COOPER, John

John William Cooper was the son of Mrs John Cooper of 35 Waste Bank, Lye, and attended Wollescote school. He volunteered for the Worcesters and joined the 4th Battalion who went to Gallipoli in the conflict against the Turkish Empire. They moved to the Western Front early in 1916 and were stationed on the Somme. On the 1st July, the first day of the great Battle, they waited in the front line at Beaumont Hamel while the attackers in front were unable to advance but went in two days later on this difficult sector. They were back in the front line for the decisive attack on Gueudecourt on the 16th October and helped to take this important fortified village on the Transloy ridges. After another rest they returned to the same trenches. It was a relatively quiet period but shelling was intermittent. Corporal John Cooper was killed in action on the 22nd November and is buried in Grove Town Cemetery, Meaulte (II K 18) and commemorated on the Lye and Wollescote, Lye church and Wollescote school Memorials.