William John Peter Cooper

A Sergeant with the 11th Battalion. William died on 7th of August 1918 at the age of 33. 

William was born at Lowestoft on 21 November 1884, a son of William and Mary Cooper. He was baptised at Saint Margaret's Church, Lowestoft, on 9 March 1890, and his family lived at 253 Raglan Street. In 1891 they were still living at 253 Raglan Street. By 1901 they were living at The Cottage, Waveney Drive, Kirkley, and William worked as an errand boy at the port. In 1911 they lived at Colville House, Carlton Colville, and later at Birds Farm, Birds Lane, Lowestoft.  

William married Gertrude Harriett Russell in late 1911, this was registered in the Edmonton district. They lived at Havana Street, Millwall, and later Gertrude lived at 62 Tinto Road, Plaistow, Essex. 

William volunteered and joined the Army in December 1914. He enlisted at Poplar. William joined the Royal Fusiliers and served with the 12th Battalion, in France, from 6 Octber 1915 until 30 January 1918 when he was posted to the 11th Battalion. William was wounded twice and awarded the Military Medal (London Gazette 12 March 1917, page 2483). 

The official pages of the 11th Battalion Royal Fusiliers War Diary covering the period 1st to 21st August 1918 are missing, so no details of what happened to William are known. However, a hand-written note from Captain Baker to the Adjutant of the Battalion shows that during the night of 6-7 August the Battalion were in front line tranches and had to withstand a sustained and heavy German counter-attack. Twenty-six men, including William, were killed.