO RECORDED ON THE STONE PILLARS OF ST MARY’S CHURCH, SCULCOATES LANE, HULL.
HE LEFT £160 IN HIS WILL TO HIS FATHER AT THIS PROBATE ADDRESS. IN 1928 HIS FATHER SAMUEL COOPER, REQUESTED A GRANT FROM THE SYDNEY POLICE, STATING THAT HE WAS 62 YEARS OLD, POORLY AND OUT OF WORK, LIVING AT 13 PARK GROVE, HULL. HE REQUESTED A BOX OF CLOTHES WHICH HIS DEAD SON LEFT, WORTH £50.00.
HIS BROTHER, DAVID COOPER, ENLISTED IN THE NORTH STAFFS ARTILLERY, 1908. HIS BROTHER, ROWLAND COOPER, SERVED IN THE YORKSHIRE REGIMENT AND BROTHER, CHARLES COOPER, AN ENGINE CLEANER, SERVED IN THE ROYAL ENGINEERS.
