LIEUTENANT ALFRED RICHARD BAXTER COX
1301 – 3rd Tunnelling Company / 4th Battalion
Alfred Richard Baxter Cox was born in Cue, W.A. on September 7, 1898 the son of Albert Edward Baxter and Harriet Eliza (nee Sivior) Cox. His Military experience was one year with the Militia Area No. 88a of Perth. On January 11, 1916 a letter was issued stating he had returned all equipment in regards to his service.
Two days later the eighteen year old draughtsman applied to the Recruiting Depot in Perth to enlist for active service abroad and passed the medical examination. Being less than twenty-one years of age consent was signed by both his parents. Personal particulars taken reveal his residence was Queens Crescent, Mt Lawley, W.A., unmarried with a height of 173cms (5ft 8ins) and a chest measurement of 92cms (36ins). Fitness for service was decided and the recruiting officer accepted his Application.
Attestation Forms were completed giving further information on his weight 57.7kgs (127lbs) with a chest expansion of 79-92cms (31-36ins). Complexion was fresh with blue eyes and fair hair. Distinctive marks were three vaccination scars and a mole on the back of his next and arm. Church of England was his religion. Next-of-kin nominated was his father Alfred Edward Cox, care of Oldman & Cox, St Georges-terrace, Perth, W.A. The ‘Oath of Allegiance’ was signed and taken the same day.
Private Cox commenced his training with the Area 1 Group from February 10 to February 14, 1916 then allotted as a Sapper to the Engineers’ Training Camp the next day.
On the other side of the country a civic parade in the Domain, Sydney was held on Saturday February 19, 1916 where a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground. Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.
The Corps boarded HMAT A38 Ulysses in Sydney, NSW on February 20 and sailed for the European theatre. Arriving in Melbourne, Victoria on February 22 the Miners camped at Broadmeadows for a stay of 7 days while further cargo was loaded.
Meanwhile on February 29 Sapper Cox moved to the Engineer Reinforcements at Blackboy Hill, about 16 miles from Perth, W.A.
Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces.
Leaving Melbourne on March 1, Ulysses arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on March 7 where a further 53 members including Sapper Cox were taken on board.
On Wednesday March 8, 1916 the whole force, with their band and equipment, paraded at Fremantle prior to leaving Victoria Quay at 9.30 o’clock.
The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured. The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’. The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted and it was here that Sapper Cox joined the Mining Corps camp on March 24, 1916.
The Mining Corps comprised 1303 members at the time they embarked with a Headquarters of 40; No.1 Company – 390; No.2 Company – 380; No.3 Company – 392, and 101 members of the 1st Reinforcements.
Finally departing Fremantle on April 1, Ulysses voyaged via Suez, Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt. The Captain of the shipwas reluctantto take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack. The troops were transhipped to HM Transport B.1 Ansonia, then on to Valetta, Malta before disembarking at Marseilles, France on May 5, 1916. As a unit they entrained at Marseilles on May 7 and detrained on May 11 at Hazebrouck.
A ‘Mining Corps’ did not fit in the British Expeditionary Force, and the Corps was disbanded and three Australian Tunnelling Companies were formed. The Technical Staff of the Corps Headquarters, plus some technically qualified men from the individual companies, was formed into the entirely new Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC), better known as the ‘Alphabetical Company’.
Sapper Cox as allotted to the 3rd Tunnelling Company.
On August 19, 1916 he was promoted to the rank of Corporal and his service continued without injuries or illness.
He was selected on October 25, 1917 to attend a course at the Cadet Infantry Battalion in England commencing in November and he reported to the No. 6 Officers’ Cadet Battalion in Oxford and retained his rank until commissioned.
While at Balliol College, Oxford a Confidential Report was taken on March 2, 1918:
Standard of Education:Good
Military Knowledge:V. Fair
Power of Command & Leadership:Good
Special Qualifications:Riding; Speaks French; Surveyor
Remarks:Attractive and very good presence
Exceedingly intelligent and a good sportsman
Will make a very sound and popular officer.
In the After War Report of the 3rd Tunnelling Company the following was mentioned:
Leaving the College he went to the 2nd Training Battalion. At the A.I.F. Depot at Tidworth and appointed E.D.P. Sergeant (Extra Duty Pay) on April 8, 1918 and left for the 1st Training Battalion at Sutton Veny on April 25, 1918.
From May 1, 1918 he was appointed Second Lieutenant and posted to the General Infantry Reinforcements and departed Southampton for France on May 9 arriving two days after at the Aust Infantry Base Depot at Havre. After May 14, 1918 he was taken on strength with the 4th Infantry Battalion until he was attached to the Canadian Tunnelling Company from May 26 until June 3, 1918 then returned to his unit.
On August 1, 1918 he was accidentally injured after being sent to Stomer to buy provisions for the Battalion Officers’ mess and injured his ankle by slipping off a step. On August 5 he went to the 1st Aust Field Ambulance then transferred to the 2nd Casualty Clearing Station where the following day was conveyed on A.T.24 to the 20th General Hospital at Camiers diagnosed with Synovitis (tissue lining lubricating certain joints during movement becomes inflamed). After ten days went to the A.I.B.D. at Havre remaining until August 28 then he returned to his unit two days later.
Base Records regretfully advised his father on August 27 that his son had been injured and the address to correspond with him. On September 4 his father sent this telegram to Base Records in Melbourne:
In return to his reply paid telegram he received this:
A day later this telegrams was forwarded to his father:
From October 8 to 25 he enjoyed leave to England and on his return was sent to the Aust Corps School where he remained until after the Armistice returning on November 28, 1918. The same day he was promoted to Lieutenant.
On December 19, 1918 was transferred to the Aust Infantry Brigade Concert Party.
