NEW ZEALAND AVIATOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16266, 27 June 1916, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND AVIATOR.

LATE CAPTAIN COOPER'S CAREER.

IB TELEGRAPH CORRESPONDENT.! Gisborne, Monday. Beyond the announcement from the Army Council that Captain Herbert Ambrose Cooper was killed in action, June 21, Mr. Justice Cooper has received no particulars of how his son met his death. Captain Cooper, who was 26 years of age, was born in Auckland, and educated at King's College, where he displayed marked ability. He always showed strong inclination for engineering, and after his college studies were finished he entered the Manawatu Railway Company's workshops, at Wellington, but was forced to relinquish the position owing to ill-health. With the object of following farming, Captain Cooper studied at Lincoln College, and later took up a holding at Waitetuna, near Raglan. Being desirous of taking up aviation, he went to England about four years ago, and succeeded in gaining an international certificate as aviator, then the world's highest honour obtainable in aviation. He returned to New Zealand in March, 1914, but after remaining only a few we r ks, again went to England, where he arrived towards the end of July, 1914. Captain Cooper joined the Royal Flying Corps on the morning war was declared, and from that date till the end of 1914, was engaged instructing at the headquarters flying camp, at Netherton, England. At the end of 1914 he went to the front, presumably %he western front, where, with occasional brief visits to London, he remained continuously on active service till the day of his death. Sergeant Cooperas he then —was promoted to a second-lieutenancy on the field, and at the end of last year was mentioned in Lord French's despatch fo«gallant and distinguished conduct. Immediately afterwards he was promoted to a captaincy. Mrs. Cooper and her daughter are at present at Rotorua, and Miss Cooper, His Honor's associate, left last evening to join them there.

The sons of seven of the eight judges of the Supreme Court have joined the. fighting forces of the Empire. Captain Cooper is the second to fall in action. The first was Lieutenant George M Chapman, R.A.M.C, son of Mr. Justice Chapman, news of whose death was received in Mav 1915. "