Francis Davidson Cooper was born in Cutknife, Saskatchewan, the son of Isaac and Mabel Cooper, of Kincardine, Ontario. He grew up in Kincardine, Ontario. He had taken a three-month course at the Ontario Argricultural College in Guelph. He was a farmer by trade and after his father died, inherited the family farm.
Francis joined the Militia in January 1941 in the 98th Field Battery. He was living in Kincarcine when he enlisted in the 4th Division Petrol Company, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (RCASC) in London, Ontario in June 1941. By July 1942, he had qualified as a Cook Class III. In September, he embarked for the United Kingdom, arriving in Liverpool on 7 October 1943. Francis was sent to Italy in November 1943 and in May 1944 he joined the 10th Field Squadron.
On the morning of 11 September during the Gothic Line battle, the 10th Field Company was resting in the area of San Giovanni near Coriano Ridge when a stray shell hit their field kitchen where Francis was working. There were 28 casualties – six killed, three seriously wounded and later dying of wounds, and 11 seriously injured. Francis was among the wounded and died the following day. He is buried in the Gradara War Cemetery. He was 25 years old.