Edward Cooper (VC)
{{Short description|English recipient of the Victoria Cross}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
|name=Edward Cooper
|honorific_suffix=
|birth_date={{birth date|df=y|1896|5|4}}
|death_date={{death date and age|df=y|1985|8|19|1896|5|4}}
|birth_place=Stockton-on-Tees
|death_place=Stockton-on-Tees
|placeofburial=Teesside Crematorium, Middlesbrough
|image= Edward Cooper VC.jpg
|image_size=
|caption=
|nickname=
|allegiance={{flagu|United Kingdom}}
|serviceyears=1914–1919
|servicenumber=2794
|rank=Major
|branch={{army|United Kingdom}}
|commands=
|unit= King's Royal Rifle Corps
|battles=World War I
|awards= 30px Victoria Cross
Médaille militaire (France)
|laterwork=
|relations=
}}
Major Edward Cooper VC (4 May 1896 – 19 August 1985) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Details
File:Victoria Cross Winners- 1914-1919. Q54045.jpg, awarded the VC, Belgium, 31 July 1917; William Ratcliffe, awarded the VC, Belgium, 14 June 1917; Wilfred Edwards, awarded the VC, Belgium, 16 August 1917.]]
Cooper was 21 years old, and a Sergeant in the 12th Battalion, The King's Royal Rifle Corps,{{cite web | url=http://www.krrcassociation.com/vc/cooper.htm | title=The Kings Royal Rifles Association | accessdate=11 January 2013 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223000311/http://www.krrcassociation.com/vc/cooper.htm | archivedate=23 February 2014 }} British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place on 16 August 1917 at Langemarck, during the Battle of Passchendaele for which he was awarded the VC.
The citation was published in the London Gazette on 14 September 1917, and reads:
{{Quote|"No. R.2794 Sjt. Edward Cooper, K.R.R.C. (Stockton).
For most conspicuous bravery and initiative in attack. Enemy machine guns from a concrete blockhouse, 250 yards away, were holding up the advance of the battalion on his left, and were also causing heavy casualties to his own battalion. Sjt. Cooper, with four men, immediately rushed towards the blockhouse, though heavily fired on. About 100 yards distant he ordered his men to lie down and fire at the blockhouse. Finding this did not silence the machine guns, he immediately rushed forward straight at them and fired his revolver into an opening in the blockhouse. The machine guns ceased firing and the garrison surrendered. Seven machine guns and forty-five prisoners were captured in this blockhouse.
By this magnificent act of courage he undoubtedly saved what might have been a serious check to the whole advance, at the same time saving a great number of lives."{{London Gazette|issue=30284|supp=y|page=9532|date=14 September 1917}}}}
Later years
He later achieved the rank of Major. His medal is on display at Preston Park Museum & Grounds in Stockton. Major Cooper was cremated at Teesside Crematorium.
References
{{Reflist}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book|last=Snelling|first=Stephen|title=Passchendaele 1917|series=VCs of the First World War|year=2012|orig-date=1998|publisher=The History Press|isbn=978-0752476667}}
- {{cite book|last=Whitworth|first=Alan|title=VCs of the North: Cumbria, Durham & Northumberland|year=2015|publisher=Pen and Sword Books|isbn=978-1473848221}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20041027211955/http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/clevelan.htm Location of grave and VC medal] (Cleveland)
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20041009235508/http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/aaholder.htm#Cooper Sergeant Edward Cooper]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20140223000311/http://www.krrcassociation.com/vc/cooper.htm KRRC Association]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, Edward}}
Category:People from Stockton-on-Tees
Category:King's Royal Rifle Corps officers
Category:British Army personnel of World War I
Category:British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross
Category:King's Royal Rifle Corps soldiers
Category:British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross