Nigel Marshall Posted 22 June , 2010 Share Posted 22 June , 2010 Hello, I'd appreciate some help on this man. Currently the only information I have on him is this from CWGC, although I know his father died in 1920 in or near Barwick in Elmet near Leeds. I understand the father came to England from New Zealand during the Great War and I'd be interested to know how this was accomplished given that there was a war on. Any help will be much appreciated. Name: COUP, GEORGE HARRY Initials: G H Nationality: New Zealand Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Canterbury Regiment, N.Z.E.F. Unit Text: 2nd Bn. Age: 32 Date of Death: 29/09/1916 Service No: 6/3667 Additional information: Son of the late George and Ann Coup, of Kiapoi, New Zealand, and of Leeds, England. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Memorial: CATERPILLAR VALLEY (NEW ZEALAND) MEMORIAL Cheers, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Inspector Posted 22 June , 2010 Share Posted 22 June , 2010 Hi Nigel George Harry was born 1886,his father George Coup was born 1836 in Pinxton,Derbyshire and was a farmer.. His wife Ann was born 1843 in Leeds. On the 1901 census they are at 167 Hyde Park Road, Headingley,Leeds. Judging by his parents' ages it would appear George H didn't have any siblings. There are a number of trees on Ancestry with George senior at the end of the line. Regards Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Macpherson Posted 22 June , 2010 Share Posted 22 June , 2010 Hi Nigel I found this on the Auckland Museum site, it's part of the war memorial or cenotaph information held there. Regards Wendy Full Name Private George Harry Coup Rank Last Held Private Forename(s) George Harry Surname Coup War World War I, 1914-1918 Serial No. 6/3667 First Known Rank Private Occupation before Enlistment Shepherd Next of Kin S.B. McLauchlan (friend), Mayfield, Canterbury, New Zealand Body on Embarkation New Zealand Expeditionary Force Embarkation Unit 9th Reinforcements Canterbury Infantry Battalion, C Company Embarkation Date 8 January 1916 Place of Embarkation Wellington, New Zealand Transport HMNZT 37 Vessel Maunganui Destination Suez, Egypt Nominal Roll Number 21 Page on Nominal Roll 24 Last Unit Served Canterbury Infantry Regiment Place of Death Somme, France Date of Death 29 September 1916 Year of Death 1916 Cause of Death Killed in action Further References Search http://www.archway.archives.govt.nz for information about this person's Military Personnel File. Use the Simple Search option. Sources Used Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume II. Wellington: Govt. Printer, 1917 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Marshall Posted 22 June , 2010 Author Share Posted 22 June , 2010 Excellent responses, thank you. I never thought to look on the English Census! I had also got serious doubts about George Coup (1836) being the father of my man, but these are well behind me now. Wife Ann is Ann Armitage, the daughter of a farmer in Barwick in Elmet. She must be the link to the village. No siblings? Seems a strange age to start a family. Perhaps they had other children living elsewhere, or a child or children who had died. These are great pointers though and I will follow as far as possible. Thanks again, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(nzef) Posted 22 June , 2010 Share Posted 22 June , 2010 Hi, You can always order his service records from the Archway site if you want more details. Record no. = AABK 18805 W5530 105 0028970 Also, If you want a photo of his name on the Caterpillar Memorial, let me know as I have just come back from there. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Marshall Posted 22 June , 2010 Author Share Posted 22 June , 2010 A photo would be great, thanks. Do you still have my email address from the medal database or should I PM again? Cheers, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Marshall Posted 22 June , 2010 Author Share Posted 22 June , 2010 The New Zealand 'Papers Past' site is showing some very interesting stuff. I just need to fit the pieces together. Two examples of what is there. Notice of his draft leaving Ashburton, Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8273, 19 October 1915, Page 6 Death Notice in Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3579, 13 October 1916, Page 5 He wasn't even gone a year. Cheers, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(nzef) Posted 22 June , 2010 Share Posted 22 June , 2010 Hi Nigel, Yes, I still have it - I'll get a few photos sent over to you shortly. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Inspector Posted 22 June , 2010 Share Posted 22 June , 2010 Hi Nigel He did have brothers -3 and sisters -4. 