Cooper Charles Henry or Harold or Alfred Charles West Yorks Regiment on Malta

[falcieri]

HI all, I hope someone can help. I am researching a branch of my family tree and I have a Joseph Antony Cooper born Malta 1923. His father is listed on Malta as Charles Henry Cooper born 1889, profession machinist, and his mother as Maria Assunta Bianchi. Later I have found both Maria's name and a Charles Harold Cooper associated with a Miltary pension from the West Yorkshire Regiment and another document which suggests he was definitely in the regiment in 1907 (includes the no 8428 - his reg number?) under the name Charles Harold Cooper.

 

I suspect Charles had retired from the army by the time of his son's birth but Charles' association with Malta given he was born in London makes me wonder whether he stayed in Malta after the army. His father was Frederick Cooper perhaps also an army man? Either way does anyone have any evidence for this Charles Cooper being in Malta as part of his regiment, or part of the West Yorks Reg in 1907? 

 

Many thanks in advance.

 

Claudia

[FROGSMILE]

Hello Claudia,

 

Welcome to the forum.  I cannot help with tracing the name you’ve given, but I’m sure that one of the excellent genealogical detectives who frequent here will happen along soon and assist you.

 

What I can do is confirm that the auxiliary, citizen soldiers of the 3rd (Militia) Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment, were embodied (mobilised) in 1901 during the 2nd Boer War and deployed to Malta for a year before returning home in Feb 1902.

 

The regiment was not there again until 1912, when the 2nd Battalion (a regular unit) was posted there from England for a tour of duty at Floriana Barracks.  They remained until WW1 was declared when the battalion embarked for France.

Edited 4 August , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[PRC]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

 

Paul Nixons’ Army Service Number website shows that the Regular Army Battalions of the West Yorkshire Regiment, (the 1st & 2nd), issued service number 8428 between the 3rd January 1907, (8279) and the 29th January 1908, (8751).

https://armyservicenumbers.blogspot.com/2009/09/west-yorkshire-regiment-1st-2nd.html

 

The 1911 Census of England & Wales has a Private Charles Cooper, aged 22, (so born about 1889), and born Camden Town, London, recorded in Barracks at Circular Road, Colchester, Essex, England. An unmarried man, he was then serving in the 2nd Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment.

 

He does have some surviving service records on the likes of FindMyPast and Ancestry. However they were in the Warehouse in London that was bombed during the 1940/41 Blitz and are very faded and damaged – someone has tried to write over the faded ink on some of the pages to make sense of some of the entries.

 

Charles Harold Cooper, a Warehouseman, born St. Pancras, London, was 18 years and 10 months old when he enlisted at Stratford on the 6th March 1907 for 7 years in the colours, (in uniform under full military discipline) and five in the reserves..

Single, he was then serving with the Militia, in the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, East Surrey Regiment.

He was described as 5 feet 5 and one eighth inches tall, weighed 119lbs, had a fresh complexion, with blue eyes and brown hair. He also had a scar on right knee, (and possibly one on forehead – difficult to make out). On discharge it is recorded as scar to lower part of back.

He was transferred to the Army Reserve from the 2nd Battalion while still at Malta on the 27th June 1914, and there is a letter from his prospective employers that might interest you.

 

Courtesy FindMyPast

 

On Discharge it was recorded that his roles with the Regiment had been N.C.O. (Non-commissioned Officer), Telephonist and Officers Servant. He was recorded as a sober, reliable and trustworthy man.

Charles signed a certificate to state that he forfeited his right to free passage back to the UK.

However he was summoned back from Malta in a letter dated 21st November 1914 as a mobilised Reservist and was told to report to the Depot of the West Yorkshire Regiment in the UK.

There are no papers surviving in his service record that relate to his Great War Service.

 

He has a Medal Index Cards (really was just an index card created at the records office in 1918/19 to keep track of the issue of medals) which shows he qualified for the 1914/15 Star, having first landed in France on the 20th January 1915.

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/campaign-medal-records/the-british-campaign-medals-for-the-great-war/

He was also entitled to the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

 

None of the Battalions of the West Yorkshire Regiment went to France on the 20th January 1915, so it is likely he went as part of a replacement draft, to replace men who were killed in action, wounded, missing or sick. The 1st and 2nd Battalions were already there by the time he arrived.

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-british-infantry-regiments-of-1914-1918/the-prince-of-waless-own-west-yorkshire-regiment/

 

The Service Medal Roll for his British War Medal and Victory Medal, (on Ancestry only) should if it has been completed correctly, show you all the units he served overseas with in the Great War. It won’t however give dates. As he seems to have kept the same service number throughout the war years it looks like he stayed with the Regiment.

 

At the end of the War he was transferred to Army Reserve Class Z. This was during the time after the Armistice, usually in the spring of 1919 up until the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. After that the Z Class Reservists were released from any obligation to be recalled to the Army.

 

There is one more piece of information on his Medal Index card. An application was received in May 1928 for replacement medals. His contact address then was given as Dagenham Sanatorium, Essex.

