The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of Lieutenant James Paul Gee Cox, 14th Light Horse Regiment, AIF, First World War.

Places
Accession Number AWM2020.1.1.181
Collection type Film
Object type Last Post film
Physical description 16:9
Maker Australian War Memorial
Place made Australia: Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, Campbell
Date made 29 June 2020
Access Open
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Copyright Item copyright: © Australian War Memorial
Creative Commons License This item is licensed under CC BY-NC
Copying Provisions Copyright restrictions apply. Only personal, non-commercial, research and study use permitted. Permission of copyright holder required for any commercial use and/or reproduction.
Description

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Richard Cruise, the story for this day was on Lieutenant James Paul Gee Cox, 14th Light Horse Regiment, AIF, First World War.

Film order form
Speech transcript

Lieutenant James Paul Gee Cox, 14th Light Horse Regiment, AIF
KIA 19 September 1918
Story delivered 19 September 2018


Today we remember and pay tribute to Lieutenant James Paul Gee Cox.

James Cox was born on 11 August 1888 in the Sydney suburb of Pyrmont, the son of James and Eliza Cox.

First educated at Kegworth Preparatory School, and then Sydney Grammar School, he went on to continue his education, studying dentistry. He also served for two years with the New South Wales Lancers, Sydney Squadron.

By the time the First World War began in August 1914, Cox was working as a dentist and living in Ashfield. The following year, he married Kathleen Philips.

Cox enlisted for service with the Light Horse in Sydney on 15 July 1915. He applied for a commission and was sent to an officers’ school of instruction.

In early October, Kathleen gave birth to a son, Barry. Cox spent his off duty hours with his wife and son as the demands of training allowed. On 1 December he was commissioned with the rank of second lieutenant.

Six days after joining his wife for the baptism of their son, on 11 March he embarked from Sydney with reinforcements to the 7th Light Horse Regiment, bound for Egypt.

Cox spent several months training in Egypt before being taken on strength of the 7th Light Horse Regiment.

At this stage of the war there was a surplus of Light Horse reinforcements and Cox was seconded to the 2nd Light Horse Training Regiment as an instructor. He was promoted to lieutenant in late October.

In mid-November Cox was hospitalised with eczema. Such was the severity of his case, it took him until early January 1917 to recover and be fit for duty.

On 19 February, Cox was posted to the Imperial Camel Brigade and joined the 1st Battalion, which consisted of Australian and New Zealand soldiers. He saw his first major actions in April and May when his unit took part in two disastrous attempts to capture Gaza. After suffering a further reverse during an attack on the Sana Redoubt in August, the battalions of the Imperial Camel Brigade were withdrawn for a rest.

Cox and his battalion next took part in the third battle of Gaza, in late October, supporting the British infantry attack towards Beersheba. The town was captured that evening when a hastily organised mounted attack by the 4th Light Horse Brigade captured the town.

With their flank now turned, the Ottoman forces began withdrawing. By December, the British and Dominion troops had advanced to Damascus and occupied the ancient city.

In March and April 1918 the Imperial Camel Brigade took part in two attacks across the Jordan River, both of which failed after meeting strong opposition.

Following these battles, it was realised the type of terrain that the force were about to move into was considered more suitable for horses. As the camels were considered too slow, the Imperial Camel Brigade was broken up and the bulk of Australian troops formed the 5th Light Horse Brigade.

On 1 July 1918, Cox joined the newly-raised 14th Light Horse Regiment at Surafend. He became a troop commander in A Squadron which was led by his friend and Camel Brigade comrade, Major Oliver Hogue, of “Trooper Bluegum” fame.

By the end of the month the regiment had moved to Jaffa and was training in earnest for what would become known as the battle of Megiddo. Three days before the offensive, A Squadron was detached for special duties with the British 60th Division.

In the early hours of 19 September the sky was rent by the sound of massed artillery firing on the Ottoman frontlines. Soon after, the British infantry advanced and smashed a 12 kilometre gap in the Ottoman line.

A Squadron re-joined the rest of the regiment around 2 pm as they advanced. In the late afternoon, Cox was ordered to take his troop forward into Tul Keram. As he and his men neared the town, they encountered considerable opposition and were quickly in trouble. Cox led a mounted attack on a machine-gun position, but was shot through the head and killed.

His troop sergeant took over and extracted the survivors. A larger attack was launched and Tul Keram was captured just before nightfall.

One of his men said that he “was a very good officer. He was straight forward, and was good to his men.”

Another of his men stated “in our opinion he richly deserved a decoration. He was highly respected by all and we though the world of him for the way he always watched our interests.”

Cox was buried the following morning, north of Tul Keram and his gravesite was noted on a map. Sadly after the war had ended, graves registration was unable to locate his remains. His name was added to the Jerusalem Memorial in the Jerusalem War Cemetery along with other missing members of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. He was 30 years old.

Kathleen suffered a further devastating loss when in April 1942 her son, Flight Lieutenant Barry Cox, who was serving with No. 75 Squadron, RAAF, was shot down and killed while intercepting Japanese bombers and Zero fighters near Port Moresby. He was 26 years old.

James Cox’s name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among almost 62,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Lieutenant James Paul Gee Cox, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Michael Kelly
Historian, Military History Section

  • Video of The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of Lieutenant James Paul Gee Cox, 14th Light Horse Regiment, AIF, First World War. (video)