Walter Cooper

Sir Walter Jackson Cooper, MBE (23 April 1888 – 22 July 1973) was an Australian politician who served as a Senator for Queensland for over 36 years. He served in the Senate from 1928 to 1932 and 1935 to 1968, representing the Country Party. He was also Minister for Repatriation in the Menzies government from 1949 to 1960.

Early life Cooper was born on 23 April 1888 in Cheetham, Lancashire, England. He was the son of Sarah (née Jackson) and Joseph Pollitt Cooper; his father was a travelling salesman.

Cooper was educated in England at Bedford School and Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys. He was a reservist in the Leicestershire Yeomanry and the Royal Horse Artillery, before migrating to Australia in 1910. He initially landed in Western Australia and worked his way to Queensland, finding work as an indent agent in Brisbane. In 1913, he was awarded a certificate of merit by the Royal Humane Society of Australasia for his role in rescuing swimmers from dangerous surf at Southport in December 1912. After transferring to France in June 1916, Cooper was badly wounded in the right leg at the Battle of Mouquet Farm on 10 August 1916. An official historian of the 15th Battalion concluded that the injury was due to an instance of friendly fire. Cooper was moved to England where his condition deteriorated, and his leg was amputated at the 3rd London General Hospital in Wandsworth a month later. Cooper was defeated for re-election at the 1931 election. His term consequently ended on 30 June 1932, when Givens' original term would have expired. making him the longest-serving member of parliament from Queensland, the second-longest-serving senator after George Pearce, and the second-longest-serving Country MP after Earle Page.

Personal life In 1918, Cooper married Dorothy Crick, the daughter of an English farmer; they had no children.