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Cenotaph record

William Henry Cooper

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Auckland War Memorial Museum, Hall of Memories. Korea, Malaya-Borneo (taken in April 1999). - This image may be subject to copyright

Auckland War Memorial Museum, Hall of Memories. Korea, Malaya-Borneo (taken in April 1999). - This i …

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    William Henry AWMM
  • Surname
    Cooper AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    • Korea 12902 AWMM
    • Korea 12902 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    18 February 1931 AWMM Cromwell, Otago AWMM
    Cromwell, Otago, New Zealand AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
  • Relationship status

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes
    Accidental Death, Cause of Death AWMM
    Accidental drowning AWMM

Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • He was a regular serviceman prior to serving with the navy

    Served with Royal New Zealand Navy 1949-50

    Served in HMNZS Tutira 1949-50

    "While the frigates were passing Yonakuni Shima Island off the coast of Taiwan, nineteen-year-old Ordinary Seaman W.H. Cooper went overboard from Tutira during the late afternoon of 29 July. Standing on a guard rail to spread awnings - recognized to be a dangerous practice and firmly discouraged - he lost his balance and fell into the water. Although the sea was perfectly calm, he could not swim. No trace of him was found by the ships, which searched for an hour." (McGibbon 1996, vol. 2, p. 18)

    Prime Minister Helen Clark and Defence Minister Mark Burton presented the New Zealand Operational Service Medal (NZOSM) to next of kin of New Zealanders who were killed or died in military operations since 1945 at a ceremony at Parliament 3 September 2003.

    The New Zealand Operational Service Medal was received on his behalf by his brothers Mr Jim Cooper & Mr George Cooper of Cromwell. AWMM
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    29 July 1950 AWMM
    Age 19 AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Accidental Death AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name
    Auckland War Memorial Museum, Hall of Memories. Korea, Malaya-Borneo. AWMM

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Sources

Sources

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  • External links
    New Zealand in the Korean War. NZHistory online.
    http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/korean-war
    Further Reference
  • References
    Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1945). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 10 (Embarkations from 1st January, 1943 to 31st March, 1943). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
    Ian McGibbon, New Zealand and the Korean War, Volume II: Combat Operations, Oxford University Press, Auckland, 1996, pp. 18, 359, 371, 401. AWMM

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