Name
Sidney Cox (MM)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Military Medal
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
NA
Biography
Sidney is recorded in two undated cuttings in the village scrapbook of the war. Nothing in the cuttings actually records a connection with Pirton. However, with the exception of some general newspaper cuttings about the local regiments, the scrapbook seems to only record information about Pirton-related men. For this reason, and because this appears to be supported by the following baptism record, which does relate to Pirton, he is included.
Baptism records show a Sidney William Cox, the son of William and Ruth Cox of Hitchin, was baptised in Pirton on May 13th 1894. So he would have been about twenty at the outbreak of war. 1901 census records for Hitchin show that he was actually born in Hitchin - he was probably baptised in Pirton because of his family’s association with the village. The same census shows that his father, William, was also born in Hitchin, but that his mother, Ruth, was born in Pirton. Pirton records show that William was also baptised in Pirton and his parents, Sidney’s grandparents, were William and Sarah Cox (née Males) both born in Pirton.
William and Ruth Cox had four children: Sidney William (b c1894), Lilian (b c1896), Frederick (b c1898) and Arthur (b c1900). It is almost certain that it is his brother, Frederick, who also served. He was killed and is recorded on the Letchworth War Memorial.
The assumptions about Sidney are supported by other information; one of the cuttings from the village scrapbook reports that Sidney enlisted in August 1914, so he was one of the first to do so, and served in the Bedfordshire Regiment. At the time of the report, he had been out at the Front for ‘one year and eight months’ and ‘is twenty-two years of age’. This would seem to tie in with the baptism record above and so it is certainly possible that he is the right man and has a Pirton connection. The cuttings also confirm him as a native of Hitchin (confirmed by the baptism records above) and that he had been living with his grandmother at 47 Green Lane, Letchworth.
Sidney had been in the thick of the fighting and had been wounded. As a result, he was hospitalized in Felixstowe. He was a hero. During the war both sides often attempted to tunnel under their enemies’ lines, packed the end with explosives and attempted to blow up the front line of the opposite side. This was usually followed by soldiers rushing forward to take the position before the confusion had died down and reinforcements could be deployed. Sidney and his comrades suffered such an attack, probably many of his comrades were killed and certainly many were buried alive. Sidney was responsible for digging out, unaided, seventeen men, saving the lives of fourteen of them. For this ‘conspicuous act of bravery and life-saving’ he was awarded the Military Medal. The cutting records that ‘Letchworth is proud of this hero’ and so are we.
Note: Four men with a Pirton connection were to be awarded a medal. Military Medals were awarded to Sidney Cox (baptised in Pirton), Lieutenant Arthur Robert Walker (born in Pirton, but who had been living in Canada before the war) and Charles Furr (born in Pirton) and a Distinguished Conduct Medal to Henry George Chamberlain (born in Pirton and who was killed in the war).note: Four men with a Pirton connection were to be awarded a medal. Military Medals were awarded to Sidney Cox (baptised in Pirton), Lieutenant Arthur Robert Walker (born in Pirton, but who had been living in Canada before the war) and Charles Furr (born in Pirton) and a Distinguished Conduct Medal to Henry George Chamberlain (born in Pirton and who was killed in the war).Note: Four men with a Pirton connection were to be awarded a medal. Military Medals were awarded to Sidney Cox (baptised in Pirton), Lieutenant Arthur Robert Walker (born in Pirton, but who had been living in Canada before the war) and Charles Furr (born in Pirton) and a Distinguished Conduct Medal to Henry George Chamberlain (born in Pirton and who was killed in the war).
Additional Information
Text from the book ‘The Pride of Pirton’ by Jonty Wild, Tony French & Chris Ryan used with author's permission
Acknowledgments
Text from the book ‘The Pride of Pirton’ by Jonty Wild, Tony French & Chris Ryan used with author's permission
