b. ? d. ?
DATE OF EM ACTION: 13/09/1909 Cote D’Or Mine, Obuassi, Gold Coast (now Ghana).
Little is known about the life of coal miner William John Soper, other than his actions at the Cote D’Or Mine in Obuassi, Gold Coast (now Ghana), on 13th September 1909.
EM CITATION:
On the 13th September, 1909, a fire occurred in the Cote d’Or Mine at Obuassi, Gold Coast, and a European named Penrose and eight natives lost their lives. The fire broke out about 1,500 feet from the entrance of one of the levels by which the workings were approached, fumes overwhelming those who tried to put it out. W. J. Soper, a miner, went in with two natives, and, crawling along through foul air which extinguished their candles, found three unconscious natives, all of whom they saved alive. Soper dragged one back to a place where the air was pure; the two natives brought another; Soper returned and fetched a third, and then was overpowered himself. He returned again, however, in company of a native, who lost his life, and followed by a European they recovered Penrose’s body. While they were carrying the body out, Soper was again affected by the fumes, but later he made three more attempts to enter the mine, desisting only when he could no longer face the gas.
BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
