alanh Posted 1 June , 2004 Share Posted 1 June , 2004 Just found this on my Grandfathers brother, but cannot seem to find any reference to an Alfred Cooper in the Camerons on Medal Index Cards and can only find a reference to promotion to Lt in 1940 in Gazette. Can any Pals help me out. Thanks Alan OBITUARY Major A. Cooper, M.B.E., Inverness The funeral of Major (Quarter Master) Alfred William Cooper, M.B.E., who died very suddenly at his home, 34 Greig Street, Inverness, on Friday last, took place on Monday from the Royal Northern Infirmary Chapel to Tomnahurich Cemetery and was well attended. He was 73 years of age and is survived by his wife (formerly Miss Catherine Mair, Inverness, whom he married in Aberdeen in 1930), and a son and daughter. Alf Cooper, as he was, popularly known to his old army comrades, enlisted in the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders on June 1, 1915. He served in France in World War I attached to the signals, and was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. In 1919, as signals sergeant, he sailed for India with the lst Battalion, and served in Lucknow, Rawalpindi, Calcutta, Maymo and Rangoon. In November 1928 he was posted to the Regimental Depot at Inverness as Company Sergeant Major for a two-year tour of duty. He rejoined the lst Battalion in Fysabad early in 1931, and was appointed R.S.M. He then served in Khartoum, Catterick and Aldershot, and during, this period was awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal and the King George V1 Coronation Medal. On the outbreak of the Second World War he went to France in 1939 as R.S.M. but in 1940 he sustained injuries as a result of a fall from a three-ton vehicle which resulted in his evacuation to the United Kingdom, and so he missed Dunkirk. On June 29 1940, he was gazetted Lieut. (Q.M.) War Emergency Commission in the King's Regiment, and after service in this regiment he was posted to the staff of Highland Area, Inverness in 1941, where he served until he retired in March 1947. Major Cooper - he had been promoted Temp. Major (Q.M.) on December 13, 1944, was made an M.B.E., and awarded the 1939-45 Star, Defence and War Medals for his services in the Second World War. After retiring from the Army he served for many years as an administrative officer with the Northern Regional Hospital Board. Major Cooper, a fine soldier and an amiable man was greatly liked by his military and civilian friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanh Posted 4 June , 2004 Author Share Posted 4 June , 2004 Sorry Got him on MICs now, seems he did not enlist straight into Camerons. Card has him as Middx Regt Pte 14165 R Scots Fusiliers 59333 Camerons 50874 and no on roll G/103 b16 page 972 Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hesketh Posted 4 June , 2004 Share Posted 4 June , 2004 Alan, Not necessarily. There is a thread in the MIC's section concerning the order in which the online database lists the MIC's - the sequence, it appears, is not guaranteed to be the correct one. You'll need to look at the original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanh Posted 4 June , 2004 Author Share Posted 4 June , 2004 Andrew Was the only A or Alfred Cooper I could find with any connection to the Camerons. Ah well another 4 hour round trip coming up. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 4 June , 2004 Share Posted 4 June , 2004 You'll need to look at the original and no on roll G/103 b16 page 972 Andrew to get the reference number he had looked at the original (or the downloaded image of it at least). Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jock Bruce Posted 4 June , 2004 Share Posted 4 June , 2004 I don't know a lot about the Camerons but 50874 seems an 'odd' numer for a Jun 15 enlistment to a Highland regiment. Given that SDGW shows no Cameron casualties with S/5xxxx numbers before Aug 18 (all of them being transferees from other regiments) and that the roll reference is for a Cameron's medal roll, I think the sequence is right. Where is the obituary from - the Inverness Courier or such like? You might like to try the Queen's Own Highlanders Museum at Forth George - there may be an obituary in the regimental journal which gives a more accurate military bio. Jock Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanh Posted 7 June , 2004 Author Share Posted 7 June , 2004 Jock Yes, obituary is from the Inverness Courier Friday, 14th July 1969. I shall try as you suggest. Thanks Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanh Posted 14 June , 2004 Author Share Posted 14 June , 2004 Got this answer from the Queen's Own Highlanders Museum. Doesn't quite add up? Dear Mr Humphries We suspect that he may have originally enlisted in 4th Camerons as a TF soldier. The 4th Camerons book shows that 2 A Coopers joined 2nd/4th Camerons and were sent to France on 30 July 1916. They were both posted to 6th Camerons when the 4th were disbanded through lack of reinforcements. Yours sincerely AM Cumming Lt Col Regtl Sec Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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