Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Alfred Edward Cox was born on 20 October 1888 at Timaru, the son of Alfred Phillips and Emmaline (Emily) Cox. Alfred was 26 years 10 months old when he enlisted on 28 August 1915 at Brisbane, Queensland. A labourer and single, he nominated his mother Mrs Emily Cox, as next-of-kin. Alfred returned to Australia on 10 September 1917 and was discharged on 21 January 1918, suffering from tuberculosis. After the war Alfred married Eileen Josephine Crotty. The couple went on to have six children: Edward Britannia – or ‘Britt” (b.1918, Oliver Vincent (b.1920), Mervyn Phillip Clark (b.1922), Berrril Thelma (b.1924), Gloria Eileen Elizabeth (b.1925), and Ronald Alfred (b.1929). Around this time Australian Electoral Rolls record that the family lived in Allen St, Lota, Brisbane, but in 1921 they record he resided in the Repatriation Sanitorium, Stanthorpe, Queensland; in 1923 he had relocated to 65 Richard St, Lota, Brisbane, Queensland; in 1924 he was listed at Mt. Isa, Queensland; and in 1925 was again listed at 65 Richard St., Lota, Brisbane, Queensland. His occupation was given as “Motor Body Builder”. Alfred died on 20 July 1970 at Brisbane, aged 81 years, and is commemorated on the War Memorial Wall at Mt. Thompson Crematorium, Mt Gravatt, Brisbane, in Queensland. A great granddaughter recounts: “My Great Grandfather Alfred was born … to English parents Alfred Philips Cox and his wife Emily (Nee Jones … Alfred Snr was on his second marriage. His Father Alfred Phillips Cox was a Crimean War Navy Purser. The couple already had a daughter together, Annie Elizabeth who had been born on the 27th of December 1885 and a son Walter Henry Cox [who] was born on the 16th of July 1883 from a previous relationship for Emily who was raised by Alfred Snr. Emily had arrived in New Zealand as a single woman in May of 1883. Somewhere in the early b1890’s the family immigrated to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. His son Oliver … tells me that it was just before the 1893 floods. As his father was a Navy Man I can only assume that this was how the family arranged passage as I am yet to discover them on a shipping list. In 1913 the family was living at Wickham St., Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. His father was the caretaker at the Boundary St Drill Shed in Brisbane until his death in 1913. I have been lead to believe that he was with the Wellington Rifles and Timaru Volunteer Naval Brigade during his time in NZ. On the 28th of August, 1915 a 26 year old Alfred joined the Army and became Private Cox. Service number 3479. On the 3rd of January 1916 he boarded the HMAT Kyarra and sailed directly into WWI. He was described as 5’4 Dark Complexion and Grey eyes. During WWI he was stationed in France and was shot through the jugular vein and ankle and was also gassed … spending 18 months in a London hospital. He appears to have led an accident prone sort of existence as he had the misfortune of being in Darwin working on a roof when it was bombed by the Japanese. He was blown off the roof and broke, I believe the story goes “His Leg”. The family began to think he attracted the enemy. Two years after signing up, he was discharged with TB [tuberculosis]. The family stories state he was at a Respiration Sanitarium named Kyoomba Sanatorium in Stanthorpe till 1923. I have not found any records for this, so currently that information is un-sourced. However their 3rd Child Mervyn was born in Stanthorpe, where as the other where born in Brisbane. When he was 29, a year after he was discharged from the Army he married 22 year old Australian born Eileen Josephine CROTTY on 31 Jan 1918 in Guardian Angles Church, 198 Bays Terrace, Wynuum, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. In 1919 the family are living in Allen St., Lota, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.” Alfred’s story continues: “In 1924 he took work up in Mt Isa, helping to build the mines and by the outbreak of WWII he found himself in Darwin, when the Japanese bombed. Alfred was instrumental in obtaining land for a park, from the developer in the 1920's. The park was named Cox Park after him by Brisbane City Council ... My Great Grandparents house [in Richards ST, Lota] overlooks the Park. It has since been renovated but keeps its original charm. Family says he was a wag of a man, a great storyteller and well educated.” Alfred’s half-brother, Walter Henry Cox, also served with the Australian Forces in World War I.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [14 April 2020]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [14 April 2020]; Australia marriage & death indexes (per ancestry.com.au); SCROll web submission by K Hillery, 24 December 2023 & 14 January 2024.

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record

Related Documents

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Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC branch NZSG

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