Thomas Henry COOPER

Thomas Henry COOPER Update Details

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S26632

COOPER, Thomas Henry

Service Number:	37
Enlisted:	2 February 1915, Keswick, South Australia
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	2nd Pioneer Battalion
Born:	Greens Plains, South Australia, 13 June 1881
Home Town:	Adelaide, South Australia
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Labourer
Died:	Natural causes, South Australia, 13 July 1955, aged 74 years
Cemetery:	West Terrace Cemetery (General) Section: Eyre North; Path No. 6N; E/W: W; Site No. 21
Memorials:

World War 1 Service

2 Feb 1915:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Keswick, South Australia
2 Feb 1915:	Involvement AIF WW1, 37, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1
31 May 1915:	Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 37, 27th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: ''
31 May 1915:	Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 37, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Geelong, Adelaide
4 Jul 1915:	Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 37, 27th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli
12 Jul 1916:	Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 37, 2nd Pioneer Battalion
16 Aug 1918:	Discharged AIF WW1
Date unknown:	Involvement 27th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières

Help us honour Thomas Henry Cooper's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography

Born 13 June 1881 in Greens Plains, South Australia
(SA Birth Record 1842 - 1906 Book: 269 Page: 199 District: Dal.)

Father Mr Benjamin COOPER and Mother Mrs Sarah Jane Cooper (nee SINGER)
they had "14" children, living at 40 Aveland Avenue, North Norwood, South Australia.

The COOPER family probably had very few equals, if any at all in the Commonwealth
and it may have been doubted whether there were many throughout the world who made
such a contribution to active service.

Next of kin in service:
Brothers:-
530   Private William James Cooper    - (b. 13/5/1879 Thebarton, SA - d. 3/7/1953 Morgan, SA)
2315 Private Albert George Cooper    - (b. 13/6/1883 Parkside, SA - d. 4/7/1960 Adelaide, SA)
5071 Private Ernest Walter Cooper    - (b. 17/4/1885 Bowden, SA - d. 16/2/1959 Morgan, SA)
3407 Private Arthur Edmond Cooper - (b. 12/5/1887 Hindmarsh, SA - d. 4/8/1963 Nailsworth, SA)
1425 Private Francis Cooper              - (b. 21/2/1890 Hindmarsh, SA
3272 Private Harold Frederick Cooper - (b. 17/3/1895 Thebarton, SA - d. 19/2/1974 Adelaide, SA)
4095 Private Roy John Cooper           - (b. 20/6/1898 Hindmarsh, SA

Brother-in-law
2336 Private Frank Cocks                 - (b. 15/5/1889 Bugle Ranges, SA - d. 10/1/1930 Mitcham, SA)
         Father James Cocks and Mother Jane Tippet
         (SA Birth Record 1842 - 1906 Book: 438 Page: 482 District: Str.)

Siblings:
Brother         William James COOPER            (b 13/5/1879 Thebarton, SA
Himself      Thomas Henry COOPER
Brother       Albert George COOPER            (b 13/6/1883 Parkside, SA
Brother        Ernest Walter COOPER             (b 17/4/1885 Bowden, SA
Brother        Arthur Edwin COOPER                  (b 12/5/1887 Hindmarsh, SA
Sister            Ada Lawrence Ethel May COOPER (b 8/6/1888 Hindmarsh, SA
Twin Sister    Florence May COOPER                 (b 21/2/1890 Hindmarsh, SA
Twin Brother Francis COOPER    (b 21/2/1890 Hindmarsh, SA
Sister            Sarah Elizabeth COOPER     (b 24/6/1892 Thebarton, SA
Brother        Harold Frederick COOPER           (b 17/3/1895 Thebarton, SA
Sister           Hilda Myrtle COOPER                   (b 2/2/1897 Thebarton, SA
Brother        Roy John COOPER                       (b 20/6/1898 Hindmarsh, SA
Sister          Alice Pretoria COOPER                  (b 20/5/1900 Bowden, SA
Sister         Ruby Violet COOPER                    (b 10/12/1902 Adelaide, SA

Wife: Mrs T H Cooper, living at c/o Mrs Ewan, 11 Crowther Street, Adelaide, SA.
(1924 Mrs Jessie Cooper, lived at 5 Reeces Lane, off of Sturt Lane, Adelaide, SA).

