Robert Armstrong Copeland (1877-1917)
Whickham grocer served with 10th DLI killed at the Battle of Arras
Robert Copeland was born in 1877 in Felling. His parents were Robert and Elizabeth Copeland and he had six siblings, Mary, Sarah, Georgina, Margaret, Matthew and Elizabeth. The family lived at Fellside, Whickham.
Robert worked as a grocer and married Ellen Errington in 1901 and they later adopted a child, Nelly Snowden. The 1911 census shows Robert and Ellen living with her parents in Swalwell.
He enlisted at Gateshead when he was aged 39 and joined 10th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry in July 1916. He was given the service number 37392. Robert was posted to France in December 1916 and killed in action on 9 April 1917 during the Battle of Arras. His name appears on the Arras Memorial and in the Durham Cathedral Book of Remembrance. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Civil Parish: Heworth
Birth date: 1877
Death date: 9-Apr-1917
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: 58 Fell Side, Whickham (1881 census)
48 Fell Side, Whickham (1891 census)
12 Fellside Cottages, Whickham (1901 census)
Long Rigg, Swalwell (1911 census)
Lilac Cottage, Swalwell (Attestation form)
Employment: Grocer (1901 and 1911 census)
Family: Father: Robert Copeland
Mother: Elizabeth Copeland
Siblings: Mary, Sarah, Georgina, Margaret, Matthew, Elizabeth Copeland
Spouse: Ellen Errington (m 8-Apr-1901)
Children: Nelly Snowden (b 19-Mar-1910) (adopted)
Military service:
Enlistment to Reserve: Gateshead 12-May-1916
Mobilised to Durham Light Infantry 10th Battalion: 26-Jul-1916
Service no: 37392
Posted to France: 2-Dec-1916
Killed in action: 9-Apr-1917
Medal(s): British War Medal
Victory Medal
Memorial(s): Arras Memorial Bay 8
Durham Cathedral Book of Remembrance
Gender: Male
Contributed by Susan Metcalfe