 

Hope that helps,

Peter

Edited 4 August , 2020 by PRC
Typo

[FROGSMILE]

Dagenham Sanatorium was a hospital, built in 1899, and was the main place of treatment for smallpox and tuberculosis in the borough and continued to serve the local community right up until its demolition in 1989.  It consisted of single-storey brick buildings surrounding a quadrangle and the wards had windows six feet from the floor to give each patient a view of the sky from where they lay.  In the early days the hospital specialised in treatment for smallpox and tuberculosis in the borough.

 

You can read more about the hospital and it’s records, including patients treated here: http://valencehousecollections.co.uk/object/records-of-dagenham-hospital-1928-1964/

Also here: https://ezitis.myzen.co.uk/dagenham.html

 

The second image enclosed is courtesy of ‘history in photos dot com’ and can be purchased as a framed photo.

Edited 4 August , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[HarryBrook]

The British War Medal and Victory Medal Roll lists Charles Harold Cooper, 8428, under 9th Battalion West Yorkshire Regt. He would have served with another Battalion to have been awarded the 1914 -15 Star but that list shows no Battalions served in. 

[FROGSMILE]

1 hour ago, HarryBrook said:

The British War Medal and Victory Medal Roll lists Charles Harold Cooper, 8428, under 9th Battalion West Yorkshire Regt. He would have served with another Battalion to have been awarded the 1914 -15 Star but that list shows no Battalions served in. 

I should think it almost certain that having only a matter of weeks before been discharged that he would have returned immediately to the 2nd Battalion initially.  If he served with the 9th later on I suspect that he was wounded or sick in some way in the interim.  Regulars were usually looked upon favourably to return to their regular battalions whenever possible, although that became more difficult later in the war.

Edited 4 August , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[falcieri]

This is extraordinary. Thank you everyone for this information! My research also has a back story which makes this even more incredible. I have been researching my mother's family a lot in the last few years. My mother was adopted so this represents the work on her biologicial family.

 

The weird thing is I have also done lots of work into my Dad's side, and my father's Grandfather was also in the West Yorkshire Regiment. He was a career soldier who signed up underage in 1893 and retired an MBE in 1920. He was also at Colchester when Charles joined the Battalion and also went to Malta in 1911, taking his family with him. His youngest child was born there in 1912. When war broke out he was posted in August 1915 to Gallipoli but was badly wounded very soon on his arrival in the Battle at Scimitar Hill. He was sent back to the UK and spent 6mths convalescing and the rest of the war (probably) at the training camp with the 3rd Batt at Whitley Bay.

 

We are lucky in my family to have lots of archives including many of Harry's postcards home and official as well as BTS photographs from his army days. This coupled with information we received from the West Yorks Museum means I've been able to piece together his entire career. On my notes I have the following which i think also came from the museum, which I guess may pertain to Charles Cooper?:

3rd Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) was in York in August 1914 when war broke out and they soon moved to Whitley Bay to defend the coast. The 3rd Battalion remained in Britain throughout the conflict, training troops to reinforce other units abroad

4th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) was in York in August 1914 when war broke out, they soon moved to Falmouth, going on to Redcar in December 1915 and to West Hartlepool in April 1916 to defend the coast. The 4th Battalion remained in Britain throughout the conflict, training troops to reinforce other units abroad.

Given that Charles had a wife in Malta and a child born there in 1923 he must have somehow made his way back there after the war. Maybe given that he was going to be employed there he had already put down roots and wanted to be there permanently,. I had no idea what happened to him after the birth of his son so this gives me something to go on knowing he was back in the UK at some point in the 1920s. Huge thanks everyone. I've attached a photo of my ggrandfather Harry Farrance. We still have his photos hanging all around my parents house.

[HarryBrook]

The BWM and VM Roll also stated that he was transferred to Army Reserve, Class Z on 31 March 1919.

[FROGSMILE]

I’m very intrigued by the photo that you’ve posted Claudia, as the cap badge does not appear to be the usual running horse (of Hanover) worn by all ranks.  Can you focus in on the badge (his head and upper shoulders) and perhaps post another image?  He is wearing the Sam Browne belt and shoulder brace that was a distinction of the dress worn by officers and the sergeant major of battalion.

Edited 4 August , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[PRC]

I suspect there is too little tonal variation in the medal ribbon, (above his left breast pocket), to work out what medals he qualified for, but a close up of that may also help the more eagle-eyed and knowledgeable on the forum.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[falcieri]

We have other pictures, his medals and some of his old uniform buttons and badges too and we have the Hanover horse badge you mentioned. He served in the Kings Own Regiment of Malta Militia whilst in Malta and had some experience in the Cavalry as part of his training too. i don't know where this photo was taken but it's clearly earlier in his career. I have no date for it but we have a few others which seem to be from the same place and looks 'abroad' to me. Harry served in the 1st Batt, 2nd Batt, Malta Militia and 9th Batt. I've listed below a summary of his promotions which might help. I've attached a close up but I don't have the software for enhancing so this might not be any use to you.

 

Private - joined 1893

Warrant Officer 29Jan 1913

Colour Sgt date?

