ASTLEY-COOPER, Geoffrey Desmond


Sub Lieutenant, Geoffrey Desmond ASTLEY-COOPER
Aged 21


H.M.S. "Wren", Royal Navy
Killed in Action on Saturday, 27th July 1940

Geoffrey Desmond ASTLEY-COOPER was born on 29th December 1918, son of Lt.Col. Geoffrey Beauchamp ASTLEY-COOPER , O.B.E. and Louisa Maude (née WHITE).
His birth registration has not been found, perhaps ,like his brother, he was born abroad, but his sister was born in Leeds in 1920.

His father had first married Gladys Mary OAKES in 1911 in India who died soon after, and he then married Louisa Maud WHITE on17 August 1914, he died in Thurston on March 5th 1948.
His brother, Major Gerald Nigel Astley Cooper was born on 8 June 1916 at Nairobi, Kenya, died 2005

In the 1939 Register his mother Louisa [19-4-1886] and sister Rosemary Ann [21-8-1920] were at Cedars Cottage, Thurston. There are 5 closed records, his father has not yet been found in the register but was maybe serving in the Army, in which case he would not be registered.





He entered Dartmouth Naval College as a cadet in September 1932, serving afloat in the Frobisher and Royal Oak from May 1936. He passed out as Midshipman on 1st January 1937 and was on HMS Exeter for two years, promoted Acting Sub Lieutenant on 1st May 1939, appointed to HMS Wren on 31st July 1939

This H.M.S."Wren" was a WW 1 destroyer (pennant D-88), built by Yarrow & Company, laid down June 1918, launched 11 November 1919, commissioned at HM Dockyard Pembroke Dock 27 January 1923. She was bombed and sunk by German aircraft off of Aldeburgh on 27 July 1940.
HMS Wren, together with HMS Montrose, was providing anti-aircraft protection for minesweeping operations off Aldeburgh, Suffolk. She came under heavy and sustained dive bombing attack by 15 Junkers Ju 87 aircraft and was damaged by several near misses which holed her below the waterline. Collapsed bulkheads caused heavy flooding which led her to sink quickly, killing 37 of her crew. Wren's survivors were rescued by the minesweepers. Her full complement would have been 127 men.

The Bury Free Press of 10th August 1940 reported:-
LOST WITH H.M.S. WREN - Death of Sub.Lt. G.D.Astley Cooper

Many in West Suffolk noted with regret the name of Sub-Lieutenant Geoffrey Desmond Astley Cooper R.N. among those who gave their lives for their country when H.M.S. Wren was bombed by enemy aircraft on July 26th. Mr. Desmond, as he was affectionately called in Thurston, was the younger son of Lt.Col.G.B. and Mrs Astley Cooper of "The Cedars", Thurston. He was 21 years of age and his happy disposition had endeared him to all. He was home on short leave the week-end previous to his death. He attended St.Peter's Church (where he has worshipped since a boy)on the Sunday, and re-joined his ship the Tuesday. By happy co-incidence, his brother, Capt Gerald Astley Cooper was home on leave the same week-end............

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photo:Commonwealth War Graves Commission



Geoffrey is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, panel 37 column 1
and a plaque in St Peter's Church Thurston

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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