Sergeant Edward Cooper

12th Battalion The King's Royal Rifle Corps

Born: 4 May 1896, Portrack, Stockton on Tees, Co Durham.

Died: 19 August 1985, North Tees Hospital.

Buried: Cremated 23 August 1985 at Teeside Crematorium. Ashes scattered in August Plot

Enlisted: 3 September 1914.

CITATION

For most conspicuous bravery and initiative in attack on the 16th August 1917 at Langemarck, Flanders. 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. Sergeant Cooper, with four men, immediately rushed 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.