Gravesite of Major General Charles Frederick Cox (1863-1944)

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Cox as a New South Wales Lancer

Sadly, it has come to the Society's attention that the grave of Major General Charles Frederick Cox, one of the most distinguished figures in New South Wales military history, lies in an unkempt and dilapidated condition at Saint Paul's Anglican Church Carlingford Cemetery in Sydney. Surely all interested parties, including the state government, owe it to the memory of this great man to bring about the restoration of his resting place. Photographs depicting the current condition of his gravesite are presented below.

Biography (from the Australian Dictionary of Biography)

Major General Charles Frederick Cox, CB, CMG, DSO, VD (2 May 1863-20 November 1944) was born in Sydney and entered the colonial railways in 1881. Over the next ten years he developed an interest in the volunteer movement and joined the New South Wales Lancers in 1891, subsequently commissioned as a lieutenant in 1894. He was given command of the lancer detachment which went to London for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in April 1897 and was promoted captain in November. He travelled to England again in 1899 in command of a squadron of the lancers for training with the British cavalry. The squadron was training alongside the 6th Dragoon Guards at Aldershot, England, when the Boer War broke out. Cox volunteered himself and his squadron for service in South Africa. Cox and his volunteers arrived in Cape Town in December 1899, the first colonial volunteers to do so. They took part in the last major battle of the war, the Battle of Paardeberg, on 18 February 1900. In May 1900, Cox was attached to the Inniskilling Dragoons for a time and then he and the lancers returned to Australia in December. He was promoted to major and given command of the newly formed 3rd New South Wales Mounted Rifles, with which he returned to South Africa in April 1901. In June he was made an honorary lieutenant colonel. From his men he earned the nickname "Fighting Charlie". For his service during the war, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) and received the decoration from the Prince of Wales during a large coronation parade of colonial troops in London on 1 July 1902. 

Lieutenant-Colonel of the 1st Australian Light Horse (AWM)

In September 1914, Cox was appointed to command the AIF's 6th Light Horse Regiment, which trained in Sydney and Egypt before arriving at Gallipoli for dismounted service on 19 May 1915. Two days later, Cox was wounded by shrapnel while in his dugout. He was evacuated and did not rejoin his regiment until 1 July. On 19 September, he became acting commander of the 1st Light Horse Brigade that arrived back in Egypt on 28 December 1915. The brigade was sent to Wadi Natrun, south west of Cairo. In May Cox went to England on sick leave. He rejoined his brigade on 26 August 1916 on the Suez Canal front, where they now formed part of Chauvel's ANZAC Mounted Division. Cox and his brigade took part in multiple actions during the Sinai and Palestine campaign, including the Battle of Magdhaba, Battle of Beersheba and capture of the town of Jericho. He was later awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). He returned to Australia on 13 March 1919. In 1920 he was elected to the Senate as a Nationalist representing New South Wales, a seat he held until 1938. Cox was appointed to command the 4th Light Horse Brigade in 1920, and then the 1st Cavalry Division in 1921. In 1923 he was transferred to the retired list with the rank of honorary major general. He died on 20 November 1944, aged 81, and was buried in Carlingford Cemetery with full military honours.

Portrait of Cox as Brigadier General in 1921 (AWM)


Burial of Maj-Gen Cox at Carlingford Cemetery on 22 Nov 1944 

Photographs of gravesite

This is a photograph of Cox's grave of uncertain date:



The following photographs of the gravesite were taken by Grant Pearson, a follower of the Society's Facebook page, on the afternoon of 22 September 2025:






The Society will keep interested parties informed of efforts to restore Major General Cox's grave to an acceptable condition. Please feel free to send your comments and suggestions to us at president@militaryhistorynsw.com.au

The Society's main website is here: www.militaryhistorynsw.com.au

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