Rfn. Sydney H. Cox
Rfn. Sydney H. Cox
RFN. SYDNEY COX
Southwark Soldier and Librarian
Sydney H. Cox, born 1885, had been working as Chief Assistant at the Southwark Central Library when he enlisted in December 1915. He was 30 years old, married and had a 4 year old daughter. He started working in the library as a 12 year old boy assistant. He was later described by his superior as carrying out his work with conscientious care and intelligence. He had been fighting in the trenches of Belgium and France for 2 years when he was captured and taken prisoner near St Quentin, March 23, 1918. He was wounded in the arm an was sent to a Reserve Lazarett, or prisoner of war hospital, in Rastatt, Baden, south Germany. The hospital had no resident doctors or dispensary and suffered from the shortages of food and other essential supplies that were affecting Germany in this period. Sydney had been trained in first aid before the war and volunteered to assist in the hospital as a nurse. He was deeply concerned for the welfare of his fellow patients and prisoners. He made careful lists of all English speaking prisoners, documenting their care and recording their names and addresses. After the war he was able to personally contact the relatives of those who had died and received many letters of gratitude in response. He set up the camps’ ‘British Help Committee’, contacting relief organisations and charities to ensure that the men received adequate supplies of food, clothing and medicine. At the end of the war, he received a signed letter of thanks: “We the undersigned of British Wounded Prisoners of War at Reserve Lazarett 4, Rastatt, Baden, Germany desire to place on record our affection and heartfelt gratitude for services rendered on our behalf, during our stay at the hospital, by Mr Sydney Cox, The Hon. Secretary of the British Help Committee here. 14 November 1918.” When he was repatriated to Britain at the end of the war he returned to his job at the Newington Reference Library. He retired in 1946 but continued to be interested in the history of Southwark, researching and writing articles for magazines.
4 August 1918, French and English hospital staff at the Reserve Lazarett 4. Sydney Cox is at the back. The photographer, the German doctor Heinrich Dieterle, at front.
Above, left; 1916 Sydney Cox, his wife Eva and daughter Doris, who died shortly after the photograph was taken. Right; Sydney Cox in the Southwark Central Reference Library (Newington), 1919.
Southwark Soldier and Librarian
Sydney H. Cox, born 1885, had been working as Chief Assistant at the Southwark Central Library when he enlisted in December 1915. He was 30 years old, married and had a 4 year old daughter. He started working in the library as a 12 year old boy assistant. He was later described by his superior as carrying out his work with conscientious care and intelligence. He had been fighting in the trenches of Belgium and France for 2 years when he was captured and taken prisoner near St Quentin, March 23, 1918. He was wounded in the arm an was sent to a Reserve Lazarett, or prisoner of war hospital, in Rastatt, Baden, south Germany. The hospital had no resident doctors or dispensary and suffered from the shortages of food and other essential supplies that were affecting Germany in this period. Sydney had been trained in first aid before the war and volunteered to assist in the hospital as a nurse. He was deeply concerned for the welfare of his fellow patients and prisoners. He made careful lists of all English speaking prisoners, documenting their care and recording their names and addresses. After the war he was able to personally contact the relatives of those who had died and received many letters of gratitude in response. He set up the camps’ ‘British Help Committee’, contacting relief organisations and charities to ensure that the men received adequate supplies of food, clothing and medicine. At the end of the war, he received a signed letter of thanks: “We the undersigned of British Wounded Prisoners of War at Reserve Lazarett 4, Rastatt, Baden, Germany desire to place on record our affection and heartfelt gratitude for services rendered on our behalf, during our stay at the hospital, by Mr Sydney Cox, The Hon. Secretary of the British Help Committee here. 14 November 1918.” When he was repatriated to Britain at the end of the war he returned to his job at the Newington Reference Library. He retired in 1946 but continued to be interested in the history of Southwark, researching and writing articles for magazines.
4 August 1918, French and English hospital staff at the Reserve Lazarett 4. Sydney Cox is at the back. The photographer, the German doctor Heinrich Dieterle, at front.
Above, left; 1916 Sydney Cox, his wife Eva and daughter Doris, who died shortly after the photograph was taken. Right; Sydney Cox in the Southwark Central Reference Library (Newington), 1919.