Name
Charles Thurgood Cox
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/08/1917
34
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
203495
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 31-33
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin War Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, Letchworth Town Memorial
Pre War
His home was 14, Victoria Road, Hitchin and he was the son of George and Susan Cox. Before joining up he had been employed for twenty years at William Carling & Co the printers of Hitchin.
He had sung in St. Mary's choir for twenty-six years and was a renowned tenor and was also an active member of the Hitchin Junior Conservative Association. Another of his activities was as a member of the Walsworth Bowling Club. He was born and resident in Hitchin where he enlisted.
Wartime Service
Charles was allocated the Regimental Number 203495.
He was killed in action in Flanders and had served in the 7th Battalion of the Bedfords. He had only been in the trenches a few days when he was reported as missing, but it was not until June 1918 that his death was confirmed.
This was the day the 18th Division attacked astride the Menin Road in the Ypres Salient, the 7th Battalion of the Bedfords and the 11th Royal Fusiliers leading the attack by the 54th Brigade. The 7th Bedfords reached their objective in Glencorse Wood in about half an hour. However, the units on their flanks were held up and they had to beat off counter-attacks in an awkward salient. The Battalion lost 5 officers and 279 other ranks which was over one third of the Battalion strength. The Battalion was relieved by the 8th Norfolks early the following morning.
He has no known grave, but is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing at Ypres in Belgium.
Additional Information
He is shown with the initial ‘G’ on the Hitchin War Memorial, but his name was Charles according to ‘Soldiers died’ database.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Dan Hill, Louise Fryer, Jonty Wild
