St Mary's Eccles

[battlebritain]

I have created an account here in pursuit of a photo and more data on Benjamin Nokes-Cooper (an earlier correspondent could not find him on the CWGC site as he seems to appear on your memorial without the hyphen). His name also appears on the London Battle of Britain Monument and I am creating a webpage for him on www.bbm.org.uk

He was shot down over France in a Blenheim on 1st August 1940 and is buried at Bayeux (I have a photo of his grave).

Unusually he was a commissioned Air Gunner and perhaps old for combat at 32.

Best Wishes.............

[Hawker Hurricane]

Hello Battlebritain.

Thanks for your post. Hope we can help you.

I had no problem finding his CWGC entry using my usual variants of searches, and the details are in the database I am compiling for all the memorials:

Name: NOKES-COOPER, BENJAMIN
Initials: B
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Flying Officer (Air Gnr.)
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 236 Sqdn.
Age: 32
Date of Death: 01/08/1940
Service No: 77362
Additional information: Son of Joseph Amos Cooper and Georgina Cooper; husband of Phyllis Doreen Cooper, of Salford, Lancashire.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: XXIX. K. 7.
Cemetery: BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY

His age of 32 is certainly well within the range of the majority of those we've found from the various memorials around Salford, which range of 19 years to 34 years. I haven't previously come across a commissioned air gunner either, usually mostly Sergeants in that position.

236 Squadron was a Fighter Command squadron equipped with Blenheims until October 1941, when it was re-equipped with Beaufighters. Although briefly transferred to Coastal Command in February 1940, the squadron returned to Fighter Command in April of that year.

Although in later life (cwgc and gro death index) listed him Benjamin Nokes-Cooper with the hyphen, in 1911 and in what I believe is his birth entry in the GRO births index his name is given only as Benjamin Nokes. The GRO entry for his marriage at Eccles Parish Church in 1934 also lists him as Cooper, Benjamin N.

Next time I am down at the Salford Local History Library, I could try the Salford newspapers for 1940 and see if there was a photograph and report of his death published in the newspaper at the time.

[shred]

The stories of Thomas Mellor, Walter Fiddes and Stephen Sharples are featured in the BBC documentary The Somme - From Defeat to Victory.

[shred]

I had originally listed Charles Moyse as Charles Motse so it is no wonder that Wendy was unable to find him. Charles must have known that I had made a mistake and sent me a message today when I saw his medals displayed at Broughton House.



The small newspaper cutting reads:
ECCLES LAD KILLED AT YPRES
Pte Charles Moyse (3460) 62, Renshaw St, Patricroft, was killed at Ypres on the 14th June. A month earlier he was wounded in the arm and was in hospital at the base for three weeks, He was in the 2nd South Lancashire Regiment and was on the reserve when the war broke out. Moyse belonged to a well-known Eccles family and was 23 years of age. He was born in the nieghbourhood of Eccles Cross, but since his marriage had lived at 62 Renshaw St, Patricroft. His wife is left with one child aged 1 1/2 years. The deceased soldier was an old scholar of the Eccles Parish School. Since the official notification of Moyse's death, his widow has received a letter from Colour-Sergt Devlin.......

CHARLES MOYSE
Rank: Private
Service No: 3460
Date of Death: 14/06/1915
Age: 22
Regiment/Service: South Lancashire Regiment 2nd Bn.
Panel Reference Panel 37.
Memorial YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Additional Information: Son of Thomas and Hannah Moyse, of 3, Evelyn St., Eccles; husband of Mary Alice Moyse, of 15, Bardsley St., Eccles, Manchester.
Birth Place: Eccles, Lancs
Residence: Eccles
Death Date: 14 Jun 1915
Death Location: France & Flanders
Enlistment Location: Manchester
Type of Casualty: Killed in action
Comments: Formerly 3158, Lancs Fus.

[battlebritain]

Jim,

Thank you for this and apologies for the grossly long time that has elapsed, I had actually forgotten setting this up (there are 2937 BoB airmen to research) but I was revisiting Nokes-Cooper and my search turned this up.

