Charles Edward Cooper

Charles had grown up in Great Warley, but moved to Brentwood with his wife and had a family, living in a house on Tower Hill.

He had joined the army as a young man and had served in the Boer War, first volunteering among the City of London Imperial Volunteers and then joining the Essex Regiment.

He left the army as he began a more settled family life, and worked as a fireman as well as a house painter. This changed when the first world war broke out and he decided to rejoin the army at the age of 36.

He was promoted to Sergeant in the 2nd Battalion Essex Regiment and was wounded at least once, being sent home to recover. He returned to the front and was killed in action in France in October 1916.