Source: Looking for a Robert Cooper but there is another one that is referred to in the Toronto World March 31 1916 Casualties list.
Family Search: Sergeant Robert Cooper was born on 3 September 1876, in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, United Kingdom as the son of John Cooper. He married Elizabeth Gordon about 1928, in London, Canada West, British North America. He immigrated to Canada in 1893 and lived in London, Ontario, Canada in 1937. He registered for military service in 1914. In 1914, his occupation is listed as stove mounter in London, Ontario, Canada. He died on 11 January 1937, in London, Canada West, British North America, at the age of 60, and was buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, London, Ontario, Canada.
Sergeant Robert Cooper, reg. no. 53007.
This man enlisted with the 18th Battalion at London, Ontario on 2 November 1914.
He was a stove mounter following the Anglican faith living in London, Ontario.
He was promoted as a Sergeant on 4 November 1914. This was probably due to his 3 years with the Royal Canadian Regiment and 17 years with the 7th Regiment (Canadian Militia).
Vernon’s London Guide (1914) shows him as a Stove Mounter working for McClary Manufacturing Company and living at 7 Hamilton Road.
He appears to be classed as a 3rd Class Cook receiving 2nd Class Cook’s pay noted 7 June 1915 and then on 1 July he is “to be sergeant” It is not clear as to the reason for these entries.
He arrived in England on 29 April 1915 aboard the SS Grampian and began the next stage of his training at West Sandling Camp along with the rest of the 2nd Canadian Contingent (Division).
On 1 October 1915 he suffers from diarrhea and is sent to No. 5 Canadian Field Ambulance for treatment and discharged to duty the same day.
On 15 December 1915 he is diagnosed with an astigmatism and is sent to No. 4 Stationary Hospital in St. Omer, France and then released to duty in 17 December 1915.
It appears that by 20 April 1916 he suffers from a hernia aggravated by bronchitis and he is sent to England for treatment where it is determined that his condition is pulmonary tuberculosis and he has defective vision due to his astigmatism.
While in England he attends several hospitals and is treated at the West Cliff Eye and Ear Hospital in Folkestone where he suffers from complications talking that was “bordering on chronic laryngitis.”
He is sent home to Canada on 9 August 1916 aboard the SS Olympic and becomes an outpatient at the Bryon Sanitorium where he is operated on at the London Military Hospital some time in October 1916. This operation was probably to attend to his double hernia that was aggravated by his coughing while suffering the symptoms of TB.
It is recorded that he was an Outpatient at the CMCH on 5 October 1916 and an outpatient later at the Byron Sanitorium from 28 October 1917 to 31 January 1918.
He is discharged due to medical reasons on 31 January 1918 at London, Ontario from “F” Unit MHCC. His conduct and character are reported on his discharge as “Very Good.”
Sergeant Cooper dies on 11 January 1937 due to pulmonary tuberculosis with terminal bronchial pneumonia. He died at Westminster Hospital and was admitted on 15 December 1936. His wife was Mrs. Elizabeth (Gordon) Cooper living at 16 Horace Street, London, Ontario.
Notes
He has assigned $20, then $25 of his pay to a “Mrs. Amanda Cooper” who he designates as his wife. Later in his service file shows a medal dispatch record stating that he had “married after discharge” and that there was no Memorial Cross sent as his mother was dead. Thus, his wife, having married after his service was not eligible for the Memorial Cross. This card also indicates that the government considered the cause of his death to be related to his war service.
She is listed living at 62 Glenwood Avenue, London, Ontario.
Later in his pay sheets he is listed as a Sergeant Cook.
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 