2130 Private Sydney Douglas Cox - Meerlieu Killed in Action 25 April 1915

….. left all at the call of duty

Sydney Cox was born at Stratford on Avon in Warwickshire in 1892 and was the youngest of six children born to Harry and Elizabeth. He was college educated and arrived in Brisbane on 2 July 1910 when he was 18 years old. Intent on learning the craft of farming he came to Gippsland and worked with Mrs Baum at Ramahyuck, Perry Bridge from early 1911. He joined the 6 th  Battalion on 18 September 1914 when he was 23 years old and embarked for Alexandria on the Themistocles with fellow East Gippslanders who also fell on 5 April 1915. He was involved in the second battle of Krithia and reported missing. He was declared killed in action on 8 May 1915 at an enquiry in Alexandria on 21 June. His name was in the casualty list printed in the Argus on 29 June to which Mrs Baum responded asking for confirmation of the sad news  when she read her paper. He is remembered at the Cape Helles memorial at Gallipoli and Stratford and Meerlieu rolls. His father, Harry, perhaps summed up the sentiment of those who knew him best when completing forms for the Australian War Museum stated he could speak three languages – a good typist and shorthand writer. When he enlisted he had so progressed in farming that he was in charge of a farm, but left all at call of duty. My loss.