Presumably you have had no luck either ?

[shred]

Hi Battle,

I do not know what information you have, but hope the following piece of information helps:

236 Squadron, Coastal Command, 01 August 1940.
Mission: Bomber Escort of an operation to Cherbourg. Take off at 15:05 from the base of Thorney Island.
Aircraft:Bleinheim IVF N3601 FA-'K'
Crew:Squadron Leader Peter Edward DREW (RAF, Pilot)Flying Officer Benjamin NOKES-COOPER (RAF, Air Gunner)Last seen diving to attack over the airfield of Querqueville, Normandy, France at 17h15 and was possibly shot down by either flak or Oberleutnant Adolph of III/JG27. Flying Officer NOKES-COOPER was the Squadron Signals Officer.

[shred]

I have just visited your wonderful site and see that you already have the information that I posted above. I will try and visit the Local History Library this Wednesday and see if I can find a picture.

[shred]

Nov 17, 2012 13:30:02 GMT battlebritain said:

Jim,

Thank you for this and apologies for the grossly long time that has elapsed, I had actually forgotten setting this up (there are 2937 BoB airmen to research) but I was revisiting Nokes-Cooper and my search turned this up.

Presumably you have had no luck either ?

I attended the library this evening. I am sorry to inform you that I couldn't find any articles published in the Eccles Journal with regards to Benjamin's death. I will try and check the Salford Reporter soon.

[battlebritain]

Shred, thanks for all your efforts and fingers crossed for your next search. I thought Nokes-Cooper would be a walkover due to his name, how wrong can you be ? This afternoon researching airmen called Nicholls and Mitchell, hopeless as there are so many of that name.

Best wishes.......

[mack]

it says that noke-cooper and drew were shot down and killed,how come they are buried nearly 50 miles apart,sqd/leader drews solitary grave is in biville churchyard,surely if they were shot down and killed togethor,they would be buried togethor.

mack

[shred]

Dec 16, 2012 16:29:41 GMT mack said:

it says that noke-cooper and drew were shot down and killed,how come they are buried nearly 50 miles apart,sqd/leader drews solitary grave is in biville churchyard,surely if they were shot down and killed togethor,they would be buried togethor.

mack

Sorry Mack,

I haven't got a clue.

Thought that this may be of interest to you. Do you think this is the same Frank Dalton Webb who served with the Manchesters during WW1?


This plaque is in St Mary's church.

[Deleted]

Hi Gary, not sure what this site actually give you for your money, but wonder if this is the same man?

Click for F.D. Webb home guard 1941




By the way this is what they charge.
3 Months £25.95 just £8.65 per month! 6 Months £47.95 just £7.99 per month! 12 Months £85.95 just £7.16

Or 1 Month £8.95 just £8.95 per month!



Ben

[mack]

thanks gary.
yes its former sgt 1043 frank,dalton webb of eccles,he was living at 16 ellesmere rd,eccles when he died

mack

[Deleted]

9th & 10 Sept 1960







Ben

[Deleted]

1911 at 6 Glenfyne Road Pendleton Salford.
Alfred Webb 57
Elizabeth Webb 57
Frank Dalton Webb 20 Articled Clerk

Marriage: 30 May 1918 St John the Evangelist, Pendlebury, Lancashire, England
Frank Dalton Webb - 27 Soldier Bachelor of 6 Glenfyne Rd.
Beatrice Elizabeth Pomfret - 28 Spinster of 6 Glenfyne Rd.
Groom's Father: Alfred Webb, Glass Manufacturer
Bride's Father: Walter Walton Pomfret, Engineer
Witness: Thos. A. Webb; W. W. Pomfret
Married by Licence by: Arthur Boddington, Curate of The Holy Angels

Click here for a copy of the certificate

Frank on the 1918 Salford west Absent voters register.



Frank Dalton Webb
Regiments :
1st/6 Manchester Regiment, 1043,
Royal Army Service Corps, 250048



Ben