William Cox

A Private with 1/4th Bn., William died on 16th of May 1915 at the age of 19. 

William was born at Holloway, London, in 1895, a son of George and Ellen Eliza Cox. In 1901 his family lived at Church Road, Kessingland, and by 1911 at 3 Wivenhoe Cottages, Florence Road, Pakefield, and William worked as a saw mill. Later his parents lived at 11 Florence Road, Pakefield, Lowestoft.

William volunteered and enlisted in the 1/4th Battalion Suffolk Regiment (Territorial Force) in March/April 1913.

He was mobilized when the war began and arrived in France with the Battalion on 8 November 1914. 

On the night of 4 - 5 May the 1/4 Battalion took over trenches opposite the Bois du Biez and close to Port Arthur, where they were subject to a considerable amount of enemy shell-fire. The main attack, at Aubers Ridge, took place on May 9, with the Battalion in support, and the Battalion remained in their positions until relieved on 19 May. 

The Battalion War Diary for 16 May has:

Ordered to support attack with machine-gun and rifle fire which was to take place at 11.30 p.m. Bombardment was very heavy on both sides - the enemy shelling our trenches and the communication trench very severely about 3 a.m. The Brigade around Festubert made good progress.  

William was killed by shell-fire on 16 May. Three other men of the Battalion were killed that day and eleven wounded.