Born: 1876, Leighton Buzzard
Died: 25 February 1917, Lahore
Buried:
Address: 112 Undercliffe Road, Eccleshill
Parents: John & Sarah, nee Dunscombe
Spouse:
Siblings: Debra, Charles, Agatha, Emily, Elizabeth, Florence, David
Occupation: Goods porter
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: Gunner
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: Eccleshill Park & St Luke’s; Karachi War Memorial
Children:
Regiment: Royal Garrison Artillery
William John Cooper
William John Cooper was born in
Leighton Buzzard,
Buckinghamshire in 1876 the son
of John Cooper and Sarah
Dunscombe who had married in
Leighton Buzzard in 1855.
The 1881 census shows agricultural
labourer, John and Sarah living in
Uniona Street, Leighton Buzzard
with their seven children.
By 1891 the family were still living
in Leighton Buzzard but had
another son. William John at 14
years of age was employed as an
errand boy.
Sarah died in 1893 at 61 years of
age and John in 1897 at 72 years of
age. Nothing more is known about
the family.
By 1911 William John had moved
to Bradford, living at 112
Undercliffe Road with Clara
Tranter and her two children.
William is working as a goods
porter and is shown as a boarder
and single. Clara had married
David Tranter in 1894. He was a
soldier in the South Staffordshire
Regiment and when he died in
action in the Dardenelles in 1915
he left his effects to his three
brothers and not to his wife.
William enlisted in the Royal
Garrison Artillery 73rd Co.
Pakistan on the 17th December
1914 as Gunner 132591. The
Rawalpindi Division were stationed
in Pakistan from January 1916 until
January 1919 and William died
from disease in Lahore on the 25th
February 1917 at the age of 41
years. He is remembered on the
Karachi 1914-1918 War Memorial.
His effects were left to his sole
legatee Mrs Clara Tranter who
received £15.6.2d on the 31st
December 1917 and his War
Gratuity of £9.10s. on the 17th
November 1919.
Researched and written by Jean
Britteon, to whom many thanks
