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2nd Lieutenant Derek Percy COX
27 Squadron Royal Flying Corps Date of birth: 1st October 1895 Date of death: 21st August 1917 Killed in action aged 21 Buried at Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez Plot VIII Row J Grave 29
Derek Percy Cox was born at Chubb Villa, Ruswarp, Whitby in Yorkshire on the 1st of October 1895 the only son of Major General Sir Percy Zachariah Cox GCMG, GCIE, KCSI, Civil Service Commissioner with the Expeditionary Force in Mesopotamia, and Lady Louisa Belle (nee Hamilton) Cox DBE of” Woodlands”, Clapham in Bedfordshire. He was educated at Hazelwood School until July 1909 where he was a member of the Football XI in 1908 and of the Cricket XI in 1909. The school magazine wrote the following on his 1909 cricket season: - "No idea of batting at all. A very fair bowler, quick off the pitch; moderate field." The magazine wrote the following of his 1908 football season: - "(Back) - Powerful kick and sturdy tackler; must learn to make use of his head and must abandon his circuitous methods, if he is to make his mark at the game." On leaving the school the magazine wrote of him: - "Unfortunately there was no scholarship examination or he might very possibly have been added to our list of scholars. A useful member of both XI's and very helpful in many ways in the life of the school. Of an ingenious turn of mind and very skilful with his fingers; he will be greatly missed by one and all." He went on to Harrow School where he was in the Headmaster’s House from September 1909 to 1912 and was a member of the Officer Training Corps. On leaving school he qualified for the Royal Military Academy Woolwich which he attended from February to August 1913. He left with the intention of reading engineering at Trinity College Cambridge where he had been admitted as a pensioner from the 1st of October 1914. The outbreak of war interrupted his plans and he enlisted into the army at Exeter as Private H/14000 in the 19th Hussars on the 8th of August 1914. At a medical examination, which took place on the 10th of August, it was recorded that he was five feet eleven inches tall, weighed 11 stones 7lbs and that he had a fresh complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. He was discharged from the Hussars at the Southern Cavalry Depot at Bristol on the 21st of August 1914 as he intended to seek entrance to the Royal Military Academy Woolwich. In the event, he appears to have been unsuccessful in his bid as he re-enlisted into the army at Chatham as Sapper 30372 in the Royal Engineers on the 4th of January 1915. He was promoted to the rank of Corporal the next day and to Artificer Corporal on the 21st of January 1915. He went to France on the 9th of April 1915. On the 14th of August 1915 he transferred to 7th Battery, Motor Machine Gun Corps as Corporal 2459. On the 12th of April 1916, while still in France, he applied for a commission and underwent a medical examination at 3rd Field Ambulance on the same day where he was passed as fit for general service. His application was accompanied by a letter of recommendation dated the 30th of April 1916 from Captain Brown, Commanding Officer of 7th Battery, Motor Machine Gun Corps: - "The candidate has an excellent working knowledge of petrol engines and has an artificer's certificate in R.E. Signal Coy, Aldershot. He is well up in the Morse Code and has a slight knowledge of flying. He weighs 11st 7lbs." He was returned to the UK for officer training and was commissioned as a probationary 2nd Lieutenant on the General List for the Royal Flying Corps on the 15th of May 1916. He qualified as an Observer on the 21st of August 1916 and was posted to 23 Squadron the same day. He was admitted to hospital on the 3rd of October 1916 and, from the 27th of October, he spent three and a half months on light duties in England before returning to service. He was promoted to Flying Officer (Observer) on the 18th of October 1916. He was married on the 4th of October 1916 at the Holy Trinity Church, Orton, Longueville, Peterborough to Ethel (nee Ellington); they had son, Derek Percy Zachariah, who was born after his father’s death on the 25th of February 1918 and went on to become a Flight Lieutenant in the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War. He was confirmed in the rank of 2nd Lieutenant on the 19th of November 1916. Having decided to train as a pilot he obtained his Aero Club Certificate (number 4474) on the 7th of April 1917 at the Beatty School at Hendon, flying a Caudron Biplane. He was promoted to the rank of Flying Officer on the 11th of May 1917 and was posted to 56 Reserve Squadron on the 27th of June 1917 and to 27 Squadron, in France, on the 14th of July 1917. On the 21st of August 1917 27 Squadron was despatched on a bombing operation over Seclin. Percy Cox was flying Martinsyde G102 A3992. Whilst returning from the target, the formation was near Lille when Percy Cox’s aircraft was in collision with another aircraft of the same type (registration A6259) flown by Captain Gordon Keith Smith MC of the same squadron. Although both aircraft survived the collision Derek Cox’s damaged aircraft was later attacked by enemy fighters and claimed as a victory by Oberleutnant Hans Bethge of Jasta 30 at 7.05am. Captain Smith’s aircraft was also attacked and brought down being claimed by Leutnant Karl Bolle of Jasta 28 at 7.10am. His wife received the following telegram dated the 24th of August 1917: - "Regret to inform you 2/Lt D.P. Cox General List and R.F.C. 27 Squadron reported missing Aug twenty first. This does not necessarily mean he is wounded or killed - news sent when received." She received a letter from the War Office dated the 4th of October 1917: - "The Military Secretary presents his compliments to Mrs Cox and begs to inform her that the following information has been extracted from a list of English air losses during August, published by the "Norddeutsch Allegeine Zeitung" on September 15th: - Machine and Motor Martinsyde one seater A3992 Occupant - 2nd Lieutenant D.P. Cox Condition - Dead This information has been taken to refer to 2nd Lieutenant D.P. Cox General List and Royal Flying Corps (previously reported missing 21.8.17) but while it is considered to be probably correct, it cannot be accepted for official purposes until after the lapse of a rather longer period. The Military Secretary is desired by the Secretary of State for War to express his most sincere sympathy with Mrs Cox in her great distress." His Commanding Officer wrote to his wife: - “Your husband was a splendid pilot and had done extremely good work; he is a very great loss to the squadron, both on account of his capabilities and his personality, which endeared him to everybody.” His promotion to the rank of Lieutenant came through after his death on the 15th of November 1917. His son, Lieutenant (A) Derek Percy Zachariah Cox RN 802 Squadron Fleet Air Arm, was killed in action on the 15th of November 1942. He is commemorated on the war memorial at Trinity College Cambridge.

Went on to Harrow School