Name
William John Cooper
1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/04/1916
22 years
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
17177
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Battalion
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 31 and 33
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
N/A.
UK & Other Memorials
Hatfield Town Memorial, Hatfield In Memoriam Book, Welwyn Garden City Memorial, Hatfield Hyde Village Memorial, St. Mary Magdalene, Church Memorial, Hatfield Hyde
Pre War
William John Cooper was born in 1894 in Hatfield, Herts, the son of Arthur Cooper (b 1857 in Hatfield) and Anne Sarah Cooper (nee Hawkins) (b 1861 in Hatfield). He was one of seven children and was baptised in the Parish of Bishops Hatfield on 4th February 1894. Arthur is working as horse minder on farm.
1901 Census records William aged 7, at school, living with his parents, brothers Arthur 14, Charles 12, Frederick 1 and sister Daisy 9, in Hatfield Hyde, Herts.
By 1911 William had left school and was working as a mill hand at a flour mill, living at home with his parents, brothers Arthur, Fred and sister Dorothy 6, at Flint Lodge, Hatfield Hyde.
Officially recorded as born in Hatfield Hyde and was living there when he enlisted in St Albans.
Wartime Service
William enlisted in St Albans, Herts and was posted to the Bedfordshire Regiment with the Service No. 17177. He landed in France with the 8th Battalion on 30th August 1915 and they soon saw action in the Battle of Loos in September.
He was recorded as missing then as killed in action on 19th April 1916 when the Battalion were in trenches near Ypres. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.
Awarded the Victory Medal, British War Medal, & 1915 Star.
The Bishop’s Hatfield Parish Magazine of October 1914, in the second list of men mobilised from Hatfield, recorded: “Cooper, William John – Hatfield Hyde – 8th Beds Regt.” and then in July 1916: “Missing – William J. Cooper. - William Cooper – The parents of Private Cooper of Flint Cottage, Hatfield Hyde, received last month the grievous news that he was “missing” a word that chills the stoutest of hearts, for, alas, it so seldom means that there is hope. In this case, we fear no brighter news has followed and his family face the sad probability that he is killed; one more brave young life bravely offered, one more sacrifice for his King and Country. All must feel deeply for his parents particularly those who have passed through a like affliction. That Private Cooper was a good soldier, doing all he could was proved by his Sergeant’s words when writing to communicate the sad news; he said –
25/4/14 B. Co., 8th Beds Regt., B.E.F., France “Dear Madam – I am sincerely sorry to have to inform you that your Brother, Pte. W.J. Cooper, is missing believed to be killed. He was in the trenches when they were bombarded by the Germans on April 19th, and has not been seen since. It is with deep regret that I have to write this as he was a good soldier and a man that could be relied on. What small consolation I can offer you I honestly do; perhaps you feel proud of him when I tell you he stuck to his post until the last. So again sympathizing with you in your loss, I remain yours sincerely, Sgt. A Hancock, Machine Gun Section.”
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £7 and pay owing of £5 8s 5d. His mother received a pension of 5 shillings a week.
Hatfield Parish Council Souvenir Committee Ledger: Mrs Cooper (Mother) of Flint Cottages, Hatfield Hyde received an “In Memoriam and Roll of Honour Album”.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Brenda Palmer
Brenda Palmer, Stuart Osborne, www.bedfordregiment.org.uk, Christine & Derek Martindale, Hatfield Local History Society (www.hatfieldhistory.uk)
