No.G/9366, Private Frederick COX
Aged 24
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Born in 1891 (1st qtr Bury St.Edmunds 4a:769) son of Alfred and Elizabeth COX (née CAPON)
1891 census...Aged 2 months, he was at 23 ipswich Street, Bury St.Edmunds with his father Alfred COX [35] railway porter born Clenchwarton; his mother Elizabeth [31] born Upwell, Cambs; sisters Marion L [5], Dorothy [4] and Grace [2]. Allthe children were born in Bury St Edmunds. 1901 census...Aged 10, he was still at 23 Ipswich Street with his parents, sisters Marion dressmaker), Sarah D (domestic servant), Grace G and Evelyn E {8]; brother Ernest A [4]; widowed grandmother Phoebe CAPON [78] born South Wooton, Norfolk. His father died on 23rd September 1907 1911 census...Aged 20, a drapers porter he was still at 23 Ipswich Street with his widowed mother; sister Marion (dressmaker) and brother Ernest Alfred grocer's apprentice. it is not known when he bacame a gardener and got a job in Devon. |
| He enlisted in Exeter on 20th March 1915, in the Middlsex Regiment no.9366, a gardener, resident at Whitmore Lodge, Chittlehamholt, Devon, giving his age as 24 years 4 months. He was feet 7 inches tall, weighed 140 lb, chest 32.5 to 34.5 inches, teeth not good. He was placed in the 5th battalion at Mill Hill and on 20th July posted to the 1st battalion in the BEF in France. Posted missing on 25th September 1915 and presumed died on or after that date. rmy form 580 completed by his mother in April 1916 gave living family members as mother Elizabeth at 23 Ipswich Street, Bury St.Edmunds. At this same address were his his brother Ernest Alfred [22]; sisters Marion Louise [33], Sarah Dorothy [32], Grace Gladys [30], Evelyn Emma [26]. War Diary:- Trenches..Attack on September 25th 1915; near CAMBRIN. The ground between our trenches and the ermans was flat except where a series of mines had been exploded which made craters with sides 8 to 9 feet high completely screening the German trenches except for a gap of about 60 yards;one crater known as "ETNA" tuched our lnes,o ne sid eof which had been eheld b us and the other by the germans for some m ts. The wire in the gap had prevously been cut by our artillery and the assault had to pass through this gap to reach the German trenches. The distance across was about 80 yards. The previous night was mild and damp. During the night the wire in front of the parapet in front of our jumpimg off trenches was removed and bridges laid across the front trench for the attack to get over the parapet which was encoumbered with chlorine as cylinders. Two jumping off trenches had been dug some days previously about 30 to 40 yards in rear of the fire trench, one between BOYAUX (communication trenches) 18-19 and one between 17-18, each about 80 yards long. 40 short scaling ladders were in position in each trench. Two Companies ad 1 platoons formed up in these jumpng off tremches, one platoon standing at the ladders, te other platoon standing beside the ladders. The two other platoons of these companies were formed up in the support trench known as ""High Street. The orders for the advance were for the platoon at the ladders to lead, followed by the other platoons waiting at the ladders as soon as he leading platoons had cleared the fire trench, followed by the two platoons in High Street. The other two companies to take these positions as they became vacated. The two leading companies were "D" on left, Capt Hde N Purves, "B" on rht Lieut HA Campbell. "A" Coy 3rd Compay Capt JC Aitken - "C" Coy Capt Wardlaw Ramsay in Reseve. At 5:45 am the artillery opened fire and 5:50 the gas was turned on for 40 minutes, the last 5 minutes combined with smoke At 6:30 the assault started, the morning being very still, the gas hung about and was inclined to come back which hampered the leading platoons. No.16 platoon "D" Coy Lieut Bullough and No. 5 platoon "B" Coy 2/Lt Gillepsie advanced and succeeded in reaching the German front trench, on the appearance of the assaulting parties the Germans opened a heavy machine gun and shrapnel fire. One more platoon of "B" Coy succeeded in crossing the fire trench but was unable to reach the German tenches and support the leading platoons. Owing to the heaviness of the fire the remaining platoons were unable t cross the fre rench, "A" Coy endeavoured to cross byut also unable to make any headway> The machine guns came into action under Lieut Macpherson to support the advance but could make no impression on the enemy fire.The supporting batteries fired rapid shrapnel but were hampered by the closeness of the two lines. As no advance was possible the platoons in front returned to our lines and further attempt was abandoned. Of the two platoons that reached the German trench, 11 returned in the evening. Lieut Bullough was seen to fall on the German wire and 2nd/L Gillespie on the German parapet. Sergt McClure and about 1o men of 5 platoon were seen to jump into the erman trenches, the remainder of these two platoons were wiped out. Casualties: 7 officers killed, 1 died of wounds, 5 wounded 2 missing. other ranks 315. CWGC have 165 killed, of which 43 have no known grave, being named on the Loos Memorial
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