Frank Cooper
Rank Sergeant ( Air Gunner).
Service Number 1546822.
Regiment Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Date of death 11th February 1943.
Age 20.
Grave Reference Sec. A. 3277.
Frank Cooper born 1922 Pendlebury.
Married Hazel Boardman 1942.
Parents Thomas Francis Cooper (1) born 1893 Pendlebury and Hannah Lingard (2) born 1892 Pendlebury. The couple married 1917 at St. Augustine Pendlebury.
Sibling Fred Cooper born 1920 Pendlebury.
Frank was aboard HP Halifax II, W7879 DY-O. Take off was from RAF Pocklington (12 miles SE of York) North Yorkshire at 18.08 hrs for bombing raid on Wilhelmshaven. Crashed during an emergency landing at 18.39 hrs just north of Dalton near Driffield in Yorkshire. Signalled returning to base because of engine failure. Jettisoned bomb load, lost air speed and height whilst turning against the dead engine. Force landing, caught fire. Engine failure found to have been caused by an internal coolant leak in the number one cylinder.
From the squadron ORB - sent message on base D/F Frequency " returning to base engine U/S"
A further six crew members died, all are buried at Barmby-On-The-Moor Churchyard, Yorkshire. The churchyard was used by the R.A.F. base at Pocklington, the aerodrome being only 2 miles from the church. The churchyard contains the graves of 54 airmen of the Second World War. There is also one First World War burial.
Henry Farquharson Ley, Fg. Off. 121554. Navigator. Age 20.
Alva Wilkie Flansburgh-Washbourne, Sgt. 411796. Wireless Operator/Airgunner. Age 24.
Michael Norman Reilly, Sgt. 1559119. Air Gunner. Age 20.
Harold Edward Richard Saunders, Sgt. 785073. Pilot. Age 26.
Henry Edwin Amos, Sgt. 1320473. Air Bomber. Age 22.
Trevor Charles Coles, Sgt. 569527. Flight Engineer. Age 22.
The final crew member Sgt. Hill was admitted to Driffield Hospital with severe concussion, but not shown as dying and no suitable candidate can be found on CWGC, so we can assume he survived.
Bomber Command Diary entry .
11/12 February 1943 Wilhelmshaven. This was an interesting and important raid by 177 aircraft - 129 Lancasters, 40 Halifaxes and 8 Stirlings. The Pathfinders found that the Wilhelmshaven area was completely covered by cloud and they had to employ their least reliable marking method, sky marking by parachute flares using H2S. The marking was carried out with great accuracy and the Main Force bombing was very effective. Crews saw through the clouds a huge explosion on the ground, the glow of which lingered for nearly 10 minutes. This was caused by bombs blowing up the naval ammunition depot at Mariensiel to the south of Wilhelmshaven. The resulting explosion devastated an area of nearly 120 acres and caused widespread damage in the naval dockyard and in the town. Much damage was also caused by other bombs. It has not been possible to obtain details of the casualties from Wilhelmshaven. 3 Lancasters lost, 1.7 per cent of the force.
This raid represented the first blind-bombing success for the H2S radar device.
Unfortunately the report in the Swinton Journal following Frank Cooper's death is illegible in parts. Telegrams received by Franks parents and wife stated he had been on an operational flight over enemy territory when he met his death. Cooper married Hazel Boardman of 58 Shakespeare Road Swinton, they married only four months before his death (St.Augustine Pendlebury), the couple lived at 53 Station Road Swinton. Mr and Mrs Cooper also have an elder son Fred , a serving sergeant with the R.A.F.
(1) Thomas Francis Cooper born 1893 Pendlebury.
Parents Joseph James Cooper born 1869 Monmouth, Wales. Ann Eliza Roberts born 1868 Pendlebury. The couple married at St. Augustine Pendlebury 1890.
1901 census the family at living at 20 Vine Street Pendlebury, Joseph is a coal miner.
Siblings Albert born 1891 Swinton, Florence born 1895 Swinton, Alice born 1897 Swinton.
(2) Hannah Lingard born Swinton 1892.
Parents William Edward Lingard born 1863 Swinton, Mary Ann Chapman born 1862 Swinton. The couple married at St. Peter Swinton 1882.
Siblings Frances E born 1883 Swinton, Eva born 1887 Swinton, Mary A born 1889 Swinton, Samuel born 1891 Swinton.
1901 census the family are living at 459 Bolton Road Pendlebury William lists his occupationas Colliery Under Manager.
William Edward from at least 1901 until 1918 the Under Manager at Pendlebury Number 1 Mine. The pit was owned along with several others in the area by A. Knowles and Sons. Ltd Pendlebury. In 1918 the pit had 263 people working underground.
Rank Sergeant ( Air Gunner).
