Name
James Percy Cox
1888
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
03/10/1916
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
2789
Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
48th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LIJSSENTHOEK MILITARY CEMETERY
X. B. 22A.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
AFTER STRIFE, PEACE
UK & Other Memorials
Kings Langley Village Memorial. All Saints Church Memorial, Kings Langley.
Pre War
James Percy Cox was born in 1888, in Kings Langley, Herts, son of William Cox and Susannah Frazer Cox, (nee Chilvers), (William’s second wife). One of six children two died in infancy. Harry Norman (B 1885), Ellen Susannah (B 1887) and Christopher Augustus (B 1890).
He was baptised on 26th February 1888, in the Parish Church, Kings Langley, Herts.
His father William Cox died in February 1890, aged 40, of Influenza.
1891 Census records James aged 3, living with his widowed mother, three sibling’s and half-sister Elizabeth, in Waterside, Kings Langley, Herts
1901 Census records James aged 13, working as an Agricultural Labourer, living with his widowed mother and three siblings’, in Church Lane, Kings Langley, Herts.
1911 Census records James aged 22, working as a Chaff Cutter, (a person who cuts straw to make chaff), living with his widowed mother and two siblings’, in Church Lane, Kings Langley, Herts.
Sometime between 1912 and 1914 James emigrated to Australia.
Wartime Service
James was living in Australia at the outbreak of war, he enlisted at Keswick, a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia, on 9th July 1915. Embarking for Egypt, aboard H.M.A.T. A15. “Star of England” on 21st September 1915. On completion of his training in Egypt he left with his Battalion, aboard H.M.A.T. “Franconia” on 6th June 1916, arriving at Plymouth on 16th June 1916. Proceeding to France with his Battalion on 25th July 1916 and serving on the Western Front. On 1st October 1916, James received multiple gunshot wound in the field and taken to No.3. Canadian Casualty Clearing Station in Belgium, where he did of his wounds on 3rd October 1916.
He is buried in the CWGC Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery in Belgium. Grave Ref; X. B. 22A.
Additional Information
He has a family inscription on his Headstone “AFTER STRIFE PEACE” requested by his sister Ellen. James Service record has been digitized and is available to view at the Australian National Archives. His two brothers Harry Norman and Christopher Augustus Cox both served their Country, both survived the war. Harry served with the Royal Navy and Christopher with the Bedfordshire Regiment. Christopher was awarded the “Victoria Cross” for “Conspicuous Bravery and Continuous Devotion to Duty” in March 1917.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild
