John Cooper was born in 1894 in Wolverhampton, the son of John and Louisa Jane Cooper (nee Parton). In 1901 they were living at 12 Coven Street together with John’s sister Ann R. and brother George F. They were at the same address in 1911, and were joined by a further two sisters (F. D. and M. V. E.) and a son (H. L. T.). By this date John had become a labourer.
John enlisted into the 1st Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment (number 9630). He first entered the war on 17 December 1914, but was killed in action on 29 December the same year. He is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium and possibly on the memorial of St Luke’s Church, Blakenhall.
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John Henry Cooper (1894-1914) had 7 siblings- Ann Rosina (1891-1974), George Frederick (b. 1898), Florence Dorothy aka ‘Dolly’ (1901-1967), Harold L J (1906-1912), Victoria Lilian May aka ‘May’ (1908-1972) and 2 others who were deceased by 1911.
John Henry’s father, John Cooper (1860-1923) was a blacksmith, and both men worked for the electrical company prior to the war.
John Henry Cooper’s (1894-1914) death occurred in the Hainaut region of Belgium and does not appear to have been associated with any of the major offensives.
Oral family history suggests that John Henry Cooper’s (1894-1914) brother, George Frederick Cooper ‘lied about his age’ to sign up with his brother. It also suggest George also died in the trenches but I’ve found no trace of his death. George appears to have returned to Wolverhampton after the war but not had contact with his sisters despite moving very close to where they used to live.