Military History

Wilfred died 5 years after the war ended on 31st December 1923 at the Warneford War Hospital in Leamington Spa. His official cause of death was Acute Cholecystitis and Syncope. However this and other illnesses followed his being discharged from the Army on 25 Sep 1916 having received a severe headwound at Loos on 8th April 1916. See below for more information.

Warwick & Warwickshire Advertiser – Saturday January 5^th 1924

A WAR TRAGEDY

With the passing away at the Warneford Hospital, Leamington on Wednesday last, of Wilfred George Cox of Henry Street, Kenilworth, there passes another shattered war victim.

Going to France on the last day of 1915, he was back again hopelessly injured in the following April, eventually being discharged with a silver plate covering his exposed brain. He was afflicted with partial paralysis down his left side, and this condition led to his utter breakdown in June last, when his left leg became more involved and blood poisoning set it.

He was ill right onwards from June, and in later months suffered also from jaundice, his combination of injuries and afflictions rendering the poor young mans life one of continuous suffering.

When appendicitis set in on Friday last it proved the last straw, and his removal to Warneford Hospital was unavailing. He was 30 years old.

His brother, Harry Cox, died from wounds in 1915 and received a military funeral when he was interred at the Parish Church cemetery – his was the first Military Medal in the town.

His mother, a widow, died ten months ago, so that the family has had more than its fair share of sorrow. There are left two younger sisters and a brother. The funeral is to take place this (Saturday) afternoon at the Cemetery, but a military funeral has been declined on account of the added strain entailed on the mourners by the ceremony.