Cooper N. E. Sergeant
Personnel Entry
Name Cooper N. E.
Army number 1877397.
Rank Corporal.
Decorations Awarded the Military Medal - gazetted 29/3/1945. For Citation - see below.
Date of birth Not yet ascertained.
Age (At time of death). Not yet known.
Unit Enlisted in the Royal Engineers. Underwent Basic Training. Posted to 294th Field Company, Royal Engineers. Served Normandy.
Company/Battery
Platoon or other sub-unit Not yet known.
Task or role Details awaited.
Joined Brigade Not yet known.
Promotions Acting Sergeant. Sergeant.
Wounded Not so far as is known.
Prisoner of War Not so far as is known.
Died/Killed in action Date of death not yet ascertained.
Home address 10, Heaton Road, Brockhurst, Gosport, Hants.
Source table
The Citation for Sergeant Cooper's Military Medal can be found in the National Archives at File Reference WO 373/53/689 and reads as follows:-
"Sgt Cooper was Recce L/Sgt of No. 1 Platoon of his Field Company R.E. On 11 Aug his pl suffered 14 casualties, his pl officer being wounded and his pl sgt killed. For 10 days COOPER took comd of the pl in a manner which showed outstanding powers of leadership, pulling the pl together, and leading them through several operations clearing mines in support of the infantry.
On 11 Sep during the attack on LE HAVRE, Sgt COOPER was with his Pl officer and a section of Sappers opening the road through HARFLEUR; they were moving with tanks and AVRE.
A road block and ditch was encountered and Sgt COOPER placed General Wade charges on the block to demolish it. Tanks were attracting a good deal of fire , and he finally lit the charge and got away with spandau fire from the flank hitting the road in front of him. COOPER, by his determination in completing his task undoubtedly speeded up the attack on LE HAVRE from the left flank and enabled the infantry to obtain tank support with which they captured the HARFLEUR bridges intact.
Throughout the campaign COOPER has shown outstanding bravery and leadership, and his selfless devotion to duty has been an inspiration to the whole Coy."
Some information on this Page has been extracted from the Commemorative Booklet, prepared by Major Langley, covering the period from D-Day to VE Day in addition to that extracted from the War Diaries. There are issues around the possible duplication of names which remain to be clarified.
