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Nottinghamshire / Help with finding burial of a WW1 soldier
« on: Tuesday 01 January 19 09:54 GMT (UK) »
Hi I am reaching out on Roots Web because I am researching a soldier and trying to find his burial location so the Commonwealth War Graves Commission can provide a headstone for him
Alfred George Cooper was born in First Quarter 1886 in Nottingham. He enlisted into the 2nd / 7th (Robin Hood) Battalion, Notts. and Derbys. on 26th October 1914 and served with the battalion from his enlistment through to serving in Ireland in 1916. On 19th August 1916, he was transferred to the 29th Provisional Battalion, which had been formed for home service, at this time it was based in Essex. On the morning of 25th September 1916, Cooper was seen by No. 4 Travelling Medical Board at Walton on the Naze, and classified B2.
On the afternoon of the same day, he and two Privates left their billets in Kirby Cross, Essex to report to 'C' Company Headquarters in Kirby Le Soken where they were scheduled to undertake guard duty. As he and the two other Privates passed Kirby School, Cooper fell on his face, when he was turned over, he was unconscious and was pronounced dead from heart failure shortly thereafter. He was aged 29 when he died.
Cooper became an 'In From The Cold' case and in 2014 was recognised as dying on military service and is now remembered on the Brookwood 1914-1918 Memorial.
All very straight forward, but one thing remains outstanding, where was Cooper buried at the time?
His service records have survived, and whilst these include a report from Captain F E Mason. his Company CO, reporting on the inquest into his death, there is no mention as to where he was buried. It was probable that his remains were returned to his wife Elsie for burial in Nottingham, or buried locally but where?
There is also possibility that he was buried under the wrong name. In his report, Mason lists him as '3228 Pt. Cooper A.J.' although his name is confirmed as Alfred George from his birth and marriage register entries and his Census entries for 1891,1901 and 1911.The website 'Find a Grave' only shows the mention of Cooper on the Brookwood Memorial, and 'www.deceasedonline.com' only shows six burials of an Alfred Cooper in 1916, of which only one is an Alfred George, who was buried in Southwark on 15th September 1916, ie before 'our' Cooper died, and two Alfred John Cooper's who both died earlier in 1916. To confuse matters, his death was registered at Tendring, the registration district for both Kirby and Kirby Le Soken as 'A.J Cooper' presumably based on the information supplied from his unit.
I have used the FindMyPast newpaper records online but can find no mention of his death being reported in 1916 during September or October in either the Nottingham, or Essex press.
A possibility is that he returned to Nottingham, so I am seeking help to see if he is buried there. He is mentioned on the St Saviours Church Roll of Honour
Attached is his Death Certificate. Grateful for any help please.
Thanks
Alfred George Cooper was born in First Quarter 1886 in Nottingham. He enlisted into the 2nd / 7th (Robin Hood) Battalion, Notts. and Derbys. on 26th October 1914 and served with the battalion from his enlistment through to serving in Ireland in 1916. On 19th August 1916, he was transferred to the 29th Provisional Battalion, which had been formed for home service, at this time it was based in Essex. On the morning of 25th September 1916, Cooper was seen by No. 4 Travelling Medical Board at Walton on the Naze, and classified B2.
On the afternoon of the same day, he and two Privates left their billets in Kirby Cross, Essex to report to 'C' Company Headquarters in Kirby Le Soken where they were scheduled to undertake guard duty. As he and the two other Privates passed Kirby School, Cooper fell on his face, when he was turned over, he was unconscious and was pronounced dead from heart failure shortly thereafter. He was aged 29 when he died.
Cooper became an 'In From The Cold' case and in 2014 was recognised as dying on military service and is now remembered on the Brookwood 1914-1918 Memorial.
All very straight forward, but one thing remains outstanding, where was Cooper buried at the time?
His service records have survived, and whilst these include a report from Captain F E Mason. his Company CO, reporting on the inquest into his death, there is no mention as to where he was buried. It was probable that his remains were returned to his wife Elsie for burial in Nottingham, or buried locally but where?
There is also possibility that he was buried under the wrong name. In his report, Mason lists him as '3228 Pt. Cooper A.J.' although his name is confirmed as Alfred George from his birth and marriage register entries and his Census entries for 1891,1901 and 1911.The website 'Find a Grave' only shows the mention of Cooper on the Brookwood Memorial, and 'www.deceasedonline.com' only shows six burials of an Alfred Cooper in 1916, of which only one is an Alfred George, who was buried in Southwark on 15th September 1916, ie before 'our' Cooper died, and two Alfred John Cooper's who both died earlier in 1916. To confuse matters, his death was registered at Tendring, the registration district for both Kirby and Kirby Le Soken as 'A.J Cooper' presumably based on the information supplied from his unit.
I have used the FindMyPast newpaper records online but can find no mention of his death being reported in 1916 during September or October in either the Nottingham, or Essex press.
A possibility is that he returned to Nottingham, so I am seeking help to see if he is buried there. He is mentioned on the St Saviours Church Roll of Honour
Attached is his Death Certificate. Grateful for any help please.
Thanks
