Pte 28341 Alexander Coupe

• Age: 18
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: 6 S LANCS REGT 18th Btn
• Died on Tuesday 11th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Amara War Cem
  Panel Ref: XI.C.2

Alexander Coupe was born on 07th January 1898, the youngest son of Joseph Arthur Coupe and Eliza Emma (née Crossley).  He was baptised in St. John’s R.C. Church, Liverpool on 15th January, his parents living at 38 Alphonso Road. His father, from Pemberton, Lancashire, and his mother, born in Everton, married in 1896 and had four children. Alexander had older siblings Lilian and Joseph, and a younger sister Sybil. 

In 1901 the family is living at 44 Anthem Street, Walton.  His father Joseph is aged 29, a dock labourer, mother Eliza is aged 28, children born Liverpool, Lilian 5, Joseph 4, Alexander is 3 and Sybil 1. Also staying is Eliza’s sister Ellen Crossley 23. 

The 1911 Census finds the family at 65 Sandon Road, Walton. His father, 38, is a brickfield labourer, his mother is 37, they advise that they have been married for 17 years and have had 4 children. All of their children are declared in the household; Lilian, 15, is a domestic servant, Joseph is 14, a shop boy, Alexander is 13, and Sybil 11.  Also in the household is his aunt Ellen Crossley, 29.  

Alexander enlisted in Liverpool on 06th January 1915 as Private 24590, 18th Battalion, of The King’s Liverpool Regiment, giving his age as 19 years (in fact he was one day shy of his 17th birthday).He was described as being 5’ 4” in height, with a 34" chest.

His brother Joseph had enlisted on 01st September 1914 (when he was 18) and served as Private 18057, in the 4th Battalion K.L.R. 

Both Alexander and Joseph give their religion as Wesleyan, despite their Roman Catholic baptisms. Alexander gives his occupation as mechanic, and as next of kin his father at 45 Northcote Road (off Rice Lane), Walton. 

His service records show:

29/4/1915 posted Depot

06/5/1916 at Great Crosby confined to barracks for 10 days and forfeited two days’ pay for being absent from tattoo. 

21/5/1916 posted 6th Bn South Lancs (Prince of Wales Volunteers) with regimental number 28341. 

His conduct sheet notes his character as very good.  

He embarked on 21st May 1916 for Mesopotamia.   

Just a few short weeks after arriving, Alexander died from heat stroke on 11th July 1916 at 40th Field Ambulance.

Alexander's photograph and the following notice appeared in the Liverpool Evening Express on 24th August 1916:

Pte. Alexander Coupe, South Lancashire Regiment (formerly of the Pals), 45 Northcote-road, who died from the effects of heat in Mesopotamia.

He now rests at Amara War Cemetery, over 100 miles north of Basra.

Amara was occupied by the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force on 3 June 1915 and it immediately became a hospital centre. The accommodation for medical units on both banks of the Tigris was greatly increased during 1916 and in April 1917, seven general hospitals and some smaller units were stationed there. Amara War Cemetery contains 4,621 burials of the First World War, more than 3,000 of which were brought into the cemetery after the Armistice. 925 of the graves are unidentified. In 1933, all of the headstones were removed from this cemetery when it was discovered that salts in the soil were causing them to deteriorate. Instead a screen wall was erected with the names of those buried in the cemetery engraved upon it. Plot XXV is a Collective Grave, the individual burial places within this are not known. There are also seven non-war graves in the cemetery.

In April 2016, The Times, reported that the cemetery had seriously deteriorated, with plaques falling from the memorial wall and the Cross of Sacrifice smashed. The perimeter wall and other cemetery infrastructure are also damaged. A man who described himself as the caretaker reported the cross being blown up one night in 2006. The CWGC commented that they had not been able to work in Iraq since 1991, but the cemetery would be restored when conditions allowed. 

Alexander was remebered by his family on the first anniversary of his death in the Liverpool Evening Express 11th July 1917: 

ROLL OF HONOUR. 

Coupe - In loving memory of our dear son Private Alexander Coupe, South Lancs Regt. (late Liverpool “Pals”), who died in Mesopotamia, July 11, 1916, in his 18th year. (Thy will be done.) - Fondly remembered by father, mother, sisters and brother, and Aunt. 

His father Joseph received his son’s two medals, Memorial Plaque and Scroll, as well as a War Gratuity of £6-10s.  His parents were awarded a pension of 10/- a week for both sons. 

His personal effects were sent to his parents:  1 Identity disc. 

His brother Joseph, Private 18057 of the 4th Battalion K.L.R. went to France on 04th March 1915 and was killed in action on 23rd November 1917, aged 21. He is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing, Flanders. 

His parents suffered yet more tragedy when their youngest daughter Sybil died in 1922, at the age of 22.  Not long after the death of her third child, his mother Eliza died in 1923, aged 49;  his father died in 1941, aged 70. 

Alexander and Joseph are both commemorated on the following memorials -

Northcote Road Council School

Trinity United Reform Church, Orrell Park

Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 8 Right