Cooper, Allen

Cooper, Allen

Military History:

Regiment:                               Royal Garrison Artillery
(formerly Royal Field Artillery)

Rank:                                      Gunner

Service Number:                    174174 (formerly 178896)

Date of Enlisting:                   27.10.1916

Date of death:                        22.7.1958

Cemetery/ Memorial:            Not known

UK Cemetery/Memorial:       St Mary’s Church, Ashwell Roll of Honour

Allen signed up with the Bedfordshire Militia in October 1916. He then enlisted at Hitchin in February 1917 with the Royal Field Artillery, Regimental Number 178896.   He was sent to France with the Expeditionary Force in June 1917. In August 1917 he was transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery, Regimental Number 174174. Allen then returned to England and was stationed at the 287th Siege Battery protecting England.

Allen survived the war and died at the Lister Hospital, Stevenage on 28 July 1958.

He was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.

He is commemorated on the St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour.

Family History:

Date of Birth:                1st Quarter 1890

Birth Place:                   Stotfold, Bedfordshire

Residence:                    Stotfold, Bedfordshire

Marriage:                      26.5.1916

Allen was born in Stotfold, Bedfordshire in the first quarter of 1890, the 5th son of Jesse and Agnes (nee Allen) Cooper.  He was a pupil at the Merchant Taylor School in Ashwell. Before he joined the army he was a warehouseman.

Allen married Shirley Seaby of Ashwell on 26 May 1916 in Ashwell.  They had two daughters, Lilian Dorothy May born in 1917 and Constance Margaret born in 1920.

Allen died at the Lister Hospital, Stevenage on 28 July 1958.

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