Walter Adams Coxen CB CMG DSO (1870 - 1949)

Born 22 Jun 1870 in Egham, Surrey, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Adelaide Rebe White (Beor) Coxen — married 26 Mar 1902 in Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia

Died 15 Dec 1949 at age 79 in Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kenneth Evans [send private message]

Biography

Walter Coxen CB CMG DSO is Notable.

Major General Walter Adams Coxen CB CMG DSO was a senior Australian Army officer in the First World War. In April 1930 he was appointed Chief of the General Staff.

Formative years and forging a career

Walter Coxen CB CMG DSO was born in England.

Walter Adams Coxen was born on 22nd June 1870 in Egham, Surrey, approximately 31 kilometres (19 miles) west of central London, England, United Kingdom. He was the second son of Victorians Henry William Coxen, born in Surrey, and Margaret Moorhead, born in India. ^[1][2]

In 1871, the family was living in Egham and comprised: ^[3]

Henry W Coxen, Head, Male, 40, Croydon, Surrey

Margret Coxen, Wife, Female, 35, India

Sarah M Coxen, Daughter, Female, 10, Queensland, Austraila

Henry C Coxen, Son, Male, 2, Egham, Surrey

Walter Adms Coxen, Son, Male, 0, Egham, Surrey

The Coxen family returned to Queensland in 1880, with their children, after an absence of some 13 years. After completing his formal education at Brisbane and Toowoomba Grammar Schools, Walter took a job with the Queensland Department of Railways as a clerk and draftsman in 1887, but was retrenched in 1892 due to the economic depression of the 1890's.

Early military career

Walter Coxen CB CMG DSO is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Queensland and Australian Military Forces 1893-1931
Chief of Artillery; Quartermaster General; Chief of the General Staff

The following year he was commissioned into the Queensland Militia Garrison Artillery as a Second Lieutenant. In June 1895 he was promoted to Lieutenant in the Permanent Military Forces, in the Queensland Artillery and then sent to England to study at the Royal School of Gunnery at Shoeburyness, concentrating on coast defence and siege artillery, and then went to Aldershot for training with the Royal Artillery in 1898. On returning to Australia in 1899 Coxon was appointed commander of the garrison on Thursday Island, on promotion to Captain.

Marriage

On 26th March 1902, Walter married Adelaide Beor in Chatswood, New South Wales. ^[4] They had four daughters and a son:

1. Rebe Ella (1902-)
2. Marion Q (1904-)
3. Adelaide Ethel (1911-)
4. Emily Dorothy (1913-)
5. Walter

In July that year Walter succeeded Major William Bridges as Chief Instructor at the School of Gunnery at Middle Head. In November 1907, Coxen again went to England for ordnance training at the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich. He was promoted to Major in 1908, and returned to Australia in February 1910. In January 1911 he was appointed Director of Artillery.

The Great War

Walter Coxen CB CMG DSO is an Anzac who served in World War One.

Upon the outbreak of war, Walter was appointed Inspector of Coast Defences on promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. ^[5] On 21st May 1915 Coxen was ordered to raise the brigade of siege artillery (SAB) for service in Europe. The brigade was to consist of two batteries, with eight siege guns to be supplied by Britain and 415 officers and other ranks, about half of whom would be permanent force artillery gunners. The brigade, which became known as the 36th Heavy Artillery Group (36 HAG), departed Melbourne on 17th July 1915 and landed in England on 25th August 1915. After a delay due to a short supply of heavy artillery pieces, the 54th Siege Battery was equipped with 8 inch howitzers and the 55th Siege Battery with 9.2 inch howitzers. The batteries moved to France on 26th February and 2nd March 1916 respectively. 36 HAG joined 1st Anzac Corps Artillery and took part in the Battle of Pozières in support of the Australian infantry. For his services, Coxen was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in the 1917 New Year Honours. ^[6] Following the war he was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

On 18th January 1917, Coxen replaced Brigadier General Talbot Hobbs as commander of the 1st Division Artillery. He was subsequently promoted Brigadier General. He was awarded the Italian Officer of the Order of St Maurice and St Lazarus. ^[7] That October, Coxen took over as commander of the Australian Corps Artillery and was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1918 New Year's Honours. ^[8] He returned to Australia in August 1919 and became Chief of Ordnance, and a member of the Military Board. In the 1919 New Year's Honours, Coxen was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). ^[9] He was also awarded the Croix de Guerre (Belgium) February 1918. ^[10]

Post war

Walter became Deputy Quartermaster General in April 1920, Chief of Artillery in May 1921 and Quartermaster General in 1925. In March 1927 he was promoted to Major General and became Chief of the General Staff in April 1930 following the retirement of General Sir Harry Chauvel. He faced compulsory retirement, aged 61 years, from the military on 1st October 1931.

He was the director of the council for Victoria's centenary celebrations in 1934.

Death

Walter passed away, aged 79 years, on 15th December 1949 in the Repatriation General Hospital, Heidelberg, Victoria. ^[11]

COXEN; — On December 15. at Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital. Walter Adams Coxen (Major Gen., C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., Croix de Guerre), loving husband of Adelaide, loved father of Ella, Marion. Adelaide, Emley and Walter. ^[12]

Major-General Walter Adams Coxen. CB, CMG, DSO and Croix de Guerre, a former Chief of the General Staff of the Australian Army, has died at Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital, Melbourne. He was 79. General Coxen was Commanding Officer of the Royal Australian Army Corps in the First World War. He was appointed Chief of the General Staff upon the retirement of Sir Harry Chauvel. General Coxen played a leading part in the staging of the Victorian Centenary celebrations. He is survived by his wife, four daughters and a son. ^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ UK FreeBMD Birth Index Dec qtr 1870, vol 2c, page 390
2. ↑ "England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2XWH-9MX : 1 October 2014), Walter Adams Coxen, 1870; from "England & Wales Births, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Birth Registration, Windsor, Berkshire, England, citing General Register Office, Southport, England.
3. ↑ "England and Wales Census, 1871", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VFVC-KJY : 11 December 2017), Walter Adms Coxen in entry for Henry W Coxen, 1871
4. ↑ New South Wales Marriage Index #4965/1902
5. ↑ Australian War Memorial nominal roll: Lieutenant Colonel Walter Adams Coxen
6. ↑ London Gazette: Walter Coxen DSO
7. ↑ Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: Brigadier Walter Coxen OOML
8. ↑ Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: Colonel Walter Coxen CMG
9. ↑ Australian War Memorial Honours and Awards: Colonel Walter Coxen CB
10. ↑ Croix de Guerre awarded 16 Feb 1918 (see page 8 -16 - 27)
11. ↑ Victoria Death Index #121/1950
12. ↑ The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954) Sat 17 Dec 1949 Page 2https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/189481324
13. ↑ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/224953017 Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954) Wed 21 Dec 1949 Page 4]

See also

• Perry, Warren. Coxen, Walter Adams (1870–1949). Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 1981; accessed online 4 Jun 2018.
• John Longstaff - Art Tree (Portraits).
• Wikipedia: Walter Coxen; accessed 4 Jun 2018.

Royal Australian Artillery