Harold COX

COX, Harold

    Service Number: Officer
    Enlisted: 19 January 1915, Place of enlistment - Wangaratta, Victoria Attested, 19 January 1915, and had been in the Depot since 29 January 1915. This period had included a month at Instructional School. Applied for a commission on 18 April 1915; it was gazetted on 29 May 1915. Had served 13 months in the South African 5th Victorian Rifles as Quarter Master Sergeant previously.
    Last Rank: Lieutenant
    Last Unit: 31st Infantry Battalion
    Born: Albert Park, Melbourne Victoria, 27 January 1875
    Home Town: Wangaratta, Wangaratta, Victoria
    Schooling: Scotch College, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
    Occupation: Secretary (Insurance AMP)
    Died: Killed In Action, Fleurbaix, France, 20 July 1916, aged 41 years
    Cemetery: Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix, Bethune, Nord Pas de Calais
    Plot I, Row L, Grave 62 Headstone Inscription "E'EN AS HE TROD THAT DAY TO GOD SO WALKED HE FROM HIS BIRTH" Initially buried at Eaton Hall Military Cemetery but re-interred at Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery.
    Memorials: MCC Roll of Honour 1914 - 1918 - Melbourne Cricket Club, Wangaratta War Memorial
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    World War 1 Service

    19 Jan 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Officer, Place of enlistment - Wangaratta, Victoria Attested, 19 January 1915, and had been in the Depot since 29 January 1915. This period had included a month at Instructional School. Applied for a commission on 18 April 1915; it was gazetted on 29 May 1915. Had served 13 months in the South African 5th Victorian Rifles as Quarter Master Sergeant previously.
    16 Jul 1915: Embarked AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Officer, Embarked on HMAT 'A64' Demosthenes from Melbourne on 16th July 1915, disembarking Egypt.
    9 Sep 1915: Embarked AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Officer, 23rd Infantry Battalion, Embarked on HMT Ionian from Alexandria, Egypt on 9th September 1915 to join Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.
    16 Sep 1915: Transferred AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 23rd Infantry Battalion
    10 Jan 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Officer, 23rd Infantry Battalion, Returned from Dardenelles via Mudros on HMT Minnewaska, disembarking Alexandria, Egypt on 10th January 1916.
    1 Mar 1916: Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant
    9 Apr 1916: Transferred AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 31st Infantry Battalion
    7 Jun 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Officer, 31st Infantry Battalion, Embarked on HMT Oriana from Alexandria, Egypt on 7th June 1916, disembarking Marseilles, France on 12th June 1916 to join British Expeditionary Force.
    20 Jul 1916: Wounded AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Officer, 31st Infantry Battalion, Killed in action - 'Informant states that on 19th July in the trenches in front of Fleury Baix (sic), called the Fromelles trenches, Lieut Cox was wounded in the bombardment, a shell nearly blowing his shoulder away. When Informant saw him he was dead, but his wound had been dressed with a bog pad of wool. Informant helped to bury him next day between the trenches and the village of Fleury Baix.'

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    Biography contributed by Daryl Jones

    Born at Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Son of Ross and Mary COX.

    Educated at Scotch College. From Brighton. Worked for AMP. Enlisted in January, 1915, aged 30. Sailed in July as Second Lieutenant in 23rd Battalion Reinforcements. Served at Gallipoli. Transferred to 31st Battalion in April, 1916. He was killed at Fromelles on July 20, 1916, one of 5533 casualties.

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