1881 census mum and dad and family @ 27 Queen St., Attercliffe cum Darnall, Sheffield. SURNAME GIVEN AS COOPE He was probably the last offspring. Will keep trawling. Regards Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Marshall Posted 23 June , 2010 Author Share Posted 23 June , 2010 Many thanks to both of you. I wasn't able to get anything done on this last night. Barry, I thought there would be other children - I found a reference in a New Zealand paper to a William Coup who died in a fire in Kaiapoi and there is at least one other Coup named in this locality. There is also a Coup Road named after the family. Cheers, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Marshall Posted 28 June , 2010 Author Share Posted 28 June , 2010 (nzef) The photos you sent are great. Many thanks. Confession time now. Back in March, I walked the road from Martinpuich to Longueval past High Wood. At the Bristol Cross, I turned left into Longueval village. Had I turned right I would have only needed to walk 400m and I would have got to Caterpillar Valley Cemetery myself. I'll be back before too long I hope! Cheers, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melanielp Posted 15 April Share Posted 15 April Nigel. I wrote you a reply but lost it when my phone rang. George Harry Coup had a sister and she was my grandmother. I have the complete history. There were several trips back and forth beyween the UK, Australia and NZ from 1855 onward. I know all about the siblings, parents etc. If you are interested don't hesitate to contact me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melanielp Posted 15 April Share Posted 15 April The Inspector. George "Harry" Coup had one sister, my grandmother, Kate Coup. Both he and my grandmother mother were born in NZ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 15 April Admin Share Posted 15 April Welcome to the forum. @Nigel Marshallis an occasional visitor to the forum. My tag should alert him to your post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melanielp Posted 15 April Share Posted 15 April Nigel. George Coup and his wife, Ann, plus their daughter, Kate and son George "Harry" (Kate and Harry were both born in NZ) returned to the UK in 1900. Nowhere close to WW1. They were supposed to stay one year to deal with some business affairs and visit family. It ended up that they stayed, as Kate met and married my grandfather Frederick. In addition Ann was frail and was not keen to make the trip back to NZ so quickly. Harry returned to NZ to look after the family farm. He enrolled in the NZ Expeditionary Force in October 1915. He was killed in the Battle of the Somme on September 29th, 1916. George Coup spent his remaining days in the UK. He outlived his wife and both his children. Robert, his brother, stayed in NZ and had six children which have produced many descendants that live in both Australia and NZ today. Some back history: George Coup went to Australia on The Sabrina in 1854 (age 18). His parents, William and Catherine (m. 1835) along with their other son Robert, followed on The Merchantman in May 1855. They all ended up settling in NZ. There are streets named after them on the South Island. They were pioneers. Their interests were in mining and farming. William returned to the UK in 1869 just for a visit, but his ship was lost at sea. All souls perished. I hope I haven't confused anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Marshall Posted 16 April Author Share Posted 16 April Thanks for the alert, Michelle. Thanks, too, to Melanielp for the additional information. It is quite some time since I looked at the story of GH Coup, but on the back of this, I will, and I will add him to the roll of service that I have been compiling for Barwick in Elmet. Your information should form a good foundation to build on, and I really appreciate you taking the time to post it here. In time - things are really busy right now, I will create a link here: Barwick and Scholes War Memorials (pro-patria-mori.co.uk) to a page where his sotry will be published. Many thanks, Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melanielp Posted 19 April Share Posted 19 April Nigel. I have read your reply. Please be aware that George "Harry" Coup only visited Barwick in Elmet for a little over a year, as a guest. He was born and raised in New Zealand. His war service had nothing to do with his stay in Barwick in Elmet. He was part of the NZ Expeditionary force. There is already a monument in NZ and his name is carved in stone in Caterpiller Valley, France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 20 April Admin Share Posted 20 April Men were named in many memorials Melanie, not necessarily in the place they came from. I have an ancestor named on two UK memorials. He was born and raised in Australia, served, and was killed whilst withthe AIF. His parents were from the UK, and he’s named on the memorials in the villages they came from. There’s no rhyme nor reason! Sometimes the links are tenuous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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