COOLING, G H (Pte)
His Last Wish
By Pauline Marples
Report in the Mansfield Chronicle 5th October 1916
We are sorry to have to report the death of another local hero, Pte G H Cooling, of New Houghton. Like thousands of other brave men, he gave up a good job and a good home to answer the call and to lay his life down for the cause of right and freedom.
Pte. Cooling enlisted in the first week of January 1915, joining the Sherwoods. He went in training at Lichfield then on to Cornwall, and after about four months training he was drafted out to the Dardanelles where he saw a good deal of service fighting. Afterwards he went to France, and had only been there about a week when he was wounded by a big shell.
His wife was informed of his condition , and she and her brother, Mr W Speed of Pleasley made the journey to France in the hope of seeing him alive, making the journey from Folkstone to Boulogne. They reached Abbeville No 2 Stationary Hospital, only to find their journey was in vain.
The sister said she was sorry to tell them it was impossible to see him as he was dead before they got there, and they were not allowed to see him. The sister was very kind and sympathetic. She said he bore his suffering with great patience, never giving them any trouble. The sister said the day he died he asked her to give him a photo out of his tunic pocket of his wife and two children. She said he repeatedly kissed it and calmly passed away.
Pte. Cooling was well respected. He was a good steady workman and a good husband to his wife and a good father to his children. he had a very expensive double gold watch chain and he instructed his wife that in case he did not return she was to have it made into two bracelets for his two children.'
On the Commonwealth War Graves Web Site
Pte G H Cooling age 32 is listed as 21500 13th Bn. Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment) died 14 September 1916. Son of Annie E Cooling of Norton Disney, Lincs. Husband of M J Cooling 44 Portland Street, Pleasley, Mansfield Notts. He is commemorated in Abbeville, Communal Cemetery Extension, Grave Ref. 1 A 8