Claude Francis Cooper

Claude Francis Cooper

Personal Information
Date of Birth	c1895
Place of Birth	Fremantle, Western Australia
Death	1930
Place of Death	Randwick, New South Wales
Age at Enlistment	19 years old
Description	6' 2" (1.88m) tall ; 128 lbs 58.06 kg ; medium complexion ; blue eyes ; dark brown hair
Occupation	Grocer
Religion	Church of England
Address	Main street, Beenup, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother , Mrs Elizabeth Burnside
Military Information
Reg Number	388 & R5352
Date of Enlistment	19 Oct 1914 & 1 Jan 1916
Rank	Sergeant
Unit/Formation	10th Light Horse Regiment, C Squadron / ANZAC Mounted Division 5th Battalion, 18th Reinforcement / 2nd Brigade, 1st Division
Date of Embarkation	17 Feb 1915 ‒ 23 Mar 1915
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A52 Surada Fremantle to Alexandria
Date of Embarkation	3 Jul 1916 ‒ 2 Sep 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A33 Ayrshire Melbourne to England
Date of Return	5 Jul 1915 ‒ 6 Aug 1915
Ship Returned On	HMAT A70 Ballarat
Date of Return	12 May 1919 ‒ 21 Jun 1919
Ship Returned On	SS Soudan
Fate	Returned to Australia (medical) Wounded in Action 23 Apr 1917 Lagnicourt area Returned to Australia
Monument	none at present
Medals	1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Pre war service for 18 months with the 25th Light Horse Regiment. Claude enlisted the first time in Guildford, Western Australia, and the second time in Broadmeadows, Victoria. A Beenup resident before his first enlistment.

War Service

The initial set of documents relating to service with 10th Light Horse Regiment are largely missing, although it is known that he was a trooper who on enlistment was allocated to "C" Squadron of the 10th Light Horse Regiment with Regimental Number 388. He travelled with them to Egypt where he contracted Venereal Disease, spending time in the Abbassia Hospital (Egypt) from 11 Jun 1915 before being sent back to Australia on 5 Jul 1915 aboard HMAT A70 Ballarat.

Claude had returned to Melbourne where, on 1 Jan 1916, having recovered his health, he re-enlisted at the Broadmeadows camp. On 31 May 1916 he was attached to the 20th reinforcement draft for the 5th Battalion, before being transferred to the 18th reinforcement draft on 20 Jun 1916. Claude re-embarked from Victoria for service in Europe.

In England he was sent to the 2nd Training Battalion at Perham Downs for further instruction, but within a fortnight of his arrival, on 15 Sep 1916 he proceeded to France. But not before enjoying a brief period AWOL from midnight 10 Sep until 3:50pm on 11 Sep 1916. Confined to camp for a day, he also forfeited a day's pay.

He joined the 5th Battalion on 1 Oct 1916 along with 147 other reinforcements in a rest area near Ypres. He remained with them until he was wounded on 23 Apr 1917, probably by a shell which also killed another soldier as they were the battalion's only casualties for the day. His wound was caused by shrapnel to the left buttock. Treated first by the 3rd Field Ambulance, who on 28 Apr 1917 passed him to the 12th General Hospital in Rouen. On 9 Jun 1917 he was released to the 2nd Convalescent Depot, and on 27 Jun 1917 to the 11th Convalescent Depot where he remained until 6 Sep 1917. He also required dental treatment from the 3rd Field Ambulance before rejoining his battalion.

Claude spent very little time with his Battalion after being wounded. (e.g. WIA 23 Apr 1917, but doesn't rejoin unit until 17 Nov 1917.) On 12 Dec 1917 he was granted leave in England and while there he was admitted to the 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital on 27 Dec 1917 for treatment for Venereal Disease. It was not until 9 Mar 1918 that he was discharged from hospital (50 days ineffective service). This was followed by a fortnight in hospital with scabies. On 25 Mar 1918 he was posted to the No 1 Command Depot at Perham Downs, and on 11 Jul 1918 to the Overseas Training Brigade.

At the Sandhill camp at Longbridge Deverill on 31 Jul 1918 he was charged with being AWOL for 4 days between midnight 26 Jul 1918 until 11:00pm on 30 Jul 1918. Awarded Field Punishment No. 2 (see notes below) and the forfeiture of 8 day's pay. Soon after Claude was again in 1st Australian Dermatological Hospital this stay being from 8 - 26 Aug 1918, receiving treatment for Venereal Disease (19 days).

Eventually Claude returned to France via Folkestone on 29 Aug 1918, 16 months after being wounded at Lagnicourt. He remained with his unit until his return to Australia. Discharged by the 5th Military District on 13 Aug 1919.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries - 1922 living in the Star Hotel Brome, working as a shell opener; in 1925 is Darlinghurst, NSW; 1930 unemployed, living at 163 Broughton street, West Darlinghurst, NSW. NSW BDMs has a death entry for 1930 in the Randwick district

Notes

Field punishment could be awarded by a court martial or a commanding officer for any offence committed on active service. There were two categories of field punishment. Field punishment No. 2 consisted of heavy labouring duties, and several hours a day shackled . All offenders awarded field punishment would march with their unit, carry their arms and accoutrements, perform all their military duties as well as extra fatigue duties, and be treated as defaulters.

External Links

• AIF Project
• AIF Project
• RSL Memorial
• RSL Memorial