Madeline Alice Cooper – Women’s Royal Naval Service
Chief Wren Madeline Alice Cooper – Women’s Royal Naval Service
Birth and Family Background
Madeline Alice Cooper was born in 1910 at Oystermouth.
She was the daughter of Sydney William Cooper and Alice Harriet Fuller,
who were married in 1907 at Swansea.Madeline Alice Cooper
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| 1911 Census |
The 1911 Census records the Cooper family residing at 33 Oakland Road, Mumbles. Sydney Cooper (30), born in Yorkshire, was employed as an accountant, while his wife Alice (27), born in London, managed the household. Their only child at that time was Madeline, aged one.
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| 1921 Census |
By the time of the 1921 Census, the family had moved to 14 Oakland Road, Mumbles. Sydney Cooper (40) was employed as a managing clerk with C. E. Peel & Son, Metal Merchants, of 11–12 Wind Street, Swansea, while Alice H. (38) undertook household duties. Their children were Kathleen Elsie (13), Madeline Alice (11), Eileen Mary (10), and William Alfred (7), all attending school.
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| 1939 Register |
The 1939 Register records Madeline Alice Cooper residing at Morden Grange, Reigate, where she was employed as a governess.
Naval Service
Madeline Alice Cooper enlisted in the Women’s
Royal Naval Service, attaining the rank of Chief Wren. She was
attached to HMS President II, a Royal Navy shore establishment and
accounting base, which served as her administrative posting.
Death and Commemoration
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| S.S. Aguila |
On 19th August 1941, while sailing from Liverpool
to Gibraltar and Lisbon as part of Convoy OG-71, Aguila
was carrying a cargo of 397 bags of mail within a general cargo of 1,288
tons. She was torpedoed by the German submarine U-201 and sank
within 90 seconds.
At the time of her loss, Aguila (Master Arthur
Firth) was serving as the convoy commodore’s ship, carrying Vice-Admiral
Patrick E. Parker DSO RN. The sinking resulted in heavy loss of life: the commodore,
four naval staff officers, 58 crew members, and 89 passengers
were lost. The master, six crew members, one naval staff
member, and two passengers were rescued by HMS Wallflower
(K 44) and landed at Gibraltar. A further six crew members
were rescued by the S.S. Empire Oak but were subsequently lost
when that vessel was sunk by U-564 on 22nd August
1941.
Chief Wren Madeline Alice Cooper was among those who
lost their lives in the sinking of the Aguila. Her death was reported in
August 1941 by the South Wales Daily Post, which included
personal background details and noted that Madeline had previously taught in Europe and had seen Adolf Hitler while visiting Vienna, a remark
reflecting the newspaper’s effort to humanise her story and place her
experiences within the wider pre-war context.South Wales Daily Post
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| British Army and Navy Births, Marriages and Deaths Records |
Although contemporary reports associate her death with the
loss of the Aguila, the British Army and Navy Births, Marriages and
Deaths Records list her as serving with HMS President II, reflecting
the standard administrative practice of recording WRNS personnel against their
shore establishment rather than the vessel on which they were travelling.
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| Madeline Alice Cooper Portsmouth Naval Memorial credit - findagrave |
She has no known grave, and her name is commemorated
on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, which honours members of the Royal Navy
and associated services who lost their lives during the Second World War
and whose burial places are unknown.
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