Arthur Hawtayne COPE (1892-1976)

Arthur Hawtayne Cope, DSO (1892-1976), was the second husband of Mary Emery Hiscock, née Teague (1890-1932); she was the widow of Captain Ernest Henry Hiscock (1892-1917) who was a colleague of Cyril Sladden in the 9th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment.

Arthur Cope was born in Kensington on 7th October 1892, the son of Sir Arthur Stockdale Cope, a distinguished portrait painter.

Arthur was commissioned into the Devonshire Regiment as 2nd Lieutenant in 1912, becoming Lieutenant in 1915, Captain in 1917, rising ultimately to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. During the First World War, he was mentioned in despatches and gained the DSO: “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during a long period of active operations when in command of his battalion. Notably he held river crossings in face of fierce attacks, counter-attacking at times, when the enemy had broken through a line, and restoring the situation, and finally, though nearly surrounded, withdrawing the battalion as a formed body. The splendid record of his battalion was due to his great courage and find leadership throughout.”

Arthur married Mary Emery Hiscock (née Teague) on 31st July 1918 at Trinity Church, St Marylebone, London. Mary was the widow of Captain Hiscock of the 9th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment who had been killed in Mesopotamia in January 1917. They had two sons, both born in Surrey: Anthony Neil Hawtayne Cope (1920) and Hilary Arthur Robin Hawtayne Cope (1926-1945).

Mary died in 1932 and Arthur married again in 1934 to Jessica Mary Wadeson. Jessica died in 1972 and Arthur died at Tudor House, Topsham, Exeter, on 28th December 1976.