William George Cox

1924-2013

William was born on 30th August 1924 in Portsmouth. His parents were Robert Rane Cox and Dorothy Eveline (nee George).

He joined the Royal Marines on 16th May 1939 and served at HMS Daedalus and on HMS Durban, HMS Kestrel and HMS Venerable. Bill was awarded the following medals:

• Star
• Burma Star
• Pacific Defence Medal
• War Medal

On 29th April 1944 he married Mary Josephine Brown in Southampton.

Bill joined Southampton Borough Police on 29th July 1954 but resigned on 30th March 1958. He left the police for a few years to work at a Petrol Station because his salary as a police officer was not enough to raise the family. Bill re-joined the force as Police Constable 195 on 22nd September 1960, and retired from Hampshire Constabulary in January 1982.

Bill was a member of the Southampton Borough Police Band, and continued with Hampshire Constabulary Band after amalgamation in 1967. He served 50 years with the Band.

Bill died at Countess Mountbatten Hospice on 27th August 2013. The Police held a memorial service in memory of him at the Netley Police Support HQ, where a cherry tree was planted and the police band played.

Access to The Memorial Garden

Please note that The Memorial Garden is not open to members of the general public, it is accessible only by those who have a memorial on site and have been issued a ‘memorial pass’.

All memorial enquiries should be directed to the ‘Force Chaplaincy Team’ at chaplain@hampshire.police.uk.