Pte 17179 John Copple

• Age: 20
• From: Prescot, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Danzig Alley Cem, Mametz
  Panel Ref: V.W.6

17179 Private John COPPLE 18^th Battalion KLR.

John Copple, born in Eccleston, Prescot in July 1896, he was the youngest of eight children born to Joseph, a brewer, and his wife Margaret (nee Ball) who were married on the 17th May 1880 at St Mary's Church, Birkenhead. Joseph was a 24 year old brewer of 23 Ivy Street, father John, whilst Margaret was aged 26 of 51 Denbigh Street, father William.

John was baptised on 24th June 1896 at Our Lady's Church, Portico Lane. The family owned and ran the Eccleston Brewery, it was managed by Joseph and his two brothers, William and Edward, who took over the firm after the death of their father John in 1891. 

The Prescot Reporter noted John was educated at Prescot Grammar School (between 1904 and 1912) and at St George’s College, Dumfries. He was articled (his apprenticeship was due to end in 1919) to Mr F. W. Marsh chartered accountant, Liverpool.   

His mother died, aged 57, on 27th March 1910.

The 1911 Census shows John, now declared as a schoolboy aged 14 and living with his widowed father Joseph, aged 55, and three elder sisters; Christine Alice aged 25, Susannah Beatrice aged 21 and Elizabeth aged 18. Sadly Elizabeth died on 11th july 1912.    

John enlisted in Liverpool on 02^nd September 1914, joining the 18th Battalion as Private 17179. He was aged 19 years 2 months, and gave his occupation as an articled clerk and his next of kin as his father Joseph. He was described as being 5' 7" tall, weighed 132lbs with a 34" chest and had a fresh complexion with blues and black hair. His religion was stated as Roman Catholic. 

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

He crossed over to France with his Battalion on the SS Invicta and served in France from 07^th November 1915.

John was killed in action during the attack at Montauban on 01^st July 1916, aged 20 years. 

18^th Battalion Diary

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks. 

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.  

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter  wrote in the conclusion of his account of the days action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.    

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257. 

His death was reported in the St Helens newspapers on 28th July 1916: 

PRIVATE J. COPPLE (Killed)  

News has been received that Private John Copple of the Liverpool “ Pals,” was killed on June 1st. Private Copple, who was the son of Mr. Joseph Copple, of Eccleston Brewery, Prescot, was only 20 years of age and was educated at Prescot Grammar School and at St. George’s College, Dumfries, and was articled to Mr F. W. Marsh, chartered accountant, Liverpool, when he joined the “ Pals” on their formation in 1914. 

John now rests at Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, France.

The village of Mametz was carried by the 7th Division on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, after very hard fighting at Dantzig Alley (a German trench) and other points. The cemetery was begun later in the same month and was used by field ambulances and fighting units until the following November. The ground was lost during the great German advance in March 1918 but regained in August, and a few graves were added to the cemetery in August and September 1918. At the Armistice, the cemetery consisted of 183 graves, now in Plot I, but it was then very greatly increased by graves (almost all of 1916) brought in from the battlefields north and east of Mametz and from certain smaller burial grounds.

Dantzig Alley British Cemetery now contains 2,053 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 518 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 17 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of 71 casualties buried in other cemeteries, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

His effects were sent to his father at Green Cottage and included a rosary, hymn book, a French book, wallet, letters, photographs, fountain pen and a notebook.

John is also remembered on the following Memorials:

Liverpool Society of Chartered Accountants war memorial, Old Hall Street, Liverpool

Prescot School (Park Wing – formerly Prescot Grammar School) Knowsley Park Lane, Prescot. 

We currently have no further information on John Copple, if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.