Name
John (Jack) William Cooper
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/07/1917
41
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
19562
Princess Charlotte of Wales’ (Royal Berkshire) Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 45
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin
Pre War
ohn William Cooper was known as Jack, he was the second son of Mrs H.W. Cooper of 35, Bedford St. Hitchin. However, confusingly the CWGC states that he was the son of Mrs Caroline Matilda Cooper of 26, St. John's Hill, Reading, Berks – H W was probably the initials of her husband. He was born around 1876
The family have yet to be found in the censuses, but from a newspaper report in the Herts Express after Jack’s death we also know that prior to his enlistment in November 1915, he was employed by the Great Northern Railway as a clerk at Kings Cross in London.
Officially Jack was recorded as born in Reading and living there when he enlisted in St. Pancras, Middx.
Wartime Service
He was given the Regimental Number 19562 in the 6th Battalion of the Berkshire Regiment which was part of the 53rd Brigade in the 18th Division of II Corps in the 5th Army. He was wounded on the 21st July 1916 and did not return to France until February 1917. He was then killed in action at Ypres in Belgium.
On the 31st July 1917 the 53rd Brigade was on the left of the 18th Division and their first objective was to enter Glencorse Wood. The 6th Berks, wrongly believing that it was in British hands, came under severe machine-gun fire just short of the Menin Road. Shellfire was also heavy and destroyed four of the five tanks sent to assist them and bombs were dropped on troops trying to consolidate their positions. A counter attack from Glencorse Wood was neutralised by British artillery in the afternoon.
He has no known grave and is remembered on the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium.
Additional Information
His pension cards record Caroline Matilda Cooper as his mother as his next of dependant, living at 26 St John’s Hill, Reading. She was awarded a pension of 10s a week from 19 February 1918, however the card is annotated with refused on 11 February 1918. Another card recorded 8s 5d a week for life, so perhaps it was merely amended.
He had three brothers serving, Frank, Fred and Bob.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
