The Cope family lived at Fernside, Whitebrook, up to 1915.
George Eric Cope, was born 18 Apr 1896, in Hoylake, Cheshire, West Kirby, England. Eric Cope joined on 14th October 1914, as 14634 Corporal George Eric Cope, 12th Battalion Gloster Regiment becoming a Lance Corporal on 15th December 1914, and a Corporal on 30th January 1915.
After 222 days of service at Home, he took a commission on the 5th April 1915, to become a Lieutenant, in the Northumberland Fusiliers, 20th (Tyneside Scottish) Bn. “20th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers”. It crossed to France in January 1916.
George Eric was killed 1st July 1916, in Thiepval, France, during The Battle of the Somme. He entered the theatre of operations in January 1916, in France and then was noted as “Dead” 1st July 1916. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial. His medal entitlement was The British War and Victory medal but not the 1915 Star.
See also the description within In Memoriam