SYDNEY COX 

Sidney Cox; the follwoing has been ammeded and updated to include a family connection, his brother Ebenezer who is named and recorded in the Cheshireroll. 

River Weaver Navigation Minutes, Volume 22 Page 105 – Sidney Cox was named in the Engineers Annual Report to the Trustees of the 23rd Nov. 1917 saying that he had been killed. Pte., D. Coy, 10th Batt. Cheshire Regiment, Service No 15833. (The date of the report does not suggest this is the date of or near the date of his death.)

C.W.C.G. remember Pte. Sydney Cox with the Service No as 15822, (Note different Service Nos and the use of “Y” in the Christian name.) 10th Bn. Cheshire Regiment, Date of Death, 21st May 1916, remembered at Loos Memorial, Panel 49 & 50, France. Son of Ebenezer and Clara Cox, of New Rd., Anderton, Northwich.

There are only a couple of links to Sy(i)dney, including;

“Register of Soldiers Effects” Sydney Cox 10th Bn Cheshire Regiment, Pt. 15822, father Ebenezer Cox.

The Ancestry UK Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914- 1919. Name listed as Sydney Cox, place of birth Anderton, enlisted at Chester, Regiment Cheshires with the 10th Bt’n.

Cheshirebmd records the birth of a Sidney Cox birth 1899 in Northwich. (No birth’s of a Sydney Cox in the years 1875/1900 in Cheshire.)

The 1911 census records the Cox family living on New Road Anderton, Northwich. Ebenezer, head of the family aged 52, Foreman Salt Dist. at Anderton Basin (R.W.N. call him their Traffic Agent at Anderton), married to Clare aged 51, (An odd and interesting fact that the 1911 census required to be completed was the number of children born and the number still alive. Clare declares she had had 12 children 9 of which where still alive) only two now at home, Sidney aged 12 and Gillian aged 8.

National Archives Medal Cards have a for a card for Sydney Cox, Service No 15822, Theatre of War (1) France, Date of Entry 26-9-15. Awarded the 15 Star, Victory and British Medals. Recorded on the card is K in A, 21-5-16. (Ancestry link to Sidney’s Baptism records give a date of the 18th April 1899 for his Baptism, therefore suggesting Sydney’s birth in the first quarter of 1899. Accepting Sydney is likely to have had up to 12 months training, it could be that young Sydney enlisted in September/October of 1914, making him about 15.5 years when he enlisted and just turned 17 years when he was killed.)

A Sydney Cox is remembered on the Memorial in the Memorial Hall, Anderton, the memorial also includes an Ebenezer Cox.

Northwich Guardian 26th July 1918;

COX:- In loving memory of our dear sons,Private E, Cox killed in action July 24th 1917, also Private S. Cox, killed on the May 21st 1916. They bravely answered their country’s call. And laid down their lives for one and all. From their sorrowing Mother, Father, sisters and brother Jack (in France) New-Road Anderton.

Checking the N/wich Guardian around the date E. Cox was killed we find the following article;

3rd August 1917 PRIVATE E. COX.

Mr. and Mrs Ebenezer Cox of Anderton have sustained a second bereavement in the war. One son made the supreme sacrifice some time ago and this week they have had news that another soon, Private Ebenezer Cox of the Cheshire Regiment has been killed in action. The news was conveyed to the deceased soldiers wife at Fleetwood in a letter from the sergeant of his platoon and she communicated the fact to Mr. and Mrs. Cox on Wednesday.

Private Cox was 31 years of age and he leaves a widow and two children. He served his apprenticeship as a blacksmith on the Weaver Navigation but for some years had worked at Fleetwood. Immediately after the outbreak of war he answered the call and joined the Cheshires. After a period of training he was sent to the Eastern theatre of war and in 1915 he took part in the second landing of the Dardanelles. Afterwards he had an attack of dysentery and was invalided home. He had remained in England about a year and a half and was only drafted to the front about six weeks ago

Research Bob H.