Their bodies are buried in peace; but their names liveth for evermore.
Their Duty Done
A tribute to the men and women of the East Gippsland Region who Died
as a result of their participation in World War One : 1914 - 1919
2130 Private Sydney Douglas Cox - Meerlieu
Killed in Action 25 April 1915
….. left all at the call of duty
Sydney Cox was born at Stratford on Avon in Warwickshire in 1892 and was
the youngest of six children born to Harry and Elizabeth. He was college
educated and arrived in Brisbane on 2 July 1910 when he was 18 years old.
Intent on learning the craft of farming he came to Gippsland and worked
with Mrs Baum at Ramahyuck, Perry Bridge from early 1911. He joined the
6
th
Battalion on 18 September 1914 when he was 23 years old and embarked
for Alexandria on the Themistocles with fellow East Gippslanders who also
fell on 5 April 1915.
He was involved in the second battle of Krithia and reported missing.
He was declared killed in action on 8 May 1915 at an enquiry in Alexandria
on 21 June. His name was in the casualty list printed in the Argus on 29
June to which Mrs Baum responded asking for confirmation of the sad news
when she read her paper. He is remembered at the Cape Helles memorial at
Gallipoli and Stratford and Meerlieu rolls. His father, Harry, perhaps
summed up the sentiment of those who knew him best when completing
forms for the Australian War Museum stated he could speak three
languages – a good typist and shorthand writer. When he enlisted he had
so progressed in farming that he was in charge of a farm, but left all at call
of duty. My loss.
Follow this link to the
National Archives of
Australia records for
Private Sydney Cox.
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