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Pte. Henry Thomas Cox
British Army 11th Btn. Sherwood Forresters
from:Chesterfield
(d.7th June 1917)
Harry Cox, was a 38-year-old Grocery Manager, originally from Alfreton, married to Grace in 1905 and having two children, Ronald and Greta. He joined the army on 1st February 1917 and was trained at Brockton Barracks on Cannock Chase.
He wrote three letters to his sister, Minnie, my grandmother, which I have. They were written between February 24th and April 1917. He was not impressed with army life and clearly missed his family. He expected to be sent to France in late April.
He was listed as missing on 7th of June 1917 and his body was never found. His name is recorded on the Menin Gate. An article and photograph in the Derbyshire Courier on the 27th July said that his brother-in-law who was in the RAMC attached to the same battalion, the 11th of the Sherwood Foresters was told that Harry was last seen in the front trench before the great mine explosion and failed to answer the roll call on the following day. From this information I believe that he must have died on the first day of the battle of Messines.
The three letters are beautifully written and he was clearly an intelligent, pleasant man who must have been a great loss to his wife, children, parents and nine siblings.
