Current Information:

Born-Bermondsey

Bethune Town Cemetery, France

On 3rd February, 1915, the 1st King’s Royal Rifle Corps battalion of 6 Brigade, 2nd Division moved into trenches near Givenchy where they remained for the rest of the month with two companies in the front line and the other two in reserve billets near Windy Corner and rotating these positions every three days. Frederick Cooper died from wounds on 14th February but the battalion diary provides no information about his death. The attrition rate among British soldiers on the Western Front was on average 300 each day and 60% of these were as a result of shellfire. When not involved in an actual battle it was either shell fire or a sniper’s bullet that caused most deaths and injuries.