Christopher COX VC Memorial unveiled

Achiet-le-Grand during WW1

 

  Home

  Presentation

  Find Achiet

  Achiet cemetery

  VC's in the area

  Raf cadets

  1914-1918

  The CCS

  Postcards

  Where to stay

  stories

  Contact

  Links

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

             Christopher Cox VC      Daniel Beak VC    Kings Langley ceremony      VC in the area

 

The bravery of Cox and also the memory of his comrade who lost their life needed to be commemorate in France. its Memorial was unveiled on the 90th anniversary of the battle at the Star crossroads on the 17th March 2007.

 

If you come to Achiet-le-Grand from Bapaume road, a sign indicates the road to follow at the Chemist.

 

The casualty list : Research of Steve Fuller www.bedfordregiment.org.uk  

7th bedfords casualty list

When I started my research, I discovered that a stretcher bearer named Christopher Cox was awarded a VC during the advance to Bihucourt when the 7th Bedford regiment was facing south Achiet-le-Grand in March 1917.

Later, I was in touch with a man "Martin Deacon" who inspired me to build the project for Christopher.                                            

Martin researched on the 7th Bedfords and had written " The shiny Seventh "

Martin Deacon Bedfordshire& Luton Archives 


   The Star CrossRoads

 

Here is a great web site "The Bedfordshire Regiment in the Great War "owned by Steve Fuller who has done an incredible job researching the Bedfords.

I contacted Kings Langley Parish Council, the councillor Gery Angiolini realised that Christopher was not commemorated in the town" Helmeltoday the Gazette", Kings Langley Parish Council  decided to join the project and agreed financial help to "The Somme Remembrance Association" to build a memorial

( Kings Langley financed the plaque and the information panel ).

Kings Langley Parish Council also decided to commemorate Christopher Cox VC in All St church on the 9 th September 2006.

 

 

During the pals March in summer 2006 for the 90th anniversary of the battle of the Somme, I met two men from Ampthill.  when they returned to England, they decided to join with a team of builders and  to come to France to erect the memorial with Bedford's bricks dedicated to Christopher Cox VC.

Builders in France

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

               Ian Church         Paul Dukett

 
The builders at work

 

Kings Langley local history & museum society

Kings Langley War Hero Honoured

Towns unite for WWI hero              

 

Source : western front bulletin