Source
		CWGC	SDGW	Uttoxeter Advertiser	Other
Parents	Mr. & Mrs. David Copeland			7a	6
Where born	Uttoxeter		Yes
When born	April-June 1891
	About 1892				4
Address	Parents: John Street, Uttoxeter			7a, 7b	6
	Self: 5 James Street, Uttoxeter			7h
Spouse	Yes			7b, 7f	6
	Harriet Copeland			7h
Children	One			7f, 7h
Employment Before Joining up	Leighton Ironworks			7a	6
Where enlisted	Uttoxeter		Yes
Regiment & Unit	Royal Field Artillery	Yes	Yes	7b	6
	No. 1 Reserve Bde., D Bty.	Yes
Rank	Driver	Yes	Yes	7a, 7b, 7c, 7e, 7f, 7g	6
	Private			7h
Service Number	200673	Yes			6
Date of Death	26th February 1917	Yes	Yes	7b, 7c, 7d, 7e, 7f, 7g, 7h	6
Age at time of death	Early twenties			7a
Where Killed or died	England – Ripon Hospital			7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e, 7f, 7h	6
	Ripon Military Hospital			7g
	Home (England)		Yes
How he died	Illness- bronchial pneumonia			7a, 7b	6
Location of Grave or Memorial	Uttoxeter Cemetery – Grave New. I. 1932	Yes			3
	Uttoxeter Town War Memorial				6
Awards

John Street, Uttoxeter, where his parents lived and, presumably, where Joseph and his siblings grew up

These buildings, an original part of the Leighton Ironworks, would have been a familiar sight to Joseph

Joseph was determined to serve in the war, but he was rejected several times^7a. He finally met with success in 1916^{6, 7a}.

We do not know whether or not he served abroad, but we do know that he died from pneumonia on 26th February 1917 in hospital in Ripon. He is buried in Uttoxeter Cemetery.

He left a wife, Harriet, and a child.

Shortly after his funeral in March 1917 the Uttoxeter Advetiser published a description of his funeral^7b. This said that his coffin, placed on a gun carriage, was escorted to Ripon railway station by a band, 60 drivers and 110 gunners^7b. A bunch of flowers from his comrades was on the coffin when it arrived at Uttoxeter station^7b.

He was accorded full military honours and on the day of his funeral a detachment of the Uttoxeter Volunteer Force, under Sergeant Major JL Collyer, preceded the funeral cortege from the house to the cemetery, where the service was held^7b. The graveside was lined by the Volunteers, who stood at the salute while a bugler sounded the 'Last Post'.

 Sergeant-Major John Latimer Collyer is also counted amongst Uttoxeter’s Lost Generation and has a page of his own in our research.

 

Joseph was mourned for by his family and they placed a number of very moving memorial notices in the Uttoxeter Advertiser to mark the anniversaries of his death. The pain of his family’s loss is very apparent in these notices:

 

 

 

These were posted in the Uttoxeter Advertiser in February 19187d, 7e, 7f. They mark the first anniversary of his death

COPELAND. – In Loving Memory of our Dear Brother, Joseph Copeland, who died in Ripon Hospital, February 26, 1917. We little thought when he left home He would no more return; That he so soon in death would sleep, And leave us here to mourn. Fondly we think of you, dear brother, And our hearts are full of pain; Oh this world would be a heaven, Could we but hear your voice again. Fondly remembered by his Sisters, Brothers, and Brother-in-law (Jack).

COPELAND. – In Loving Memory of my Dear Son, Driver Joseph Copeland, who died in Ripon Hospital, February 26, 1917. We do not know what pain he bore, We never saw him die; We only know he passed away And never said good-bye. From his Sorrowing Father and Mother.

COPELAND. – In Loving Memory of my Dear Husband, Driver J. Copeland, who died in Ripon Hospital, February 26, 1917. Home at last, thy labour done; Safe at last, the victory won; Jordan passed, from pain set free; Angels now have welcomed thee. Not gone from memory or from love. But gone to our Father’s Home above. Ever remembered by his Loving Wife and Child

 

The following two notices followed in the Uttoxeter Advertiser in February 1919 to mark the second anniversary of his death^{7g, 7h}. Their grief is still very apparent in these notices