George Coppard
Encyclopedia
Corporal
George Coppard (1898 – 1984) was a British
soldier
who served with the Machine Gun Corps
during World War I
. Following his retirement he published his memoirs entitled With A Machine Gun to Cambrai in 1969.
firm at the age of 13.
). Having completed training in Guildford
, the Battalion
was posted to France
in 1915, where they soon found themselves involved in the battle of Loos
. At this stage Coppard had become a member of one of the machine gun
teams. He fought in the front line almost continuously through the campaigns of 1916 and 1917 with the exception of a period of convalescence after he was accidentally shot by a colleague on 17 October 1916. This included most of the battle of the Somme (1916)
and the battle of Arras (1917)
.
He was wounded again in October 1917 during the Battle of Cambrai and was nearly killed after his femoral artery
was severed. Fortunately his life was saved by his colleagues rapidly applying a tourniquet
. By this stage Coppard had been promoted to Corporal and awarded the Military Medal
for his gallantry at Cambrai.
Coppard was discharged in 1919 and, following a period of unemployment, sought employment as an assistant steward at a golf club and thereafter in various sundry appointments. He retired in 1962 having worked at the Ministry of National Insurance since 1946.
He was married and had two daughters.
During retirement Coppard sought and received encouragement from the Imperial War Museum
to have his wartime diaries published. Published in 1969, With a Machine Gun to Cambrai proved an instant success, prompting his contemporaries to publish their own wartime accounts.
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
George Coppard (1898 – 1984) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
who served with the Machine Gun Corps
Machine Gun Corps
The Machine Gun Corps was a corps of the British Army, formed in October 1915 in response to the need for more effective use of machine guns on the Western Front in World War I. The Heavy Branch of the MGC was the first to use tanks in combat, and the branch was subsequently turned into the Tank...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Following his retirement he published his memoirs entitled With A Machine Gun to Cambrai in 1969.
Early years
George Coppard was born on 26 January 1898 and left school to work for a taxidermyTaxidermy
Taxidermy is the act of mounting or reproducing dead animals for display or for other sources of study. Taxidermy can be done on all vertebrate species of animals, including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians...
firm at the age of 13.
World War One
Following the outbreak of War in 1914 he lied about his age and joined the 6th Battalion Royal West Surrey Regiment (now part of The Queen's RegimentThe Queen's Regiment
The Queen's Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1966 through the amalgamation of the four regiments of the Home Counties Division...
). Having completed training in Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
, the Battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
was posted to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1915, where they soon found themselves involved in the battle of Loos
Battle of Loos
The Battle of Loos was one of the major British offensives mounted on the Western Front in 1915 during World War I. It marked the first time the British used poison gas during the war, and is also famous for the fact that it witnessed the first large-scale use of 'new' or Kitchener's Army...
. At this stage Coppard had become a member of one of the machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
teams. He fought in the front line almost continuously through the campaigns of 1916 and 1917 with the exception of a period of convalescence after he was accidentally shot by a colleague on 17 October 1916. This included most of the battle of the Somme (1916)
Battle of the Somme (1916)
The Battle of the Somme , also known as the Somme Offensive, took place during the First World War between 1 July and 14 November 1916 in the Somme department of France, on both banks of the river of the same name...
and the battle of Arras (1917)
Battle of Arras (1917)
The Battle of Arras was a British offensive during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British, Canadian, New Zealand, Newfoundland, and Australian troops attacked German trenches near the French city of Arras on the Western Front....
.
He was wounded again in October 1917 during the Battle of Cambrai and was nearly killed after his femoral artery
Femoral artery
The femoral artery is a general term comprising a few large arteries in the thigh. They begin at the inguinal ligament and end just above the knee at adductor canal or Hunter's canal traversing the extent of the femur bone....
was severed. Fortunately his life was saved by his colleagues rapidly applying a tourniquet
Tourniquet
An emergency tourniquet is a tightly tied band applied around a body part sometimes used in an attempt to stop severe traumatic bleeding. Tourniquets are also used during venipuncture and other medical procedures. Severe bleeding means the loss of more than 1,000 ml of blood. This flow of blood...
. By this stage Coppard had been promoted to Corporal and awarded the Military Medal
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
for his gallantry at Cambrai.
Later years
With the armisticeArmistice
An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...
Coppard was discharged in 1919 and, following a period of unemployment, sought employment as an assistant steward at a golf club and thereafter in various sundry appointments. He retired in 1962 having worked at the Ministry of National Insurance since 1946.
He was married and had two daughters.
During retirement Coppard sought and received encouragement from the Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. The museum was founded during the First World War in 1917 and intended as a record of the war effort and sacrifice of Britain and her Empire...
to have his wartime diaries published. Published in 1969, With a Machine Gun to Cambrai proved an instant success, prompting his contemporaries to publish their own wartime accounts.
External links
- Coppard's page on FirstWorldWar.com
- Coppard's page on Spartacus Schoolnet