Cooper, William

Born 1869. Eldest Son of W & H Cooper, of 99 Craven Street, Hull. Second Engineer, HMT “Lady Ismay”. Previous to joining the Admiralty, he was employed at the fitting shops, of Grimsby. He is pictured in the Hull Daily Mail, on 17/02/1916. *

The Lady Ismay was a

• Steel Paddle Steamer
• Built. 1911
• Builder. Ailsa Shipbuilding
• Launched. 01/06/1911
• Commissioned. 1914
• Displacement. 451 grt
• Fate. Mined 21/12/1915
• Lady Ismay sailed from Harwich in the morning with 6 other paddle minesweepers to sweep area to the SW. Visibility poor around noon, three of the vessels separated and left for Harwich, wireless signal to the other four including Lady Ismay not received, they slipped sweeps at 1500 and in order Westward Ho, Cambridge, Lady Ismay, Glen Avon headed for Longsand LV, off Clacton, Essex. [J/dx – 21/12/17] – First two paddlers passed the LV on the starboard hand but tide forced Lady Ismay to pass on port hand, set course for the LV, at around 1540 mined amidships beneath forward bunker and sank within a minute [J/dx – near the Galloper; He – 1 mile NW of LV; un – LV S40°E 5 cables; wi – between Longsand Head and the Galloper, in 51.45N 01.49E;]. Mine laid some days earlier by UC.3 (Erwin Wassner).17 ratings, 2 MN lost, only those on deck survived including the mate, she went down so quickly survivors stepped into the lifeboats, Glen Avon just astern stopped and rescued some of the men with her boats, the other two turned back, Cambridge also lowered her boats, picked up survivors and destroyed confidential papers floating on the water. www.naval-history.net.
   
  1. Albery, Joseph , Stoker (no. 1423u),†21/12/1915, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial.
  2. Anderson, George William (24), Deck Hand (no. 6029/da),†21/12/1915, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial.
  3. Bell, Richard Callaway (46), Petty Officer 1st Class (no. 128146),  †21/12/1915, Memorial: Shotley.
  4. Bennett, Leonard Joseph (29), Seaman (no. 1331x),†21/12/1915, (Newfoundland) Memorial.
  5. Blasdale, Tom Harry (40), Deck Hand (no. 8374da),†21/12/1915, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial.
  6. Brocklesby, Percy (26), Engineman (no. 3674es),†21/12/1915, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial.
  7. Frosdick, Dennis (42), Trimmer (no. 4130ts), 21/12/1915, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial.
  8. Harris, Herbert, Deck Hand (no. 8312da),†21/12/1915, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial.
  9. Henderson, Arthur John, Engineman (no. 294ES),†21/12/1915, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial.
  10. Johnson, James, Deck Hand (no. 8272da),21/12/1915, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial.
  11. Sanderson, Benjamin (29), Deck Hand (no. 8310da),†21/12/1915, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial.
  12. Scanlon, Thomas Joseph (21), Trimmer (no. 88st),†21/12/1915,  Memorial: Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
  13. Sharpe, Robert, Trimmer (no. 4254ts), 21/12/1915, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial.
  14. Shortland, John (18), Deck Hand (no. 8458da),†21/12/1915, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial.
  15. Taylor, George, Trimmer (no. 3770ts), 21/12/1915, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial.
  16. Webster, Benjamin (23), Trimmer (no. 4135ts), 21/12/1915, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial.
  17. Whitehead, Patrick, Deck Hand (no. 2181da), 21/12/1915, Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial.