Today, with remembrance week approaching, I thought it would be a good idea to turn the blog over to top reader and contributor David Evans, who’s written a fantastic history of a local hero. It’s a long story, with lots of material, so I’m serialising it over several weekends. It’s very touching, and quite emotional. David has done a splendid job, including selecting all the images, and I’m sure the readers will join with me in thanking David for his hard work, excellent writing and diligent research. It’s a joy and privilege to be able to share such material on the Brownhills Blog.
Without further ado, it’s over to David…
Levi. He was born in 1868 in Silverdale, Newcastle under Lyme, the second of eight children which his mother would have over 20 years. His father was a charge hand at Silverdale Coal Mine and his eldest brother was already working down the pit when Levi joined him, at the age of 10 years. He worked hard down the pit. He had to; the family needed every penny to support itself in the hard times. His family life was far from happy. As his younger brothers and sister grew old enough to go to work they, too, were despatched to make their own way in life.
Levi’s mother knew she had to make a new life for herself and for her youngest children who were still at home. Levi wanted to make a clean break, too.
Levi joined the army. He was fit. He was a hardworking, intelligent man. He enlisted into the North Staffordshire Regiment in 1892, at Whittington Barracks near Lichfield.
Here, after he had completed his initial basic training as a rifleman, and having shown his proficiency with the newly-introduced rifles, he trained as a machine-gunner on the Maxim machine-guns. His world had changed dramatically and totally. He had new comrades, a new routine, a new life. He joined the regiment based in Malta.
The battalion was moved to its new posting in Egypt. It was here that Levi’s battalion was engaged in the Dongola campaign. A campaign which is hardly known in modern British society. Here he served under General Kitchener and was participant in the Battle of Omdurman, at Khartoum, in Sudan. He was one of the four Maxim machine gun crews who were engaged in this horrific, one-sided battle by the banks of the River Nile. The combination of latest artillery on the British Army’s river gunboats, the charge by the cavalry (the very last charge by a British Army in battle), accurate and disciplined rifle fire by the North Staffordshires, but especially the horrendous use of the four Maxim machine guns ensured a swift and bloody outcome.

The actual four-gun Maxim detachment before the battle of Omdurman. The heavy machine-guns were carried on these carriages. Each crew numbered six soldiers. Picture supplied by David Evans.
The Generals in charge of this battle were criticised for ordering the subsequent killing of the large number of prisoners taken during this battle. One witness to the battle, a young officer named Winston Churchill, wrote his own account of this battle in his book, The River War.
For his services in this campaign, and for other services in the Second Boer War, Levi was awarded the Queens Silver Medal with Hafir clasp. It was in the Second Boer War that the British Army used a new tactic of imprisoning Boer civilian families ‘concentration camps’.
Levi was reassigned to the Punjab, India, where he served to train the new India Regiment in the use of the machine gun. He returned to England, his military service complete, in 1904. He had experienced a soldier’s life, been engaged in horrific, bloody conflict, and had learned to speak Punjabi whilst in India.
Back home he lived and worked in Walsall Wood where his mother and two sisters had settled. His two brothers in law were both miners down the mine and Levi joined them. Back to the same hardships, toil and danger he had known in the Silverdale Mine in Newcastle under Lyme as a child.
- That iconic poster. Photo supplied by David Evans.
Levi’s life was to change yet again. War broke out in August 1914, and within a week Levi had re-enlisted at Whittington Barracks. He knew his skills as a machine-gunner would be needed again. He had seen the poster, and believed, as all the recruits did, that this would be ‘the War to end all Wars’, that it would be over by Christmas, and that they would return to a ‘land fit for heroes’… This time!
…to be continued next weekend.
Hi Bob and David, I’m looking forward to reading the next installment of Levi’s life.
None of our local hero’s should be forgotten and it’s nice to know their memory will love on through your website. i could imagine Levi’s life being the subject of a Catherine Cookson type drama. best wishes caz
Hello, I too am related to ‘Uncle Levi’, he died in 1938, I am delighted to hear of his illustrious and selfless commitment to serve and engage in many interesting campaigns across 3 decades! If anyone has further details I would be keen to hear, my parents had a photo of Uncle Levi with two small african boys who waited on him hand and foot during the SA campaign, they were very keen for him to take them back to Britain. Any more detail very welcome!! Captain David Lowe
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Do you have levis surname,, think he may of been a great uncle!
HI Karen
Levi Cooper,, his father was Marcus….Any connection?
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Very interesting reading – thank you. I’m most interested in the ‘Square Bashing’ image though, as I think my great grandfather, Samuel Eyden, might be in it! He joined the 1st N. Staffordshires at Lichfield in 1891, became a Corporal the next year and also served in the Dongola campaign and in India. He would have known Levi very well. Funnily enough he also re-enlisted in 1914 and became a RSM and instructor with the 10th Staffordshires throughout WW1. Very sadly he never received the medal for the Sudan as he contracted cholera during the advance and was hospitalised so was forgotten about when the medal rolls were submitted by the Commanding Officer. I’ve a sad letter he wrote in 1918 still trying to get the award but his letters never got answered…. Thanks again, Phil Eyden
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