Service Number 1546822.
Regiment Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Date of death 11th February 1943.
Age 20.
Grave Reference Sec. A. 3277.
Frank Cooper born 1922 Pendlebury.
Married Hazel Boardman 1942.
Parents Thomas Francis Cooper (1) born 1893 Pendlebury and Hannah Lingard (2) born 1892 Pendlebury. The couple married 1917 at St. Augustine Pendlebury.
Sibling Fred Cooper born 1920 Pendlebury.
Frank was aboard HP Halifax II, W7879 DY-O. Take off was from RAF Pocklington (12 miles SE of York) North Yorkshire at 18.08 hrs for bombing raid on Wilhelmshaven. Crashed during an emergency landing at 18.39 hrs just north of Dalton near Driffield in Yorkshire. Signalled returning to base because of engine failure. Jettisoned bomb load, lost air speed and height whilst turning against the dead engine. Force landing, caught fire. Engine failure found to have been caused by an internal coolant leak in the number one cylinder.
From the squadron ORB - sent message on base D/F Frequency " returning to base engine U/S"
A further six crew members died, all are buried at Barmby-On-The-Moor Churchyard, Yorkshire. The churchyard was used by the R.A.F. base at Pocklington, the aerodrome being only 2 miles from the church. The churchyard contains the graves of 54 airmen of the Second World War. There is also one First World War burial.
Henry Farquharson Ley, Fg. Off. 121554. Navigator. Age 20.
Alva Wilkie Flansburgh-Washbourne, Sgt. 411796. Wireless Operator/Airgunner. Age 24.
Michael Norman Reilly, Sgt. 1559119. Air Gunner. Age 20.
Harold Edward Richard Saunders, Sgt. 785073. Pilot. Age 26.
Henry Edwin Amos, Sgt. 1320473. Air Bomber. Age 22.
Trevor Charles Coles, Sgt. 569527. Flight Engineer. Age 22.
The final crew member Sgt. Hill was admitted to Driffield Hospital with severe concussion, but not shown as dying and no suitable candidate can be found on CWGC, so we can assume he survived.
Bomber Command Diary entry .
11/12 February 1943 Wilhelmshaven. This was an interesting and important raid by 177 aircraft - 129 Lancasters, 40 Halifaxes and 8 Stirlings. The Pathfinders found that the Wilhelmshaven area was completely covered by cloud and they had to employ their least reliable marking method, sky marking by parachute flares using H2S. The marking was carried out with great accuracy and the Main Force bombing was very effective. Crews saw through the clouds a huge explosion on the ground, the glow of which lingered for nearly 10 minutes. This was caused by bombs blowing up the naval ammunition depot at Mariensiel to the south of Wilhelmshaven. The resulting explosion devastated an area of nearly 120 acres and caused widespread damage in the naval dockyard and in the town. Much damage was also caused by other bombs. It has not been possible to obtain details of the casualties from Wilhelmshaven. 3 Lancasters lost, 1.7 per cent of the force.
This raid represented the first blind-bombing success for the H2S radar device.
Unfortunately the report in the Swinton Journal following Frank Cooper's death is illegible in parts. Telegrams received by Franks parents and wife stated he had been on an operational flight over enemy territory when he met his death. Cooper married Hazel Boardman of 58 Shakespeare Road Swinton, they married only four months before his death (St.Augustine Pendlebury), the couple lived at 53 Station Road Swinton. Mr and Mrs Cooper also have an elder son Fred , a serving sergeant with the R.A.F.
(1) Thomas Francis Cooper born 1893 Pendlebury.
Parents Joseph James Cooper born 1869 Monmouth, Wales. Ann Eliza Roberts born 1868 Pendlebury. The couple married at St. Augustine Pendlebury 1890.
1901 census the family at living at 20 Vine Street Pendlebury, Joseph is a coal miner.
Siblings Albert born 1891 Swinton, Florence born 1895 Swinton, Alice born 1897 Swinton.
(2) Hannah Lingard born Swinton 1892.
Parents William Edward Lingard born 1863 Swinton, Mary Ann Chapman born 1862 Swinton. The couple married at St. Peter Swinton 1882.
Siblings Frances E born 1883 Swinton, Eva born 1887 Swinton, Mary A born 1889 Swinton, Samuel born 1891 Swinton.
1901 census the family are living at 459 Bolton Road Pendlebury William lists his occupationas Colliery Under Manager.
William Edward from at least 1901 until 1918 the Under Manager at Pendlebury Number 1 Mine. The pit was owned along with several others in the area by A. Knowles and Sons. Ltd Pendlebury. In 1918 the pit had 263 people working underground.
© Susan Tydd 2010
Please do not reproduce without permission
Please do not reproduce without permission