Ernest Edward Cooper

A Private with the 10th Battalion, Ernest died on 8th of August 1918 aged 22. 

Ernest was born at Lowestoft in May 1896, a son of Peter and Annie Cooper. He was baptised at Saint Margaret’s Church on 14 October 1896. Throughout Ernest’s life his family lived at 10 Cathcart Street. From 1 February 1904 Ernest attended Saint Margaret’s School. In 1911 Ernest was a confectioner’s errand boy.  

Ernest volunteered and enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft in September 1914. He joined the Essex Regiment, service number 14633, and was posted to the 10th Battalion arriving in France with the battalion on 25 July 1915. Ernest was wounded three times in 1916, first on 19 February, then in July-August, and then, on 28 September he received a gunshot wound to his left leg and was admitted to 11 Casualty Clearing Station and the same day he was transferred via 18 Ambulance Train. Once recovered he returned to the 10th Battalion. 

In late July and early August 1918 the 10th Battalion were training. On 8 August they launched an attack south of the Bray-Corbie Road with Gressiare Wood as their objective. Mist hindered the attack and when this lifted they had their flanks in the air and had to withdraw. During that day the battalion lost 58 killed, 27 missing, and 199 wounded. It seems that Ernest was wounded and died the same day. He is buried at Beacon Cemetery next to the Bray-Corbie Road.