Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Samuel Cooper, a hosiery trade warehouseman, born in the April quarter of 1852 in Hathern, Leicestershire and baptised on the 25th April 1852 in SS. Peter & Paul Church, Hathern (son of John Cooper and Eliza Brown) and his wife Annie (Nancy) Cooper (nee Palmer, married on the 18th June 1875 in All Saint’s Church, Loughborough), born 1849 in Deeping St. James, Lincolnshire and baptised on the 23rd September 1849 in St. James’ Church, Deeping St. James (daughter of George Palmer and Elizabeth Jackson). Frank was born in the January quarter of 1888 in Loughborough, Leicestershire and was baptised on the 5th August 1888 in All Saint’s Church, Loughborough, his siblings were, John George, an errand boy, born on the 16th June 1876 and baptised on the 17th September 1876 in Emmanuel Church, Loughborough, Rose, a schoolgirl, born in the October quarter of 1881 and baptised on the 5th February 1882 in All Saint’s Church, Loughborough and Henrietta, a schoolgirl, born in the October quarter of 1885 and baptised on the 4th July 1886 in All Saint’s Church, Loughborough, all his siblings were born in Loughborough, in April 1891 the family home was at 24, Broad Street, Loughborough. In March 1901 Frank was residing in the family home at 16, Gladstone Street, Loughborough, together with his father, a hosiery trade warehouseman, his mother and siblings, John, a hosiery trade warehouseman, Rose, Henrietta, a hosiery trade warehouse girl and Percy, born in the January quarter of 1895 in Loughborough and baptised on the 7th April 1895 in All Saint’s Church, Loughborough. In April 1911 Frank was employed as a draper’s assistant and was residing in the family home at 41, Park Road, Loughborough, together with his father, a hosiery trade warehouseman, his mother and siblings, Rose, Henrietta, a tailor and Percy a fitter. George also had another sibling, Gertrude Eliza, who was born in the October quarter of 1880 in Loughborough and died in the July quarter of 1881 in Loughborough.
Frank’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
All that is known of Frank’s military service is that he had enlisted/attested in London into the County of London Regiment (Queen Victoria’s Rifles), and had been allotted the service number 3437 later renumbered to 390911. He is then recorded as serving as a Private with the 1/9th Battalion County of London Regiment. He first entered the theatre of war in France on the 6th June 1915 with this Battalion. With the exception of the War Diary entries, there is no information that relates to his movements during his military service. He was officially reported as missing in action on the 1st July 1916, death presumed on or since, his body was never recovered and as a consequence he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, Somme, France. Frank was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. Frank nominated his brother John as his sole legatee.
The War Diary records: 1 Jul-16 – (ST. AMAND) HEBUTERNE. Battalion left billets in ST. AMAND 8.00 – 9.30pm, 30/6/16 and took up position in assembly trenches, “Y” Sector. Attack carried out as per summary being rendered next month.
Casualties:
Killed. Officers 6. Other Ranks 51.
Wounded. Officers 5. Other Ranks 290.
Missing. Officers 5. Other Ranks 188.
Totals. Officers 16. Other Ranks 529.
Report on Operations at GOMMECOURT 1st July 1916.
On the night of June 30/July 1 the Battalion moved up into its positions of assembly as follows: -
“A” and “C” Companies in Y.47 and the BOYAU de SERVICE. Attached to “C” Company were 1 platoon 5th CHESHIRE REGIMENT and 8 ROYAL ENGINEERS.
“B” Company in Y.47.L with ½ section 169th Trench Mortar Battery.
“D” Company in Y.47.R in reserve.
Battalion Headquarters at the junction of YELLOW STREET and Y.47.R.
The objective of the Battalion was as follows: -
“A” Company through FEVER FEINT FELLOW FELL and EPTE (exclusive).
“B” Company through FERN EMS (inclusive) FEED and EMDEN to FEUD STRONG POINT and CEMETERY. As soon as STRONG POINT was established and EMS was clear 1 platoon of “C” Company in FEUD was to occupy EMS getting into touch with QUEEN’S WESTMINSTER RIFLES at QUADRILATERAL.
The platoon of “A” Company in FELLOW and FELL were then to move to their left and be in support in FEUD and FELLOW.
“B” Company through FEVER FERR to FEINT FEED.
A further phase to commence 3 hours after the time of the assault consisted in bombing parties from Headquarters bombers and “B” and “D” Companies clearing GOMMECOURT PARK and VILLAGE. These parties were to clear from STRONG POINT and CEMETERY as far as the pond South of the church and South West as far as FIBRE and get into touch with LONDON RIFLE BRIGADE.
6.25am. Intensive bombardment on enemy line began.
7.20am. Smoke began (five minutes too soon) from the Z hedge and at.
7.25am. Smoke was issued all along the line and the first two Companies moved forward.
7.30am. The assault commenced, the artillery lifting off the enemy’s first line of trenches.
The assault was carried out in a series of waves as follows: -
1st wave 1 platoon of each of “A” and “C” at 4 paces interval.
2nd wave 2 platoons each of “A” and “C” at 2 paces interval.
3rd wave 1 platoon each of “A” and “C” at 4 paces interval.
4th wave 3 sections of Headquarters bombers, 1 platoon CHESHIRE REGIMNT, 8 Sappers.
5th wave “B” Company at 2 paces interval.
½ section Trench Mortar Battery.
Signallers.
As soon as the assault commenced the German Barrage was opened on to our trenches, though not severe at first it increased in intensity later.
By 9.48am the assaulting Companies had reached their objectives and occupied FEUD FELLOW and FELL after heavy fighting. They did not however get in touch at EPTE with the Battalion on the right (the left Battalion of the Brigade on the right). At the same time the third Company was consolidating the German 2nd line. The Germans were pressing hard at this time and the shortage of bombs began to be felt.
10.30am. In accordance with the orders as to the 4th phase 3 sections of bombers with battle police from the reserve Company were ordered at 9.30am to join the Companies in the German line. Owing to the congestion in Y.47.R and the communication trenches this party did not leave till after 10.30. As soon as the party left the trench they came under heavy Machine Gun fire and half the party became casualties immediately. This party was unable to get across No Man’s Land the enemy’s barrage by this time being intense.
11.00am. Shortage of bombs became critical.
12.30 to 1.30pm. German counter attack increased in force and the Companies were driven back from the 3rd line to the 2nd line.
2.00pm. Companies driven back to German 1st line. About this time a few wounded men began to reach our lines.
4.30pm. The Battalion was ordered to collect all stragglers in our lines and hold Y.47 strongly.
From this time up to about 7.00pm survivors in German trenches kept up their resistance in the 1st line but at 7.00pm they were finally driven out and those who got across No Man’s Land began to return to our trenches.
After dark the Battalion took up the position in Y.47.L and Y.47.R and remained there for the night and the next day until the afternoon when it withdrew to BAYENCOURT.
Signed: F. W. Dickens, Lieutenant Colonel, Officer Commanding Queen Victoria’s Rifles.
On Friday May 31st 1918 The Loughborough Echo published the following article. – News has been received by Miss Scattergood that Gunner P. Cooper, R.G.A., youngest son of the late Mr. and Mrs. S. Cooper, Park-road, has been badly gassed and is now in hospital at Birmingham. Previous to joining up he was employed at the Empress Works. His brother, Pte. F. Cooper was killed in action in France on July 1st, 1916.