Pte C J Cooper, 1st Suffolk Regiment, France and Salonika

12318 Pte Charles Cooper, 1st Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment

Charles Joseph Cooper served with the 1st battalion, the Suffolk Regiment as a Private, initially under the regimental number 12318. Probably, like 21310 Herbert Richard Phillips, 12311 Harry Brewer, 12314 William John Parker, 12315 Horace David King and 12317 William Friend, he enlisted for three years’ service around 31 August 1914, being posted to the Suffolk Regiment depot at Bury St Edmunds the following day and around this time receiving his regimental number. Possibly like both men he was initially posted to the 7th (Service) Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment. Then, after approximately 11 months training (possibly interrupted by sickness or injury), he was sent to France on 27 July 1915, probably as part of a replacement draft to the 1st battalion which, having been stationed at Khartoum at the outbreak of war, had been in the France theatre since 18.01.1915, landing at Le Havre. He may have been sent out to replace one of the 400 casualties incurred by the battalion in the course of the Second Battle of Ypres (22 April-25 May 1915). After a likely part in the Battle of Loos (25 September-8 October 1915), in the absence of any evidence of service with another battalion or regiment, he would have embarked for Salonika from Marseilles via Alexandria as part of the move of the parent 28th Division to the Salonika Front and there engaged in actions against the Bulgarian Army including (during October 1916) the occupation of Mazirko and capture of Barakli Jum'a and (in May 1917) the capture of Ferdie and Essex Trenches near Barakli Jum'a, and the capture of of Barakli and Kumli in October 1917. In September 1918 the battalion engaged in the Battle of Doiran (18-19 September), and following the retreat of the Bulgarian Army, the pursuit to the Strumica valley (22-28 September), culminating in an armistice on 30 September 1918. At some point he continued his service with the 1st Suffolk Regiment, still as a Private, under the new regimental number 51234. Possibly, like 51238 Stanley Arthur Willis, he did a spell with the Labour Corps before being transferred back to the Suffolk Regiment (in Willis’ case, on 24 November 1917 for service with the 2nd (Garrison) Battalion). 

For his service Pte Cooper was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. He also has suggested service with the Labour Corps, although his service number is not recorded. Pte Cooper was discharged to the Army Class 'Z' Reserve on 25 April 1919. He was pensioned at 5/6 weekly from date of discharge until 2 September 1919. Although the condition for which he was pensioned was not recorded, the endemic Malaria in the Salonika theatre seems a good possibility. After the war he lived in (Clipperley?), Fleggburgh in Norfolk. He died on 8 June 1927.