NEW ZEALAND AVIATOR.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 June 1916, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND AVIATOR.

LATE CAPTAIN COOPER'S RECORD. Gisborne, Wednesday. Beyond the announcement from 'the Army Council that Captain Herbert Ambrose Cooper was killed in action, June 21. Mr. Justice Cooper lias received no particulars of hnw his son met his death. Captain Cooper, who was 20 years of age, was born in Auckland, and educated at King's College, where lie displayed marked ability. He always showed strong inclination for engineering, and after his college, studies were finished he entered the Manawatu Railway Company's workshops, at Wellington, but was forced to relinquish the position owing to ill-health. With the object of following farming, Captain Cooper studied at Lincoln College, and later took up a, holding at Waitetuna, near Raglan. Being desirous of taking up aviation, he went to England about four years ago. and succeeded in .;.ii'iing an 'nicrmitionnl certificate as avialiT, the world's highest honor obtainable in aviation. ITe returned to Xew Zenbnid in March, 10M, but after remaining only a few weeks, again went to England, where he arrived towards the end of July, MR ' Captain Cooper joined the Royal Flying Corps on the morning war was declared, and from that 'late till ihe end of 1914, was engaged instructing at the headquarters flying camp at Netlicrton,. England. At'the end of IM4 he went, to the front, presumably the western' front, where, with occasional brief visits to London, he remained continuously on active service till the day of his' death. Sergeant Cooper, as he then was, was promoted to second-lieutenancy on the field, and at the end of last year was mentioned in Lord French's despatch for gallant and distinguished conduct. Immediately ' afterwards he was promoted to a cu] taincy. The sons of seven of the eight jud..» of the Supreme Court have joined flic fighting forces of the Empire. Cnp'.i»i Cooper is the second, to fall in ac' ~ The first was Lieutenant George M. Chapman, R.A.M.C, son of Mr. Jn-lice Chapman, news of whose dejith was received in May, 1915.