The shell went into my skull
First World War Audio Archive
The shell went into my skull
Transcript
Hill 62 Memorial Belgium.
and the position that I had to take over with “D” company was up in front of Lens, L-E-N-S. We went in on a Monday night and hadCourtrai Memorial Belgium.
got word that our battalion on our right was going to attack the Germans at five o’clock on Saturday morning. We did not haveLe Quesnel Memorial Belgium.
trenches up at this point but I had men in foxholes, or shellGueudecourt Memorial France.
holes you might say, and be about five or six men to a shell hole and they were more or less (inaudible) our front line. During the nights, I would go around and visit each one of the corporals andDury Memorial France.
men in the shell holes and this night about Friday, Saturday morning of the 28th of April, my sergeant and I were, we had goneMonchy Memorial France.
around and visited each one of them. We had just finished and coming back to our little dugout. And the Germans were shellingPasschendaele Memorial Belgium.
pretty heavily at that time and they were landing around about three hundred yards away from us. Just about that moment, about four o’clock in the morning, one landed right within fiveMasnières memorial France.
feet of where I was standing and the shrapnel shell caught me in the back of the head. The strap on the steel helmet which I wasBourion Wood Memorial France.
wearing was cut in two and the shell went into my skull. If it hadn’t have been for this strap I would have been killed instantly I’m sure, because this took away the force of theCourcelette Memorial France.
impact. And while I was in the hospital in London, I got a message, or a wire, from the King’s representative saying that I’d been awarded the Military Cross and asked to attend anBeaumont-Hamel Memorial France.
investiture at Buckingham Palace on a certain day in May. This is a highlight of my venture there, because I proceeded toSt. Julien Memorial Belgium.
Buckingham Palace, 11 o’clock, right before noon and was ushered into the room where King George was, and he shook my hand andCanadian National Vimy Memorial France.
pinned a Military Cross Medal on my chest. I was very proud at that moment to have received such an honour.Description
Mr. Copp describes a reconnaissance mission during which he suffers a head wound from shrapnel. While convalescing in England, he is invited to Buckingham Palace where he is awarded the Military Cross by King George V.
John Percy Copp
John Percy Copp was born on February 2, 1889 at Baie Verte, New Brunswick. He enlisted in the 65th Battalion at Saskatoon. Shortly thereafter, in June, 1916 he went overseas to England, training for a very short time at Camp Bramshott. On August 10, 1916 he shipped to France as a member of B Company, 46th Battalion. Mr. Copp held the rank of Lieutenant and led his men in several major actions: Ypres, the Somme, Lens and Vimy. He was awarded the Military Cross by King George V at Buckingham Palace. His story is most compelling, for in it his concern for his men is the predominant theme. At the time of his interview, Mr. Copp lived in Lajolla, California.
Meta Data
- Medium:
- Video
- Owner:
- Veterans Affairs Canada
- Duration:
- 2:50
- Person Interviewed:
- John Percy Copp
- War, Conflict or Mission:
- First World War
- Location/Theatre:
- Europe
- Battle/Campaign:
- Lens
- Branch:
- Army
- Units/Ship:
- 46th Battalion
- Rank:
- Lieutenant
- Occupation:
- Platoon Commander
Attestation
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