Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Emma Jane Cooper

d.30/03/1948

Relatives

Arthur Thomas Cooper (837) — son

Walter William Cooper — son

William George Cooper

d.23/09/1908

Relatives

Arthur Thomas Cooper (837) — son

Walter William Cooper — son

Walter William Cooper

d.02/01/1919

Sgt. Military Foot Police , Sangatte. Died at Calais

Relatives

Arthur Thomas Cooper (837) — brother

• Janice Boakes

Walter was the oldest of three sons of William George and Emily Jane née Ward. His father was a plumber. The family settled at 10 Station Road, after living in George Street and Manor Street. In 1908 his father died. By 1911 Walter was a Police Constable stationed at 60 Minories, London.

All three brothers joined the military. Walter enlisted into the Military Foot Police at Stratford. He entered the theatre of war in France on 29 September 1915.

Their mother, Emily, must have been delighted that all three survived to the armistice. But Walter died in France on 2 January 1919. He was 32 years old. He is buried in Les Baraques Military Cemetery, Calais, France.

Arthur Thomas Cooper (837)

d.06/04/1924

Air mechanic, Royal Navy Air Service; served in WWI on a minesweeper in Malta & the Aegean

Relatives

Walter William Cooper — brother

William George Cooper — father

Emma Jane Cooper — mother

• Janice Boakes

Air mechanic  F 10927
Royal Navy Air Service

Arthur was born on 8 December 1890 and shows on the census of the following year as 3 months old. He was living with his father William, a plumber and his mother, Emily. The family were living in Manor Street and he had two older brothers, Walter and John. By 1901 Arthur had an additional four sisters and the family had moved to live at 10 Station Road.

When he left school, Arthur trained as a cabinet maker and is shown on the 1911 census as still living with his mother at 10 Station Road but by this time his father had died. Arthur later became a policeman, probably encouraged by the prospects by his elder brother, Walter, who was in the metropolitan police force by 1911.

Arthur did not sign up on the outbreak of war but joined the Royal Navy on 28 January 1916, aged 25 (number F 10927). He was an air mechanic with the Royal Navy Air Service which later merged with the Royal Flying Corp to form the Royal Air Force. He was based on the 4th Balloon Base (Honeysuckle) which was a mine sweeper and saw service in Malta and the Aegean. Working on a mine sweeper in these locations was a very risky business. There was no plan to tell were the mines had been placed and they relied on a man in a balloon tied to the ship to spot the mine and relay the location via a telephone wire. This work continued long after the armistice. Arthur was eventually placed on the reserve list in October 1919 and was deemed as discharged in April 1920. He was entitled to the British War and Victory Medals for his foreign service.

He died 6 April 1924 aged 33, his military records just state “deceased see personal file”.   Arthur’s brother Walter had died in Calais in 1919. The inscription remembers them both and their parents: “In everloving memory of Arthur Thomas Cooper died April 6 1924 aged 33. Also of Walter William Cooper (Sgt. MFP) died at Calais Jan 2 1919 aged 32. In loving memory of William George Cooper died Sept 23 1908 aged 48. Also of Emma Jane Cooper died march 30 1948 aged 89”.

He left £483 to his mother Emma.