COCKS, Edith (Edyth)
| Service Numbers: | Not yet discovered |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 5 November 1915, Served in England & Egypt |
| Last Rank: | Staff Nurse |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Australian General Hospital: AIF |
| Born: | Mount Gambier, South Australia, 14 September 1884 |
| Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Masseuse |
| Died: | Cerebral Haemorrhage, Myocardial with general Cardiovascular Degeneration, South Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, 31 August 1937, aged 52 years |
| Cemetery: |
West Terrace Cemetery (General) Road 3 Path 7 W 33 |
| Memorials: | Keswick South Australian Army Nurses Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 5 Nov 1915: | Enlisted Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), Staff Nurse, Served in England & Egypt | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Nov 1915: | Involvement 2nd Australian General Hospital: AIF, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '23' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Orsova embarkation_ship_number: A67 public_note: '' | |
| 12 Nov 1915: | Embarked 2nd Australian General Hospital: AIF, HMAT Orsova, Melbourne | |
| 17 Oct 1919: | Discharged Australian Army Nursing Service (WW1), Staff Nurse |
Help us honour Edith (Edyth) Cocks's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Miss Edith Cocks, of South terrace, City, who died recently, was on active service as a nurse from 1915 to 1919, both in England and Egypt. After the war she was appointed to the Repatriation Hospital Keswick, and remained there until 1933, when she resigned. She was a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Cocks, and granddaughter of an old pioneer, Robert Cocks, who arrived in the Buffalo. She is survived by a brother. Mr H. Cocks, of Gladstone, and two sisters, Misses J. and D. Cocks, of South terrace, Adelaide
The Advertiser Monday 04 October 1937 page 12
Biography contributed by Paul Lemar
Edythe COCKS was the daughter of John COCK & Sarah JONES and was born on the 14th of September 1874, Mount Gambier, SA.
Her father was born in 1841 in Oakbank, SA and was the son of Robert COCK & Catherine CHRISTIE. Robert had arrived in South Australia on the HMS Buffalo in 1836.
Her mother was born in 1838 and was the daughter of Charles JONES.
John & Sarah were married on the 6th of March 1863 at the residence of John’s parent’s, in Mount Gambier, SA.
Edythe was the fifth child born into this family of 8 children, 3 boys & 5 girls.
On leaving school Edythe became a trainee masseuse in the Adelaide Hospital.
By 1905 her parents had moved from Mount Gambier to 101 South Terrace, Adelaide.
Edythe’s sister; Agnes, had also become a nurse and in January 1900 she was recruited by the newly created “South Australian Nursing Contingent” and departed by train from Adelaide on the 19th of February 1900 for Melbourne with 8 other South Australian nurses.
She embarked from Melbourne on board the SS Australasian on the 21st of February with the fourth detachment (third reinforcement draft - Captain Nicholson) of NSW Lancers.
Agnes returned to Australia in September 1902.
Agnes then returned to Johannesburg and after some time she moved to England to nurse.
She would come home to Adelaide to visit on occasion.
On the 1st of April 1908 Edythe was appointed Honorary Masseuse at the Adelaide Hospital, but resigned from the position on the 23rd of November 1909.
Her father died on the 30th of December 1913.
Her sister Agnes enlisted into the British Medical Corps in 1914 with the outbreak of WW1.
At the age of 41, Edythe enlisted into the Australian Army Nursing Service on the 5th of November 1915 Keswick, SA.
She embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A67 Orsova on the 12th of November 1915, disembarking in Egypt on the 9th of December and was first posted to the Al Hayat Convalescent Depot in Helouan.
While Edythe was here her brother Harry enlisted into the Tunnelling Companies Reinforcement on the 31st of July 1916 (5720).
Edythe embarked from Seuz for Australia on the 18th of July 1919 on board the HT Dunluce Castle with returning soldiers and 3 nursing sisters; E.H Chapmen, L.L Bentley, & N.K Whitehead.
On Saturday morning, the 23rd of August 1919, Edythe disembarked in Adelaide.
She reported to the 7th Australian General Hospital at Keswick and was discharged from the AANS on the 17th of October 1919.
Edythe returned home to live with her mother and her 2 sisters, Jean & Dolly who had moved to 151 South Terrace, Adelaide.
After the war she was appointed to the Repatriation Hospital Keswick.
On the 21st of June 1925 her sister Agnes knocked over a kerosene lamp at 2:30am in her bedroom and the room caught alight. Her room was made from wood and iron and it was in the back yard.
She screamed for her sister’s and Jean was the first to arrive and found her sitting on the side of her bed with burns to her face, hands & legs.
Jean called out to Edythe to help and one of the boarders came out and carried Agnes out of her room, while Jean attempted to put out the fire. Shortly after the Fire Brigade arrive to distinguish the fire.
Agnes was admitted into the Adelaide Hospital, but unfortunately, Agnes died from her injuries and Pneumonia, a week later, on the 28th of June at 3:40am.
Her mother died the following year on the 28th of May 1926 and Edythe and Jean remained in the home.
Edythe resigned from the Keswick Hospital in 1933.
Edythe died at her residence, 151 South Terrace, Adelaide, on the 31st of August 1937.
Edythe was buried in the West Terrace Cemetery; Road 3, Path 7, Site W 33 with her parents & siblings.
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