Cooper, Norman Henry

Lieutenant Norman Henry Cooper - 12th Field Company Engineers & 4th Australian Division Engineers

Norman Henry Cooper was born in Burnley Victoria on the 1st April 1890 to William and Charlotte Cooper. He was educated in Victoria but eventually moved to Western Australia circa 1910.

Norman was a member of the Australian Permanent Forces, being a Sergeant in the Royal Australian Engineers and was based in WA. By 1916 he had seven years' experience with the Royal Australian Engineers in the Permanent Army.

On February 21st 1914 at St John's Church in Fremantle Norman married Evelyn Hilda May Essex and they initially resided at 24 Arundel Street Fremantle, as this was Evelyn's family home.

On the 1st May 1916 Norman enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force.  He was assigned as a 2nd Lieutenant to the 6th Australian Tunnelling Company.

On the 1st June 1916 Norman embarked from Fremantle Harbour aboard the troopship HMAT Warilda. The ship then set sail for England, reaching Plymouth on the 17th July 1916.

The Officers and men of the 6th Tunnelling Company were then disembarked and sent to the Engineering Training Camp. A decision was made by the Australian command not to send the 4th, 5th & 6th Tunnelling Companies to France, and instead the men were dispersed to other units, namely the 1st, 2nd & 3rd Australian Tunnelling Companies.

Due to his Engineering background, Norman was instead sent to the 12th Field Company Engineers. He was taken on strength of the 12th Field Company on the 28th September 1916.

When he joined them, the 12th Field Company Engineers were in Belgium, having just come through a strenuous time at Pozieres and Mouquet Farm. Norman served with the 12th Field Company for the next ten months. He saw action with them at the Somme battlefield from November 1916 to March 1917. He was then involved in and around Bullecourt and the Hindenburg Line Outpost villages campaign in April 1917.

In June 1917 the 4th Division was sent to the Messines sector in Belgium to take part in the offensive operations taking place there. They would be in this sector till August 1917.

On the 20th August 1917 Norman was transferred to the 4th Division Engineering Headquarters and was appointed Adjutant. In September 1917 the 4th Division headed for Ypres, however on the 23rd September 1917 Norma was transferred to England for duty with the Engineers Training Depot. This secondment lasted until the end of the year.

In January 1918 Norman returned to France and was taken back on strength of the 12th Field Company Engineers. He served with them in Belgium for the next three months.

On the 21st March 1918 the Germans launched their massive offensive further south in France and as a result the Australians were sent from Belgium down to the Somme in France to help stop this German advance. The 12th FCE went with their infantry to the area between Albert and Dernancourt. They were very busy in constructing defences and positions against any future German breakthrough. The Germans launched another large assault on this sector on April 5th 1918 but the Australians held firm.

From April to July 1918 the 12th Field Company Engineers were working in the area from Dernancourt and near the Somme River and up to Villers-Bretonneux.

Norman and the 12th FCE were kept busy in early August 1918 due to the large offensive which was due to begin on the 8th August 1918. The offensive was a huge success, with the 4th Division advancing next to the Somme River. The 4th Division took their objectives and the 12th FCE were kept busy on improving the new positions they were moving forward to.

On the 23rd August 1918 Norm was granted a fortnight's leave to the UK so he was able to rest up before returning to his unit for the final actions. Norm rejoined the 12th FCE on the 8th September 1918 and ten days later on September 18th 1918, the 4th Division saw their final battle of the war at Le Verguier.  After this they were withdrawn from the front for a well-deserved rest period.

Norman was recommended for high distinction for his war service by the 12th FCE at the end of the war but unfortunately no award or medal was forthcoming. He remained with the 12th FCE till the 29th November 1918 and was then transferred to the 4th Division Headquarters. He was made Division Sports Officer at this time.

In February 1919 he was detached for duty with the 4th Field Company Engineers, and then the 13th Field Company Engineers. On the 3rd March 1919 Norm then returned to England. He was then assigned various base duties while he waited for a berth on a transport ship home.

On the 28th August 1919 Norman boarded the transport ship Kanowna and set sail for Western Australia, disembarking in Fremantle on the 15th October 1919. Norman was then discharged from the AIF on the 7th December 1919.

Norman and Evelyn lived in Arundel Street for a few years after the Great War and a daughter called Norma was born in Fremantle in 1920.

However, Norman and the family soon moved to Victoria and he secured employment with the Victorian Electricity Commission where he rose to Senior Management of the Commission.

Norman died at Heidelberg Victoria on the 24th July 1949 aged 59 and was cremated at Fawkner Memorial Park Cemetery Victoria.