Name
James Charles Cooper
1879
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/03/1918
39
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
8337
Connaught Rangers
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 15A
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Codicote Village Memorial, Peace Memorial Hall, Codicote
Pre War
James Charles Cooper was born in in Codicote, Welwyn, Herts in 1879, the son of James and Lavinia Cooper and baptised at St Giles, Codicote on 28 September 1879.
On the 1881 Census the family were living at Heath Lane, Codicote where his father was working as an agricultural labourer, with his mother being described as a field worker. They remained there in 1891, but his mother died in 1897 at the age of 44 and on the 1901 Census James was living with his widowed father and family at Heath Lane, Codicote and working as a farm labourer.
His father continued to live at Heath Lane Codicote at the time of the 1911 Census, when he was listed as a labourer in a grave pit. Also living with him was James' brother William.
Wartime Service
James enlisted in Hatfield and served in France from 19 October 1914, initially with the 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment (Reg. No. 4/4576). later transferring to the Prince of Wales's Leinster Regt (Royal Canadians) (Reg. No. 3/5760) and finally the Connaught Rangers.
He was killed in action on 21 March 1918 during the Battle of St Quentin, (part of the Battle of the Somme). He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £21 and pay owing of £27 9s 11d. Pension records list a dependent Miss L E Cole, who was living at 9 City Street, Hertford and was the guardian of his illegitimate child. She was awarded a pension of 6s 5d a week. Listed on Ireland's memorial Records 1914-1918.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Brenda Palmer, June Colegrove
