Rifleman Frank William Cox

Date of Birth 14 July 1899
Age at Death 21
Date of Death 7 February 1921
Service Number 375847
Military Service 8th Battalion Post Office Rifles London Regiment
Merton Address 8 Oldfield Road, Wimbledon
Local Memorial Wimbledon Cemetery

Additional Information

Frank William Cox was born to parents William a House Painter and Rose (Nee Johnson).

His parents had married at St. Mary Church in Wimbledon on 04 April 1896 and after marrying had set up home at number 5 Oldfield Road, a few doors away from Frank’s grandparents (Thomas and Sarah Cox) who lived at number 8.

Frank was born on 14th July 1899 and baptised on 3rd September at the same church his parents had married in.

When the census was taken in 1901 Frank’s father William aged 33 was in a convalescent home in Dover, while Frank and his mother Rose were still residing at number 5 Oldfield Road. Also living with them was Rose’s step-brother Sydney Stokes aged 15 who was working as a groom.

When Frank’s sister Ivy Rose was baptised on 25th July 1904 at St. John the Baptist Church in Wimbledon the family were still at number 5 Oldfield Road.

By 1911, Frank aged 11 was living with his parents and sister Ivy aged 6 at 8 Oldfield Road Wimbledon, a house with 4 rooms. His grandparents had now moved to 83 Graham Road.

After leaving school, Frank joined the Post Office as a GPO messenger.

He enlisted on 30th Jan 1917 for the Post Office Rifles - he was aged 17 and 6 months. The Post Office Rifles were in the thick of the fighting through 1917, at Ypres from the start of the campaign and at Passchendaele where they suffered tremendous losses.

Records show that Frank was awarded a weekly pension from 4th March 1919 and classed with a 30% disablement due to injuries received.

He died aged 21 on 7th February 1921 and buried at Gap Road Cemetery in Wimbledon.

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