Prior to embarking Thomas lived at Gouger Street, Adelaide, SA.

Described on enlisting as 33 years 7 months old; married; 5' 31/2" tall; 140 lbs;
dark complexion; grey eyes; dark hair; Church of England.

2/2/1915 Enlisted at Keswick, South Australia

2/2/1915 Commanding Officer appointed Thomas to Base Depot, Oaklands Camp

16/3/1915 transferred to 27th Infantry Battalion

31/5/1915 Embarked from Outer Harbour, Port Adelaide on board HMAT Geelong A2
as a Private in A Company, 27th Infantry Battalion

After two months spent training in Egypt, the 27th Battalion landed at Gallipoli in September.

4/9/1915 embarked on board Ionian, ex Alexandria, to join Mediterranean Expeditionary
Forces in Gallipoli

At Gallipoli, the 7th Brigade, which included the 27th Battalion, reinforced the weary New Zealand and Australian Division. The 27th had a relatively quiet time at Gallipoli and the battalion departed the peninsula in December, having suffered only light casualties.

6/11/1915       admitted to 7th Field Ambulance, transferred to 16th Casualty Clearing
                      Station, Gallipoli Peninsula
12/11/1915     embarked on board hospital ship HS Devanha
                      admitted to Military Hospital Tigne, Malta
23/11/1915     transferred to Spinola Camp Malta, Anzac
4/12/1915        embarked on board HT Miltiades, ex Malta, for Egypt
                      discharged from hospital for active service, Egypt
28/12/1915     discharged to rejoin unit, Tel-el-Kebir, Cairo, Egypt
12/1/1916       rejoined unit, Tel-el-Kebir

15/3/1916 proceeded to join British Expeditionary Forces, ex Alexandria
21/3/1916 disembarked into Marseilles, France

After another stint in Egypt, the 7th Brigade proceeded to France as part of the 2nd Australian Division.

The 27th Battalion entered the front-line trenches for the first time on 7 April 1916.

9/4/1916         admitted to 26th General Hospital, Etaples, France
1/5/1916         discharged to Base Depot
12/5/1916       rejoined unit

12/7/1916 transferred to 2nd Pioneer Battalion

1/8/1916 wounded in action, France

15/9/1916 wounded in action, in the field, (remained at duty)

***2/2/1917 change of next-of-kin: transferred from his wife to father Benjamin Cooper
as Pte Thomas Henry Cooper has no more to do with his wife.***

6/3/1917         Pte Thomas Cooper - went AWOL for 7 days - forfeiture of 9 days pay
29/4/1917       Court of Inquiry - in the field - stated:
                      "Pte Cooper illegally absented himself, without leave and was still missing,
                        as of 1/6/1917"
15/6/1917       rejoined unit from absentee list, under escort

16/9/1917 Court of Enquiry held in the field on 11/10/1917 stated:
"Pte Cooper absented himself without leave on 16/9/1917 and is still missing"

24/10/1917 admitted to hospital sick, Boulogne, France

9/12/1917        Board of enquiry assembled at 8th Stationary Hospital, Wimereux, by the order of
                       DDMS Boulogne, for the purpose of examining and reporting on the condition of
                       Pte Cooper.
                       Conclusion: "Pte Cooper is recovering from an attack of confusional insanity,
                                           recommended to transfer Pte Cooper to D Block, Netley, for
                                           further treatment."

1/1/1918 embarked on board hospital ship HS St Denis, for England

2/1/1918 Pte Cooper was admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley (mentally ill)

7/2/1918 discharged from hospital, shell concusion and aneamia

13/3/1918 returned to Australia on board Dunvegan Castle, (shell concusion)

16/8/1918 discharged from service in AIF

Medals:
1914/15 Star (8830); British War medal (4778) and Victory medal (4738)

Total service: 3 years 196 days (overseas 2 years 357 days)

13/7/1955      Thomas passed away
buried in:        West Terrace Cemetery (general area)
                      Section: Eyre North; Path No. 6N; E/W: W; Site No. 21 (Grant Expires: 3/05/2025).

Commenced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan. 3/6/2015. Lest we forget.

Virtual
War Memorial
Australia