More Memorabilia

Another reminder of my father, William Cox, and the second World War.  I have posted before that he was in the army and most of his service was spent in India.  He was a Quartermaster Sergeant in the Military Police.  This is his cap badge which was given to my youngest son Sam by his grandmother.

William Cox - India

These are Christmas greetings sent by my father William Cox to his family when he was in India.  I was always under the impression that he drew them and he was good at drawing but I read somewhere that this sort of telegram could be bought  from local "artists".  I still like to think they were his work.  The first was sent at Christmas 1943 and was sent to my grandparents and Nora and Stanley.  Nora was his sister and Stanley was his elder brother's eldest son who lived with his grandparents.

The second was sent a year later.

Whether or not Bill was the artist here or not,  he was definitely the writer of these two poems which he wrote about his thoughts on India.

More about my father William Cox

These photos were taken in India during World War II.  

Bill with the military band.

 This photo has been labelled by Bill.  "Drums, Retreat - beating."  

I cannot pick him out on the photograph unfortunately.

The second one is labelled "Band and Drums" 

Bill is standing in front of the man who is centre in the group of 5 on the back row. 

This one is just labelled "Drums" 

Bill is 4th from the right at the back. 

This group of photos show my handsome father in his dress uniform. Doesn't he look great!

 

World War II

During World War II my father Bill Cox served in the army, spending most of his time in India and reaching the rank of quartermaster sergeant.  I have quite a collection of photographs from his time in India.  Some in his regular uniform and some in dress uniform which I think they wore if they were in the band. I do not know which instrument he played.  The photos here I think were taken in the UK except for the group of four.  Tomorrow I will post more photos of Bill in his dress uniform. 

 I believe the photo on the left below was taken in 1939 when Bill had first joined the army. The one on the right shows Bill with his sergeant stripes, seated right.

 

In this photo Bill is second from the right on the back row.  This photo was taken after the war at his demob in 1946.

This is a more relaxed photo of Bill with his regiment.  He doesn't appear to have any stripes on his uniform here so maybe a very early photo.  Bill is marked with a X.