Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of John Murray Black Cooper and Agnes Cooper, of South Townsville, Queensland, Australia.

Ronald Charles Cooper was one of six children born to John and Agnes Cooper on the 6th of April 1911, in Townsville, Queensland. He served in the Australian Garrison Artillery for six months and worked for the Vacuum Oil Company as an inspector. Socially he played representative football in North Queensland district.

Ronald enlisted into the Australian Army on the 19th of July 1940, just a month after his younger brother Thomas Cowie Cooper did on the 17th of June 1940. He was posted to the 2/15th Battalion, with the completion of basic training he left Australia via Sydney on boxing day 1940 for the Middle East, arriving on the 3rd of February 1941. He was promoted to Lance Corporal in April 1941 while serving in Tobruk, then to acting Corporal in July 1941. Shortly after being promoted to acting Corporal, Ronald was wounded by a gun shot wound to his left side on the 30th of June 1941. This incident was reported in the Townsville Daily Bulletin, Saturday the 12th of July 1941, page 5 –

“Mrs Cooper, 127 Perkins Street, South Townsville, has been advised that her son, Private Ronald Charles (“Syke”) Cooper, has been wounded in action, but is remaining with his unit.”

Later that year, he was promoted to Corporal on the 20th of December 1941. He was briefly posted to the 20th Infantry Training Battalion in January 1942 and returned to the 2/15th Battalion in February 1942. During the Battle of El Alamein, Ronald went missing on the 5th of August 1942, The Evening Advocate (Innisfail Queensland) reported this on Friday 21st of August 1942, Page 4, Well Known Footballer Believed Killed –

“News received in Townsville is to the effect that Corporal Ron (“Sike”) Cooper has been reported missing, believed killed on August 5, in the Middle East.

He was well known in this district, having played representative football here a few years ago. After having been here for some time he was appointed to the Vacuum Oil Company in the capacity of inspector and made periodical visits to this centre. He enlisted about two years ago. He was a native of Townsville, where his mother resides.

Another brother, Warrant Officer Tom Cooper, is reported missing in the Malayan campaign.

Information has also been received that Harry Mitchell, well known in sporting circles is missing in Malaya.”

The Townsville Daily Bulletin on Thursday the 20th of August 1942, page two, also reported Ronald’s disappearance and the disappearance of his brother Warrant Officer Class Two Thomas Cooper -

“South Townsville Brothers Missing – Corporal Ron (“Syke”) and Warrant Officer Tom Cooper, 127 Perkins Street, South Townsville, who have been reported missing on active service. Advice was received on Monday that Ron was reported missing, reported killed, on August 5, in Egypt. Both soldiers are South Townsville natives. They enlisted two years ago, Tom from the service of the Public Curator, and Ron from the Vacuum Oil Company. Ron was a prominent footballer before he enlisted.”

On the 22nd of August 1942, it was deemed that Ronald was killed in action on the 5th of August 1942. He has no known grave. His brother Warrant Officer Class Two Thomas Cooper died as a Prisoner of War in the Pacific Theatre, on the 13th of September 1944.

References –

·         Ronald Charles Cooper (1911 - 1942) - Genealogy

·         Photos of Warrant Officer Class II Thomas Cowie Cooper - Find a Grave Memorial

·         Trove NLA Website

·         NAA Website

·         AWM Website

·         DVA WW2 Nominal Roll Website

Samual Cox, PM, January 2025

2/15 Battalion

Rank - Corporal

3 February 1941 Disembarked in the Middle East

10 March 1941 - To hospital with pneumonia

30 June 1941 - Wound in action, gunshot wound to the left side

Son of John Murray Black Cooper and Agnes Cooper, of South Townsville, Queensland