Name
Robert Sydney Cox
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/04/1917
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
18644
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ST. MARTIN CALVAIRE BRITISH CEMETERY, ST. MARTIN-SUR-COJEUL
Plot I, Row A, Grave 28.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Christ Church Memorial, Watford
Pre War
Son of Joseph and (Emily) Henrietta (nee SHEPHERD) COX; husband of Winifred Hannah (nee ATKINS) COX of Watford.
His parents married 3 November 1883 at St Andrew’s, Watford. Henrietta died 1922 in Watford aged 68, and was buried 4 May in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; Joseph died 1929 in Watford aged 68, and was buried 31 January, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
Robert was born 23 November 1888 in Watford, and baptised 20 April 1888 at St Mary’s, Watford. He attended first Callow Land Infants’ School, Watford; then Callowland Board School from 22 January 1894 to 23 November 1900. He married 1906 in the Watford district; they had two children. He resided in Watford. Winifred remarried 1919 in the Watford district to Henry Victor GURNEY; she died 1928 in Watford aged 46, and was buried 27 December in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford.
On the 1891 Census, aged 3 he lived in Watford, with his parents and three siblings. On the 1901 Census, a butcher’s boy aged 14, he still lived in Watford, with his parents and five siblings. On the 1911 Census, a bacon curer aged 23, he lived in Kennington, London S.E., with his wife and no children.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Bedford; was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 30 September 1915, and was killed in action during the Battle of Arras – the first Battle of the Scarpe – an unsuccessful attack on the Hindenberg Line near Saint Martin-sur-Cojeul. This commenced on 9 April 1917 involving the entire Battalion. Orders received the night of 10 April ordered the Battalion to attack German lines either side of the River Cojeul the following morning. All Companies came under heavy enfilade machine gun fire.
Additional Information
There is a brief article about and a Death announcement for Robert in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 12 May 1917; plus In Memoriams in the issues dated 13 April 1918 and 12 April 1919. Unfortunately, Robert’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
