Joseph F. Cooper

Rifleman, King's Royal Rifle Corps

Joseph F. Cooper lived at 7 Underhill Road and joined the war effort shortly after Britain declared war in August 1914. After being attested, he joined the King's Royal Rifle Corps and embarked overseas for the Western Front. Joseph served in France with the corps and in September 1916 took part in the major British operation at Thiepval Ridge. A month later, the British launched a follow up operation at Ancre Heights in order to gain new ground that would offer a strategic advantage against the German forces in this area. It was during this action that Joseph was wounded in battle and later reported as missing on October 22nd 1916. He was believed to have been lost when searching for a comrade in No Man's Land. He was later assumed to have been killed. Joseph is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.