Maurice Cooper

Captain Maurice Lea Cooper (18 December 1898 – 2 October 1918) was an Irish World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories.

Early life and background Cooper was born in Dublin, Ireland, He had two sisters; Norah Lea and Joyce. He was educated in Dublin, and later at Bootham School, York, England.

World War I Cooper joined the Royal Naval Air Service on 29 April 1917, received Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate No. 5024 on 16 July,

He was posted to No. 13 (Naval) Squadron to fly the Sopwith Camel single seat fighter. He destroyed an enemy two-seater on 5 December 1917, aided by fellow aces John Pinder, George Chisholm MacKay, and John Paynter. On 29 January 1918, aided by MacKay, Paynter, John Edmund Greene, and Leonard Slatter, he destroyed a seaplane. On 12 March 1918, Cooper shared another victory with Greene, MacKay, and another pilot. On 1 April, Cooper flamed a German two-seater seaplane at Zeebrugge, killing M. R. Behrendt and D. R. Hauptvogel. On 3 June, in the King's Birthday Honours he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, and on 3 July he was appointed a flight commander with the temporary rank of captain. On 7 July, he, Charles Sims, and four other pilots drove down an Albatros D.V. On 30 July 1918, he drove down another D.V at Bruges. That made his tally four enemy aircraft destroyed, three of which were shared wins, and two driven down out of control, one of which was shared.

On 2 October 1918, while bombing an enemy troop train, his aircraft was hit by ground fire and he died in the crash near Gitsberg, Belgium. He is buried in Dadizeele New British Cemetery, Moorslede, West Flanders. He is remembered on his mother's tombstone in Mount Jerome Cemetery and Crematorium.

List of aerial victories +Combat record No.Date/TimeAircraft/Serial No.OpponentResult Location NotesNo. 13 (Naval) Squadron RNAS1 5 December 1917@ 1505 Sopwith Camel(B6407) C Destroyed north-west of Wenduine Shared with Flight Sub-Lieutenants John Pinder, George MacKay & John Paynter.2 29 January 1918@ 1400 Sopwith Camel(B6410) Seaplane Destroyed from Blankenberge Pier Shared with Flight Commander Leonard Slatter, and Flight Sub-Lieutenants John Paynter, John Greene & George MacKay.3 12 March 1918@ 0900 Sopwith Camel(B6410) C Destroyed in flames Ostend–Wenduine Shared with Flight Sub-Lieutenants John Greene, George MacKay & E. V. Bell.No. 213 Squadron RAF4 1 April 1918@ abt 1430 Sopwith Camel(B6416) Seaplane C Destroyed in flames Zeebrugge 5 7 July 1918@ 1140 Sopwith Camel(B3326) Albatros D.V Out of control Middelkerke Shared with Lieutenants G. D. Smith, Jenner, Allott, Rankin & Charles Sims.6 30 July 1918@ 1150 Sopwith Camel(D3326) Albatros D.V Out of control Bruges