Private Henry Coopey - 1st Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

[Ellen]

Should anyone be interested, there is a little more to this story.  The Citizen newspaper intends to print an article about my great uncle for remembrance Sunday.  They have been to see my parents and have all the details.  However they contacted the Gloucestershire Regimental Museum today and gained more information.  Henry Coopey actually had one of his feet blown off but he didn't die of his injuries.  He died of typhus.  Very sad.

[ChrisCoopey]

I've come back to the story of Henry Coopey as it's Remembrance Sunday.  So sad that he should die at the age of 18.  Especially poignant for me now as I notice that Henry signed himself Harry which is the name Henry's brother, who I think was my Grandfather William Coopey, gave to my father.  My small son is also called Harry.

Regards all

Chris Coopey

The Soldier.

If I should die, think only this of me:
That there's some corner of a foreign field
That is for ever England. There shall be
In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;
A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,
Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam,
A body of England's, breathing English air,
Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.
And think, this heart, all evil shed away,
A pulse in the eternal mind, no less
Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;
Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,
In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.

Rupert Brooke

[Ellen]

Hi Chris

Lovely to hear from you. My mother just remarked that she's always sad on Remembrance Sunday. She vividly recalls all the lost soldiers she used to serve pints to in the pub. Such a waste of young lives. 18 is far too young to die, but poor Henry was just one of thousands. He won't be forgotten though.

That is a moving poem. Always thought so.

Take care

Ellen

[ChrisCoopey]

Thanks Ellen,

Good to catch up.  Take care.

Kind regards to your family

Chris

[Glencoe]

Hi Chris,
Perhaps a long shot here, but would you have in you family tree a marriage of Charles Coopey to Mary Kilty (my ancestor) 24th July 1862 Westbury on Severn, Mary and Charles had 12 children, mostly born in the Huntley area.  She died 19th June 1926 Westbury on Severn.

I registered with the Forest of Dean site and although I saw quite a lot of postings for the Coopey name, these were old posts so no reply's so far, but a lot of help with the Coopey family info from one of the members, including probate records etc.

Kind Regards

Glencoe