COOPER, William John
| Service Number: | 1736 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 4 January 1915, Lismore, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 49th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | South Grafton, New South Wales, Australia, 9 January 1890 |
| Home Town: | Stanthorpe, Southern Downs, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Natural causes, Stanthorpe, Queensland, Australia, 21 October 1936, aged 46 years |
| Cemetery: |
Stanthorpe General Cemetery, Queensland Section 5, Row F, Grave 21 |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 4 Jan 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1736, 9th Infantry Battalion, Lismore, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 8 Apr 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1736, 9th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Star of England, Brisbane | |
| 8 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1736, 9th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Star of England embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: '' | |
| 4 Jul 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1736, 9th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 25 Feb 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 49th Infantry Battalion | |
| 23 Jun 1917: | Honoured Military Medal and bar, Awarded Military Medal:- London Gazette on 16 August 1917, page 8426, position 102 and Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 20 December 1917, page 3376, position 112 Bar to the Military Medal awarded 20 November 1917:- London Gazette on 4 February 1918, page 1609, position 8 and Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 27 June 1918, page 1392, position 4 | |
| 10 May 1918: | Honoured Distinguished Conduct Medal, For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty at Dernacourt. London Gazette on 3 September 1918, page 10369, position 6 Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 4 February 1919, page 123, position 6 | |
| 8 May 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Corporal, 1736, 49th Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour William John Cooper's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Carol Foster
Next of kin given as his sister E. Mastalla nee Cooper of Redcliffe Hotel, Water Street, Red Hill, QLD
Commenced return to Australia on 15 January 1919 aboard HT City of Exeter disembarking on 2 March 1919
Medals: Distinguished Conduct Medal, Military Medal & Bar, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Biography
.
Biography contributed by Ken O'Keefe
Cpl.William John Cooper DCM.MM and Bar was the brother of my grandmother Euphameia O'Keefe (nee Cooper). He was very ill before passing away in 1936 aged 47. He is buried with his father who also passed away at 47 yrs.
Biography contributed by Aubrey Bairstow
William John Cooper was born in Grafton New South Wales and was 24 years and 11 months when he enlisted in the 8th Battalion in January 1915. He stated that he was a labourer with 2 years prior service in the 4th Light Horse. He embarked for Egypt on 8 April 1915 and served at Gallipoli from 4 July 1915. Cooper was hospitalised with influenza at Gallipoli in August 1915, subsequently evacuated to Imbros, Malta and eventually England.
He rejoined his unit at Lemnos in December 1915 however in February of 1916 was taken on strength with the 49th Battalion at Habeita. The 49th Battalion was raised in Egypt on 27 February 1916 as part of the "doubling" of the AIF. Approximately half of its recruits were Gallipoli veterans from the 9th Battalion, and the other half, fresh reinforcements from Australia. Reflecting the composition of the 9th, the 49th was predominantly composed of men from Queensland. Arriving in France on 12 June 1916, the 49th moved into the trenches of the Western Front for the first time on 21 June. It fought in its first major battle at Mouquet Farm in August and suffered heavily, particularly in the assault launched on 3 September. The battalion saw out the rest of the year alternating between front-line duty, and training and labouring behind the line. This routine continued through the bleak winter of 1916-17.
Early in 1917, the battalion participated in the advance that followed the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, supporting the 13th Brigade's attack at Noreuil on 2 April. Later in the year, the focus of the AIF's operations moved to the Ypres sector in Belgium. There the battalion fought in the battle of Messines on 9 June and the battle of Polygon Wood on 26 September.
He was awarded the Military Medal for his bravery at Messines .
“During the operations at Messines the 7th, 8th and 9th June 1917 this NCO was in charge of the Regimental Stretcher Bearers.
He worked continuously during the whole operation, at many times under very heavy artillery and rifle fire. His conscientious devotion to duty was the means of saving many lives.”
The bar to his MM came in October 1917.
“this NCOs gallant work on the night of the 9th of October 1917 at Broodseinde was extremely valuable. He was in charge of the Stretcher Bearers in his platoon and time and again, during heavy enemy artillery fire, carried wounded men out of action. Again on subsequent days 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th of October his work and conduct was excellent and well worthy of recognition. He has been awarded the MM.”
After leave in Paris from 20 to 30 January he rejoined his unit.
With the collapse of Russia in October 1917, a major German offensive on the Western Front was expected in early 1918. This occurred in France in late March and the 4th Division moved to defend positions around the Dernancourt on the River Ancre. The 49th Battalion assisted in the repulse of a large German attack on 5 April, launching a critical counter-attack late in the afternoon. The German threat remained until late April, when Australian troops of the 13th and 15th Brigades carried out a successful counter-attack and dislodged the enemy from Villers-Bretonneux
He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for bravery at Dernancourt in April 1918.
“This NCO was in charge of the Regimental Stretcher Bearers and his work during the operations on the 5th April 1918, near Dernancourt , SW of Albert, stands out as a splendid example of devotion to duty and gallantry. The casualties inflicted on this Battalion in the counter attack were very heavy and included many of the stretcher bearers. Cpl Cooper MM reorganised the Bearer squads under heavy fire, and by dawn all wounded had been brought in and evacuated, and by his skilful attention to badly wounded cases, he undoubtedly saved many lives.
That this operation was so successfully carried out was due entirely to the organising ability, skill and personal example of this NCO. He is already in possession of a Military Medal and bar.”
He suffered from appendicitis in November 1918, necessitating his return to England for surgery. He was subsequently returned to Australia for discharge and died of Natural Causes at Stanthorpe, Queensland in 1936, aged 46.
Click images to start slideshow.