George Oliver Cogger was born and lived in Camberwell, south east London. He married Gladys Edna (Nunn) Cogger in 1942. He enlisted in the Royal Tank Regiment and volunteered for Airborne Forces.

He successfully completed parachute training and was posted to B Squadron, Special Air Service Regiment, Army Air Corps. He was murdered by a Nazi firing squad on 7 July 1944, aged 24 and is now buried in Rom Communal Cemetery, Southern France.