Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Private A. A. Cox, 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916

1914-15 Star (G-5994 Pte. A. A. Cox. Midd. R.); British War Medal 1914-20 (G-5994 Pte. A. A. Cox. Midd’x R.); Victory Medal 1914-19, erased; Memorial Plaque (Arthur Alfred Cox) remnants of adhesive to reverse; Memorial Scroll ‘Pte. Arthur Alfred Cox Middlesex Regiment’, generally good very fine (4) £260-£300

Arthur Alfred Cox was born in Smithfield, Middlesex. He served during the Great War with the 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment in the French theatre of war from 11 March 1915. Cox was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme, 1 July 1916. On this date the Battalion served as part of the 23rd Brigade, 8th Division, and ‘On right of 23rd Brigade’s attack up Mash Valley towards Ovillers (1/7). Only 1 of the 23 officers that moved forward at zero hour returned unwounded and among the 650 N.C.O.s and men that went over the top, just 50 were able to answer roll call.’ (British Battalions on the Somme by R. Westlake refers).

Private Cox is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.