Sunday 21 March 2010

53200 Pte Henry James Coppen, MGC

The 21st March 1918, a day heralded by a misty morning along the Western Front, marked the opening day of the Kaiser's Battle. On this day, nearly eight thousand British Army officers and men would die, and half this number would fall the following day.

Last Tuesday, in Afghanistan, Lance-Corporal Scott Hardy of the Royal Anglian Regiment, was killed by an explosion in Helmand Province. Another soldier died with him. Scott Hardy came from my home town of Chelmsford in Essex, and so too did Henry James Coppen of 54 South Primrose Hill. He was killed in action on the 21st March 1918, 92 years ago today. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) records him as 53200 Private Henry James Coppen of the 25th Company, Machine Gun Corps and notes that he was the son of Ernest Albert and Emma Coppen. Scott Hardy was 26, Henry Coppen, 24.

CWGC notes that Henry was killed on the 21st March 1919 but this is incorrect. Soldiers Died in the Great War gives his correct date of death and adds the additional information that he had previously served with the Essex Regiment (it would now be the Royal Anglian Regiment) and had the number 28585.

Henry Coppen has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry (MIC)
Soldiers Died in The Great War
Army Service Numbers
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission

1 comment:

NM said...

Very pleased to read your blog about Henry J Coppen, he is my mother's great uncle. Thank you for the additional info.

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