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Rank : Brigadier

Army Number : 8410

Unit : 1st Bn, 6th Bn, 4th Bn (TA), 2nd Bn

Biography :

Cecil Cox joined 1st Bn The Leicestershire Regiment in Fermoy, Ireland, as 2Lt on 25.2.1914, shortly before the outbreak of the First World War. Served with the 1st and 6th Bns during World War One. After a period serving as ADC to his father Mar-May 1916 he rejoined the 1st Bn as a Captain and awarded the M.C. in 1917 for an action near Hulloch in Flanders when in command of a raiding party (L.G. 18.6.1917). He was also Mentioned in Despatches three times. He then became a DAA&QMG with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force from 25.2.1918.
From Aug 1919 to Aug 1922 he was Adjutant of 1st Bn, and later bacame a staff officer in Southern Command. He was Adjutant of 4th Bn (TA) from 1930 to 1934. He later rejoined the 1st Bn and as a Major was Commanding Officer in 1939 during the Waziristan campaign (Mention in Despatches L.G. 25.10.1940). In 1940 he joined the 2nd Bn at Jericho as 2IC and then commanded it from 9.5.1940 until 23.9.1941, serving during the battles at Sidi Barani, Crete, and Syria. He was awarded the D.S.O. for Crete and a Mention in Despatches 30.12.1941. Most unusually the citation for his D.S.O. was initiated by his own 2IC and Adjutant as well as separately by his Force Commander.
He became a Brigadier in 1941, commanding 23rd Infantry Brigade at Tobruk and moving with it to India in 1942. Invalided home in 1943 he became Colonel commanding Warwick Sub-District, retiring on 3.3.1947 with the rank of Brigadier. He subsequently acted as British Liaison Officer to the US Forces in the US Sector in Germany.
He died in 1960, aged 65 years. His medals are in the collection at the Regimental Museum.

Date of Birth : 1895

Place of Birth : Meerut, India

Date of Death : 17.6.1960

Place of Death : London

Period of Service : 1914-47

Conflicts : WW1, Waziristan 1939, WW2

Places Served : France & Flanders, Egypt, India, Palestine, Egypt, Syria, Crete, Libya,