Geoffrey Souter Cox DSO MC (1914 - 1964)

Ancestors

Biography

Geoffrey Souter Cox

Brigadier Geoffrey Souter Cox DSO MC was born on 4th December 1914 in Bondi, New South Wales, Australia. He was the third and youngest son of Fred Cox, an English-born property agent, and Mary Cameron. ^[1] After completing his formal education at Educated at Sydney Grammar School, Geoff gained employment as a clerk with the Bankers' and Traders' Insurance Co. Ltd.

In 1936, Geoff enlisted in the Citizen Military Force and became an artilleryman in the 16th Heavy Battery, South Head. He quickly rose through non-commissioned ranks and was promoted Sergeant in 1939. On 10th November 1939 Geoff was commissioned as an officer in the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF) ^[2] and was allocated to the newly-formed 2/2nd Australian Infantry Battalion.

He embarked with his battalion, and all of the 16th Brigade and 6th Division. He was wounded in the first campaign of Australia's Army, the advance westward in Libya in January 1941 capturing Bardia and Tobruk. The 6th Division moved to Greece in March 1941, where it faced the overwhelming force of the German Airborne. Evacuated to Crete on 25th April, Geoff avoided capture by the same force on 30th May. Back in Palestine (Israel), he was promoted to Captain and transferred to the 2/1st Battalion as adjutant. The 16th Brigade was diverted to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) for three months in 1942 whilst travelling home to garrison against possible Japanese invasion.

On 14th August 1942 in St John's Church of England (Anglican Church), Toorak, Victoria, he married Irma Hitchens, ^[3] who had served as a Sister with the Australian Army Nursing Service in the Middle East. Geoff and Irma had a son and two daughters, but were later divorced.

The following month, Geoff was deployed with the battalion to Papua, and the infamous Kokoda Track. He was later decorated for his gallantry at Eora Creek (see below) and then, in December, repatriated home.

In November 1944, by then a Major, Geoff was transferred to the 2/7th Battalion and appointed administrative commander in the absence of the commanding officer and deployed to the Aitape-Wewak Campaign on New Guinea's northern coast. In April 1945 he was promoted to the field rank of (temporary) Lieutenant Colonel and appointed commanding officer of the 2/4th Australian Infantry Battalion; which he hed through the remainder of the campaign and until Japan's surrender and the end of the war. He was demobilised from the AIF on 21st December 1945. Following the war he was awarded the campaign and service medals: 1939-1945 Star, Africa Star, Pacific Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-1945 and Australia Service Medal 1939-1945.

He joined his brother, Alan in the family firm, Alldis & Cox Pty Ltd, real-estate agents of Bondi. Their other brother, John had served in the AIF and died in 1943 while a prisoner-of-war of the Japanese.

Whilst a Captain, he was awarded the Military Cross (MC) for 'courage, calm bearing and devotion at Eora Creek 23rd October 1942'. The award presentation by the Governor General was held on 13th April 1946 at Government House, Sydney. ^[4][5] He was then living at Red East 5 Dumaresq Road, Rose Bay, New South Wales.

He was appointed Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for'courage, leadership and skilful planning at Wewak May 1945'. It was presented at Admiralty House, North Sydney by the Governor General on 25th January 1949. ^[6][7] He was then living at 33 Salisbury Road, Rose Bay, New South Wales

Geoff continued to serve in the Citizen Military Force, commanding the St George Regiment in 1948-52 and the 8th Brigade in 1952-56. He was promoted substantive Brigadier on 31st August 1953 and was a member of the Eastern Command Officers Staff Group in 1958-62. As well as the Australian Service Medal 1945-75, he was awarded the General Service Medal with Malaya Clasp for the 1959 Malayan Emergency ^[8] and the Efficiency Decoration for twenty years service as an officer in the CMF. He was then living at 28 Kent Road, Rose Bay.

In August 1957, he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as Liberal Party member for Vaucluse. He was safely re-elected in 1959 and 1962.

Geoff married a second time, to widow Vivienne Yvonne Lylian on 11th December 1961 in St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Rose Bay. ^[9]

Although just 49 years of age, experiencing mounting business pressures, on 16th November 1964 he shot himself through the head in his room at Parliament House. ^[10] In 1970, the debts of his estate were found to exceed its assets by $8,552. His wife and his daughters from his first marriage survived him.

Sources

1. ↑ New South Wales Birth Index #52039/1914; registered at Waverley
2. ↑ Department of Veterans' Affairs nominal roll: 275619 (NX8576) Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Souter Cox; accessed 21 May 2021
3. ↑ Victoria Marriage Index #16056/1942
4. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards (recommendation): Military Cox; accessed 26 Oct 2020
5. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards: Military Cox; accessed 26 Oct 2020
6. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards (recommendation): Distinguished Service Order; accessed 21 May 2021
7. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards: Distinguished Service Order; accessed 21 May 2021
8. ↑ [https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R2716707
9. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #23817/1961; registered at Sydney
10. ↑ New South Wales Death Index #5946/1964

See also

• Burness, Peter. 'Cox, Geoffrey Souter (1914–1964)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 1993, accessed online 21 May 2021.
• Parliament of New South Wales: Mr Geoffrey Souter Cox; accessed 21 May 2021.
• Wikipedia profile: Georffrey Cox (Australian politician; accessed 21 May 2021.