Arthur Weston COOPER

COOPER, Arthur Weston

Service Number: 2983
Enlisted: 29 July 1915
Last Rank: Mechanic
Last Unit: Australian Flying Corps (AFC)
Born: Brighton, Sussex, England , April 1887
Home Town: Canterbury, Boroondara, Victoria
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Plumber
Died: Influenza, Queen Victoria’s Convalescent Home, Bristol, Gloucestershire, England, United Kingdom, 28 October 1918
Cemetery: Brighton (Extra-Mural) Borough Cemetery
Brighton Extramural Cemetery (39272.), Sussex, Brighton (Extra-Mural) Borough Cemetery, Brighton, Sussex, England, United Kingdom
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour
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World War 1 Service

29 Jul 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, 2983, 5th Field Company Engineers
24 Nov 1915: Involvement Sapper, 2983, 5th Field Company Engineers, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: ''
24 Nov 1915: Embarked Sapper, 2983, 5th Field Company Engineers, HMAT Ceramic, Melbourne
16 Mar 1917: Transferred AIF WW1, Australian Flying Corps (AFC), No. 29 Training Squadron at Shawbury. He was appointed 2nd Class Air Mechanic & mustered as Rigger.
1 Oct 1917: Promoted AIF WW1, Mechanic, Australian Flying Corps (AFC), 1st Class Air Mechanic on 1st October, 1917

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Biography contributed by Evan Evans

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK

Died on this date - 28th October.....Arthur Weston Cooper was born at Brighton, Sussex, England in 1887.

Arthur Cooper, Farmer, aged 26 & Alice Ford, aged 23, came to Australian in 1913. Arthur Cooper married Virtue Alice Ford in 1915 in Victoria, Australia.

A birth was registered in 1915 at Balwyn, Victoria for James Weston Cooper, son of Arthur & Virtue Alice Cooper (nee Ford).

Arthur Weston Cooper enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 26th July, 1915 as a 29 year old, married, Plumber from Canterbury, Victoria, Australia.

Sapper Arthur Weston Cooper embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Ceramic (A40) on 24th November, 1915 with the 5th Field Company Engineers. He arrived at Marseilles, France from Alexandria on 23rd March, 1916.

Sapper Arthur Weston Cooper proceeded to England on 26th November, 1916 to be Batman to Lieutenant Bassett. Lieutenant Bassett had joined R.F.C. (Royal Flying Corps) at School of Military Aeronautics, Reading on 5th December, 1916.
(Batman – or orderly - was a soldier or airman assigned to a commissioned officer as a personal servant.)

Sapper Cooper was granted leave from 7 - 17 December, 1916. He was written up for being absent from 9.30 pm on 24th December, 1916 till 10 pm on 26th December, 1916. He was awarded 3 days confined to Barracks and forfeited 3 days pay.

Sapper Cooper was taken on strength of No. 29 Training Squadron at Shawbury on 16th March, 1917. He was appointed 2nd Class Air Mechanic & mustered as Rigger.

Sapper Cooper was attached to No. 1 Command Depot at Perham Downs, Wiltshire on 10th May, 1917. He had been attached to R.F.C. (Royal Flying Corps) for 5 months. Sapper Cooper had varicose veins in left leg & required an operation. He was classed as A3 – medically & dentally fit. He was transferred to 17th Field Company Engineers at Parkhouse on 17th May, 1917.

2nd Class Air Mechanic Cooper was attached to A.F.C. (Australian Flying Corps) Details on 29th May, 1917 from 17th Field Company Engineers at No. 3 Camp Parkhouse, Wiltshire. He was appointed 1st Class Air Mechanic on 1st October, 1917 & transferred to 5th Training Squadron at Minchinhampton on 2nd August, 1918.

Air Mechanic 1st Class Cooper was sent sick to 2nd Southern General Hospital at Bristol on 22nd October, 1918 then admitted to Queen Victoria Hospital (affiliated to 2nd Southern General Hospital) at Bristol on 22nd October, 1918 with Influenza.

Air Mechanic 1st Class Arthur Weston Cooper died at 7.50 pm on 28th October, 1918 at Queen Victoria’s Convalescent Home, Bristol, Gloucestershire, England from Influenza. He was buried on 1st November, 1918 in Brighton Extra –Mural Borough Cemetery, Brighton, East Sussex, England.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/extra-mural.html

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