Frederick George Coppins
Corporal, 8th Battalion Manitoba Regiment C E F
- Register No.
- 254 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Corporal all Corporals →
- Unit
- 8th Battalion Manitoba Regiment C E F (register: 8th Battalion, CEF) all CEF VCs →
- Date of action
- 9 August 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 27th September 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Born
- 25th October 1889 at London
- Died
- 13th March 1963 at Livermore, California, USA
- Memorial / grave
- Greenlawn Cemetery, Colma, near San Francisco, California, USA
Digest of citation
On 9th August, 1918 at Hackett Woods, near Amiens, France, Corporal Coppins' platoon came unexpectedly under fire of numerous machine guns. It was not possible to advance or retire and there was no cover. Corporal Coppins, calling on four men to follow him, leapt forward in the face of intense machine-gun fire and rushed straight for the guns. The four men with him were killed and he was wounded, but going on alone, he killed the operator of the first gun and three of the crew and took four prisoners. Despite his wound, he then continued with his platoon to the final objective
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
COPPINS, Frederick George. (reg No. 254).
Corporal 8th Battalion Manitoba Regiment C E F.
London Gazetted on 27th September 1918.
Born on 25th October 1889 at London.
Died on 13th March 1963 at Livermore, California, USA.
Memorials at Greenlawn Cemetery, Colma, near San Francisco, California, USA.
Digest of Citation reads: On 9th August, 1918 at Hackett Woods, near Amiens, France, Corporal Coppins' platoon came unexpectedly under fire of numerous machine guns. It was not possible to advance or retire and there was no cover. Corporal Coppins, calling on four men to follow him, leapt forward in the face of intense machine-gun fire and rushed straight for the guns. The four men with him were killed and he was wounded, but going on alone, he killed the operator of the first gun and three of the crew and took four prisoners. Despite his wound, he then continued with his platoon to the final objective.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Greenlawn Cemetery, Colma, near San Francisco, California, USA
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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