Sgt Major date?

2nd Lieut 16 July 1915

1st Lieut 1 Jan 1917

MBE 1919

[PRC]

13 minutes ago, falcieri said:

 He served in the Kings Own Regiment of Malta Militia whilst in Malta and had some experience in the Cavalry as part of his training too. i don't know where this photo was taken but it's clearly earlier in his career. I have no date for it but we have a few others which seem to be from the same place and looks 'abroad' to me. Harry served in the 1st Batt, 2nd Batt, Malta Militia and 9th Batt. I've listed below a summary of his promotions which might help. I've attached a close up but I don't have the software for enhancing so this might not be any use to you.

 

Private - joined 1893

Warrant Officer 29Jan 1913

Colour Sgt date?

Sgt Major date?

2nd Lieut 16 July 1915

1st Lieut 1 Jan 1917

MBE 1919

 

 

Do the rank details come from his officer records https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1085675

or from personal papers?

 

Cheers,

Peter

[falcieri]

Both. We have his army records (from memory it's a photocopied booklet but we may have the original too) and we got his full history from the West Yorks Museum to fill in the gaps. I should probably add that he enlisted under a fake name and birth date because he ran away from his apprenticeship as a candle stick maker to join the army so initially he shows up under the name William O'Brien. He enlisted in the West Yorks 1st Reg of Foot No 3621 on 29th May 1893.

[falcieri]

I don't know if it's of any use I found a second military number for Charles Cooper. The two records look the same apart from the number. Both attached for clarification. I don't know if that's helpful at all. 

 

[FROGSMILE]

42 minutes ago, falcieri said:

We have other pictures, his medals and some of his old uniform buttons and badges too and we have the Hanover horse badge you mentioned. He served in the Kings Own Regiment of Malta Militia whilst in Malta and had some experience in the Cavalry as part of his training too. i don't know where this photo was taken but it's clearly earlier in his career. I have no date for it but we have a few others which seem to be from the same place and looks 'abroad' to me. Harry served in the 1st Batt, 2nd Batt, Malta Militia and 9th Batt. I've listed below a summary of his promotions which might help. I've attached a close up but I don't have the software for enhancing so this might not be any use to you.

 

Private - joined 1893

 

Warrant Officer 29Jan 1913

 

Colour Sgt date?

 

Sgt Major date?

 

2nd Lieut 16 July 1915

 

1st Lieut 1 Jan 1917

 

MBE 1919

 

 

He is a warrant officer in the photo - sergeant major of battalion, what would today be called regimental sergeant major (RSM).

 

The cap badge appears to be King’s Own Malta Regiment of Militia, but I’m only looking on a phone.

Edited 4 August , 2020 by FROGSMILE

[falcieri]

Thank you for this. Glad we can date the photo now!

[FROGSMILE]

15 minutes ago, falcieri said:

Both. We have his army records (from memory it's a photocopied booklet but we may have the original too) and we got his full history from the West Yorks Museum to fill in the gaps. I should probably add that he enlisted under a fake name and birth date because he ran away from his apprenticeship as a candle stick maker to join the army so initially he shows up under the name William O'Brien. He enlisted in the West Yorks 1st Reg of Foot No 3621 on 29th May 1893.

That all makes sense except that it should be the 14th Regiment of Foot, not the 1st.

[falcieri]

3 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

That all makes sense except that it should be the 14th Regiment of Foot, not the 1st.

 

Thank you. I will make the correction!

8 minutes ago, FROGSMILE said:

He is a warrant officer in the photo - sergeant major of battalion, what would today be called regimental sergeant major (RSM).

 

The cap badge appears to be King’s Own Malta Regiment of Militia, but I’m only looking on a phone.

 

That makes sense as he was promoted whilst in Malta and was in the Malta Militia there.

[FROGSMILE]

17 minutes ago, falcieri said:

 

Thank you. I will make the correction!

 

That makes sense as he was promoted whilst in Malta and was in the Malta Militia there.

It’s an excellent photo and one can see that he is every inch the long-service professional soldier.
He is wearing khaki drill (a stout cotton) field dress and the tentage behind shows he is almost certainly at the annual training camp for his militia battalion.

[falcieri]

These are the two other pictures which are 'snaps' I suppose taken at the same time. We have all sorts of other things related to his service but I love these little insights. I love his look. Like you say he looks every bit the career soldier. I bet he terrified the newbies!

[FROGSMILE]

Those are much earlier photos, between 1902-1907, as he wears the new drab khaki serge service dress (SD) issued in that first year.  Initially it had removable shoulder straps (with coloured edging) that you can see, and then a twisted cord shoulder strap before going to a fixed strap stitched in to the shoulder seam. His rank is sergeant, the other man with swagger stick in hand appears to be his colour sergeant (the senior man below officer in the company).  Unfortunately we can’t see the badge on their caps but it’s probably West York’s.  Both men should be wearing shoulder titles (woven unit designation) on the upper arm, but they’ve clearly not yet been procured by the battalion.

Edited 6 August , 2020 by FROGSMILE