Ernest George COOPER

COOPER, Ernest George

Service Numbers: 213, 4960
Enlisted: 30 August 1914, Enlisted at Brighton, Tasmania
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: Anzac Police
Born: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 4 June 1876
Home Town: Zeehan, West Coast, Tasmania
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Telegraph Linesman
Died: St Mary's, Tasmania, Australia, 3 July 1960, aged 84 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: St Mary's General Cemetery, Tasmania
Memorials: Australian Postal Linemen's Union HR, Hobart Postmaster-General's Department WW1 Honour Roll
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Biography contributed by Carol Foster

Son of James William Cooper and Frances Christina Cooper nee Cope of Hobart, Tasmania

Husband of Janet Elizabeth Cooper nee Adams of Counsell Street, Zeehan, Tasmania

Commenced return to Australia (first time) on 15 August 1915 aboard HT Themistocles

Commenced return to Australia (second time) on 12 May 1918 aboard HT Ruahine disembarking on 5 July 1918 at Sydney for onward travel to Hobart

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

Biography contributed by Chris Buckley

Private Ernest George Cooper (Service No:213) first enlisted in the AIF on 30 August 1914 and was attached to 12th Infantry Battalion 15th Reinforcements when he embarked from Hobart on 20 October 1914 on board Transport A2 Geelong. Falling ill in Gallipoli, Private Cooper embarked for the RTA on 15 August 1915 on board the Themistocles. He returned for duty at Claremont Camp on 20 December 1915 and was allocated Service No:4960. Private Cooper embarked from Melbourne on 18 February 1916 on board HMAT A70 Ballarat. He served in France with ANZAC Police and embarked on 12 May 1918 for the RTA on board Ruahine. Private Cooper was Discharged on 13 September 1918.

Born in 1876 in Hobart Tasmania, Ernest was the eldest of five children of William James Cooper (b1848 in Hertfordshire, England) and Frances Christina Cope (b1851 in Lincolnshire, England). James and Frances married in 1875 in Hobart, Tasmania and lived in Hobart, Blue Tier, Portland and Ringarooma.

Ernest worked as a Linesman and in 1899 in Zeehan Tasmania married first wife Janet (Jessie) Elizabeth Adams (b1867 in Hamilton, Tasmania). Ernest and Jessie lived in Launceston where Ernest was a Linesman. By 1928 Ernest was living in St Mary's with second wife Kathleen Mary Wrigley (b1897 in Bothwell, Tasmania) and Jessie continued living in Launceston. Ernest and Kathleen settled at St Mary's where Ernest worked as a Linesman. Ernest died in 1960 and Kathleen in 1991.

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