Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Tom Cooper, a farm labourer, born 1871 in Tur Langton, Leics., and his wife Ada Cooper, born 1872 in Peckleton, Leics., who was the daughter of the late W. Belton. Wilfrid Leonard was born in 1897 in Tur Langton, Leics., his siblings were, Reginald John, born 1894, Harold Belton, born 1895, the latter two siblings were both born in Tur Langton, Leics., and Dennis, born 1899 in Little Bowden, Northants., in March 1901 the family home was at 49, Wand Street, Leicester. In April 1911 Wilfred was employed as a garden boy and was residing in the family home at Tur Langton, Leics., together with his father, now a groom and gardener, his mother and siblings, Reginald, a farm labourer, Harold, a farm labourer and Dennis, a schoolboy. Wilfred was educated at Langton Church School. He joined the Lincolnshire Regiment on the 5th June 1916, and served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from September 1916 until he was killed in action on the 28th April 1918. Lieutenant C. R. Madden (whose servant he was) wrote, “Your son Wilfred was one of the bravest and most fearless lads I ever met out here; he would go through a veritable hell if it were necessary, and all with the cheeriest smile on his face.” Wilfred was unmarried.