COPE, Jabez

Jabez Cope lived at Stourbridge and attended Enville St. Council School. He was a pre-war regular soldier who enlisted in 1909 in the Worcesters. He was in the 3rd Battalion in India and returned to Aldershot in the newly formed BEF. On the outbreak of war in August 1914 the Worcesters were sent to France and advanced into Belgium as far as Mons. Then followed the long retreat from Mons and the battle of the Marne which frustrated the German attempt at a quick victory. After the Germans in turn had retired to the River Aisne the line stabilised and the battalion moved north to Artois to meet the next German attack. They reached the village of Richebourg St. Vaast on the 12th October and were immediately involved in a confusing attack on the village across sodden, ploughed fields. There were numerous casualties. German attacks continued and Private Jabez Cope was killed in action on the 20th October. He is commemorated on the Le Touret, Stourbridge, St. Thomas's church, Methodist church and former Enville St. School Memorials.