He was admitted to the 1st Aust Field Ambulance on January 4, 1919 moving to the 55th C.C.S. then conveyed on A.T. to the 8th General Hospital at Rouen suffering Gastro-enteritis (slight).
On January 10, 1919 left the 2nd General Hospital in Havre for the 8th Menton Convalescent Hospital on January 11 with Sycosis Barbae (Folliculitis). Transferred to the 8th General Hospital on January 18 at Rouen with Diarrhoea and moved to Camp Martin the following day. He left the Mecheham Home on February 10 to return to Base arriving at the A.I.B.D. at Havre five days later and rejoined his unit on February 24, 1919.
Recalled on April 5, 1919 to join Quota 27 for preparation to return to Australia, he left for England five days later disembarking at Southampton and marched into No. 1 Group camp.
On May 26, 1919 while a resident at the Wilberforce Hotel in Oxford, Albert Richard B. Cox (25) married Ivy Gertrude Sanders (24) of Music Room Holywell. She was the daughter of Frank James Sanders, Printer and he was the son of Alfred Edward Cox, an Architect. The marriage was solemnised by a Church of England Vicar by license at S. Cross Holywell.
His next-of-kin changed to Mrs Ivy Gertrude Cox of 39 Bartlemas Road, Oxford, England.
From June 6, 1919 he was granted leave to take up Non-Military Employment for an arranged course in Architecture with Gilbert T. Gardner R.I.B.A. at 7 Street, Algates, Oxford with pay of twenty-one shillings per diem and sustenance of six shillings with railway warrants of seven shillings, one penny. On September 7 an extension of leave was granted until October 31, 1919 to complete the course.
The firm’s report on the Officer reads:
On the expiration of his NME he returned to the Deputy Assistant Adjutant General’s office for disposal on November 1, 1919.
His wife was forwarded by Base Records on October 20, 1919 a commission form advising that her husband 2/Lt Cox had been appointed in the Regular Forces of the British Office and referred to his former commission and not his present rank.
Lieutenant Cox accompanied by his wife embarked for Australia on the H.T. Shropshire on December 2, 1919. The ship docked on January 13, 1920 in Fremantle, W.A. (5th M.D.)
Their arrival was mentioned in The West Australian on Tuesday January 13, 1920:
His appointment with the A.I.F. was terminated on March 7, 1920.
The following year he was commissioned on the Reserve of Officers list as a 2nd Lieutenant with the Engineers and in 1922 promoted to Lieutenant.
The British War Medal (8094) and the Victory Medal (8061) were issued to Lieutenant Alfred Richard Baxter Cox, 3rd Tunnelling Company / 4th Battalion for serving his country.
In 1925 his residence was Goldsmith and Parkin Streets, Claremont, W.A. with the occupation of Architect and later that year changed to 40 Second Avenue, Perth and was still residing there in 1931.
Promotion followed to the rank of Major and was president of the committee hosting an annual ball mentioned in The West Australian on Saturday August 3, 1929:
In 1936 their residence was 67 Sterling Highway, Fremantle, W.A. and in 1937 it was 279 Dalkeith Road, Nedlands. Returning from abroad he was interviewed and spoke to the Perth Legacy Club in May, 1936: The Lt-Colonel of the 5th Military District Field Troops wrote to Base Records on August 14, 1936 requesting a Statement of Service which was required for his application for the Efficiency Decoration. This statement was issued on August 20, 1936.
The Sunday Times on Sunday May 28, 1939 reported of the send-off for the retiring Brigadier and succession to the role of commander for Colonel Baxter Cox:
Official announcements of his promotion were printed in The West Australian on Saturday February 17, 1940:
He enlisted on April 26, 1940 with the Australian Army at Perth during the Second World War and given the service number WX1573 with the rank of Colonel. Next-of-kin was his wife Ivy Cox of the Esplanade, Perth, W.A. Command appointment was announced in The West Australian on Thursday May 2, 1940:
Further news of his service abroad was published in the South Australian The Advertiser on Saturday July 19, 1941:
This photograph was taken in June, 1941 in Syria
Left to right are:
Major General A.S. Allen,
Brigadier F.H. Berryman
and Brigadier A.R. Baxter Cox.
Photo: courtesy of Picture Australia and AWM.
While on active service his residence was listed as “Lawson”, Esplanade, Perth in 1943.
The Brigadier was granted a Commander of the Order of the British Empire on June 14, 1945 which was announced in the Canberra Times on Thursday June 14, 1945:
His last posting during the war was Headquarters 25, Aust Infantry Brigade and his appointment was terminated on August 14, 1946.
A move to Victoria saw their residence change to The Basin, Fern Tree Gully, Dandenong with the occupation of orchardist. This was still their address in 1949.
An appointment to the Victorian Housing Commission was announced in The Argus on Wednesday February 11, 1948 and repeated in the Gippsland Times a day later:
Later that year The Argus on Saturday August 7, 1948 reported the following:
Retirement from the Victorian Housing Commission was announced in The Argus Saturday on February 5, 1949:
Albert Richard Baxter Cox C.B.E. died in 1958 in the district of Thebarton, Vic.
On February 3, 1959 a request was made to Base Records for his Statement of Service as a claim had made for benefits under the Repatriation Act.
The Secretary of the Victorian Branch of the Sailor, Soldiers, and Airmens’ Imperial League of Australia also wrote to Base Records on February 27, 1959 requesting Service Particulars as they were making representations to the Repatriation Department on behalf of the Brigadier’s wife that the death of her husband be accepted as due to war service.
On March 23, 1959 a Statement of his World War I and II Service was issued by Central Army Records.
The photograph and extract below were published in the book Australia’s Fighting Sons of the Empire:
© Donna Baldey 2011