Category: Military
Rank: Sergeant 741864
Regiment or Ship: "B" Bty 243rd Brigade Royal Field Artillery
Service Number(s): 741864
Occupation: General Hand (Labourer) – 1911 Census.
Date of Birth: 1871
Place of Birth: West Hoathly, Sussex (the 1911 census gives the address as Forest Row (near West Hoathly)).
Date of Death: 15.04.1918
Place of Death: At home in Bexhill
Place of Burial / Memorials:
Bexhill Cemetery – Grave Reference E. F. O18.
Address: 17 Beaconsfield Road (1911 Census), Bexhill on Sea
Photos and newspaper articles
Click on any image to see a larger version
Family Information
George was born in 1871, in West Hoathly, Sussex. He married Naomi Norman in 1899. She was born in 1870, in Rodmell, Sussex, and died in 1941 in Bexhill, Sussex.
Parents:
George Coppard, born in 1850 in West Hoathly, Sussex and Ellen Elizabeth Baker, born 1851 in East Grinstead, Sussex. They were married in East Grinstead, in late 1874.
Siblings:
Ellen (Nellie) Coppard born 1874, in West Hoathly, Sussex.
Sarah Ann Coppard born 1877, in West Hoathly, Sussex.
William John Coppard born 1879, in Forest Row, Sussex. W0190 COPPARD William John
Thomas Henry Coppard born 1884, in Battle, Sussex. W0189 COPPARD Thomas Henry
Albert Victor Coppard 12th March 1887 and baptized on 3rd Jul 1887, in Ripe, Sussex. W0186 COPPARD Albert Victor
Mabel Jane Coppard born 1889, in Lewes, Sussex.
Edith Eliza Coppard born 1893, in Lewes, Sussex.
Edward Harold Coppard born 1896, in Burgess Hill, Sussex. W0187 COPPARD Edward Harold
No children have been found of George and Naomi Coppard.
First World War Experience
None of George’s WW1 military records have survived. The following newspaper extract says, “Previous to the war he was a member of the local battery of the Territorial Army and has been since engaged on instructional work”. From that statement it would appear that George, most probably, served the entire war, in the UK.
He died in Bexhill as reported in the Bexhill Chronicle as reported on 20th April 1918:-
Councillor and Mrs George Coppard, of Beaconsfield road, have received the sad intelligence that their eldest son, Sergeant George Coppard, R. F. A., has died in hospital at Bungay Suffolk. Previous to the war he was a member of the local battery of the Territorial Army and has been since engaged on instructional work. It was only a fortnight ago that Councillor Coppard received the news that is second son, Sergeant W. J. Coppard, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, had been wounded by shrapnel, and was in hospital at Halifax. Of the three other sons serving, Pte. (Acting-Corpl) A. V. Coppard, Royal Sussex Regiment, has just been awarded the Belgian Decoration Militaire.
From the Bexhill Chronicle, on 29th of November 1919, a bit more information is given regarding George’s death:-
The Secretary of the Dinner Committee (Mr T. H. Isted), who arranged the reunion dinner to the men of the 6th Sussex battery, R. F. A., held last week at the Devonshire Hotel, has called our attention to the omission of the name of Sergt George Coppard from the list of fallen comrades. Sergt Coppard was a very old member of the Corps, who was attacked by pneumonia and died in hospital in England. The deepest regret was felt by all his comrades in the battery at his passing and his was one of the names remembered last Wednesday week.
Newspaper_Extracts The_Coppard_Brothers
Additional Information
There were five Coppard brothers serving in the forces in WW1 as reported in the “Bexhill Observer”, dated 28th October 1916:-
COUNCILLOR’S FIVE SONS SERVING
Councillor and Mrs G. Coppard, of Beaconsfield-road, have five sons serving. They are George Coppard, sergeant-instructor, R. F. A.; William J. Coppard, corporal, 9th Royal Welsh Fusiliers; Albert Victor Coppard, corporal 2nd Royal Sussex Regiment; Thomas H. Coppard, private, 11th Middlesex Regiment; Edward H. Coppard, private, Royal Suffolk Cyclist Corps.