Pte 300219 Frederick Cox

• Age: 31
• From: Wigan, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 29th April 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

Frederick Cox was born in 1887 in Wigan and was the son of John and Hannah (nee Kay) Cox, who married 1874 at St George, Wigan. 

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 35, Longshoot, Wigan. 

The father John aged 38, is a coal miner and his wife Hannah is aged 38, They have six children who were all born in Wigan. Mary J. aged 16, is a cotton spinner, John aged 9 a scholar, William aged 8 a scholar, Lily aged 5 a scholar, Freddy aged 3, Annie aged 1.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 19, Ellis Street, Wigan.

The father John aged 48, born 1853 is a coal hewer who was born in Wigan. His wife Hannah is aged 47, born 1854 also in Wigan and has no occupation listed. They have nine children at the time of the Census who were all born in Wigan. Mary Jane aged 26, born 1875 is a cotton mill-hand, John aged 19, born 1882 and William aged 18, born 1883 are both coal hewer labourers, Lily aged 15, born 1886  is a cotton mill-hand, Fred aged 13, born 1888, Annie aged 11, born 1890, Henry aged 9, born 1892, Reuben aged 8, born 1893 and Ernest aged 4, born 1897.  

The 1911 Census shows the family now living at 24, Ellis Street, Wigan.

The father John aged 58, is still employed as a coal hewer and his wife Hannah is aged 58, (Her year of birth has changed to 1853).They have been married for thirty five years and have had fifteen children of which six had died. Mary Jane aged 34, now shown as born 1877 is a home worker, Fred aged 23 and Reuben aged 18 are both trammer’s underground in a coal-mine, Annie aged 21 is a cotton wreeler, Henry aged 19,is a carter and Ernest aged 14 is at school.

His mother died in March 1915 aged 60.

He enlisted in Wigan and was formerly 516, Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry and was serving in the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 300219 when he was killed in action on the 29^th April 1918 aged 31 during the German Spring Offensive.

On the day of his death 29th April 1918, the Battalion was serving on the Ypres Salient and was in the front line at Elzenwalle, near Ridge Wood, awaiting a renewal of the German assault on that front.

At 02.30 am the attack began with a devastating bombardment along the whole battle front, from the forward positions back to a depth of over a mile. At 6am the enemy Infantry attacked, the main force of the assault being directed at a position near Ridge Wood, where one of the Battalion’s forward listening posts was captured and held. Then, 16999 Company Sergeant Major G Sutton of No.1 Company gallantly drove out the attackers with Mills Bombs, an action for which he was later awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. After a strong defence along the Battalion frontage, the Germans withdrew. They continued their artillery barrage throughout the rest of the morning and afternoon, however, and at about 17.00 began to mass once more for another Infantry attack. This was contained by Rifle and Lewis Gun fire, until a large British Artillery barrage at 18.00 finally broke up all enemy activity. 

Frederick has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

Soldiers Effects to and Pension to father John Cox.

His father died June 1925 aged 72.

We currently have no further information on Frederick Cox, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.