Albert Charles Cox was born on 24 November 1892 to Charles Archibald Clarendon Cox and Cora Blanche Narnnett (née Quinan), at Coolah, NSW. Albert was one of three sons born to the couple. His younger brother, Archibald Eric Cox, was assigned to the Field Artillery Brigade with the rank of Driver during the First World War. Albert and Archibald were the descendants of Captain William Cox (1764–1837), an early pioneer of Australia, who supervised the building of the road from Sydney and Bathurst through the Blue Mountains.

Albert was educated at Sydney Grammar School and was working as a sharebroker’s clerk when he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Australian Imperial Force on 20 September 1915. He embarked for overseas service with the 4th Battalion from Sydney on board HMAT Port Lincoln on 13 October 1915. He arrived in Egypt in late November 1915, and undertook infantry and machine-gun training in the following months.

In late February 1916 he transferred to the 53rd Battalion, and was transferred to the 14th Machine Gun Company later that month. Cox arrived in Marseilles with his unit on 25 June 1916, moving north to the front.

Albert Charles Cox was killed in action during the battle of Fromelles on 20 July 1916. For his platoon the attack was a complete failure, with the Germans realising within a few hours that it was merely a feint. The 5th Australian Division suffered heavy casualties. A witness to Cox’s death described him as “a very good officer, always good to his men and well-liked by all”. Alfred Charles Cox is buried in Rue-Du-Bois Military Cemetery.