Frank Johns joined up in Canada with his friend from St Ives, Leo Cogan. Cogan was apparently with him when he died, and wrote a letter home to the family saying how popular his friend was and how well attended the funeral. His letter was published in the West Briton.
Cogan survived the war, though he was wounded at the Battle of Hill 60 (17th April – 7th May 1915, Flanders). Following a period of recovery, he returned to the Front Line.
Home for Christmas in 1915, he married Clara Polmear Ward on Boxing Day.
The Cornishman reported the wedding on Thursday 6 January 1916:
A wedding of more than ordinary interest took place at St Ives Parish church on Boxing Day, when Corporal Leo Bernard Cogan of the Canadian A,M.C. (youngest son of the late Mr Charles Cogan and Mrs Cogan of St Andrew’s Street) was married to Miss Clara Polmear Ward (second daughter of Mr and Mrs A. Ward, of the Wharf Bakery , St Ives). The bridegroom, it will be remembered, was seriously wounded at the historic battle of Hill 60, and he has since been in the fighting line.
Their first child, Clara Polmear Cogan, was born in 1917, followed by the birth of Leo Bernard Cogan in 1919.
Leo Cogan died in May 1945. His obituary was published in the West Briton on Thursday 31 May 1945.
The death occurred at 1 Bostennack Terrace, St Ives, on Thursday morning of Mr Leo Bernard Cogan, aged 58. Mr Cogan served in the Canadian army during the 1914-1918 war and he saw much active service in France, where he was badly gassed. He leaves a widow, one son and a daughter.
The internment took place on Sunday afternoon, when members of the local Observer Corps (in which branch of the service he had served during the war) acted as bearers.
His wife, Clara died in February 1946. Both of their children married; Clara Polmear Cogan to Robert Uren in 1943, and Leo Bernard Cogan to Vera W. Webber in 1944. Clara died in 1990; Leo in 1979. Leo and Vera had a daughter, Margaret Cogan, born in 1946.