Name
Sidney Edward Cooper
1888
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
12/07/1917
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
31345
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PERTH CEMETERY (CHINA WALL)
II. C. 22
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
THY WILL BE DONE
UK & Other Memorials
St Albans Citizens Memorial, Town Hall (old) Memorial, St Albans, Hadley Wood Memorial, We are not aware of any memorial in Gaddesden Row
Pre War
Sydney Edward was born in Someries, Luton in 1888, the eldest son of Edward Cooper, agricultural labourer, and Harriet (nee Dunham).
On the 1891 Census the family of parents and younger brother Harry P were living at Summeris Farm Cottage, Dane Street, Luton. On the 1901 Census the family, now with the addition of four daughters were living at Welwyn Road Lodge, Ayot Bury, Ayot St. Peter. On the 1911 Census Sydney was living at Batchwood Gardens, St Albans, where he was working as a Domestic Gardener.
Sydney married Edith Aylott in 1914 in St Albans and a daughter, Edith Ruby Cooper, was born 27 Jan 1915. The family were living at 10 Cockfosters Road, Gaddesden at one time.
Wartime Service
Sydney enlisted as Private 31345 in the Bedfordshire Regiment and a resident of Hadley Wood. He was posted to 7th Battalion, which had been in France since July 1915.
In July 1917 the Battalion was located in the Ypres area at Godewaersvcelde and on 11 Jul 1917 provided 700 men for a working party carrying Gas Shells and Trench Mortar Bombs to the Front Line. The War diary of the 7th Beds records 3 Killed and 14 wounded in the operation. Sydney would have been one of the wounded and evacuated out of the front line as he died of his wounds at No. 55 Field Aid Station on 12 Jul 1917.
The Hertfordshire Mercury reported his death giving his address as Parkside, Hadley Wood
Additional Information
Back pay and gratuities of £3 2s 4d were paid to his widow. Brother Harry Percy may have served in Army Cyclist Corps as Private 1823 going to France in July 1915 and surviving the Great War.
Acknowledgments
Taff Williams, Neil Cooper
Gareth Hughes
