Edmund "Eddie" Thomas Cox - RCAF Pilot Officer (WWII)
We Remember
World War II 1939-1945
Edmund (“Eddie”) Thomas Cox
Edmund (“Eddie”) Thomas Cox (Service Number J/16786) was born on a farm at Paterson (near Rossland) in October 1917.
His parents, Alexander and Helen Cox, were both born in the United Kingdom. Eddie graduated from Rossland High School and went on to the University of British Columbia where he earned a BSc. in agricultural science in May 1941.
He enlisted with the RCAF on June 4th, 1941 – he was around 24 years old. Eddy was awarded his ‘wings’ on March 24th, 1942 and granted a few weeks leave before going overseas. This photo was probably taken during this visit home – just a few days before leaving for the UK.
P/O Eddie Cox and his mother, Helen. Likely taken March 1942 while Eddy was on embarkation leave before being sent to the UK.
By the month of May, he was at the reception camp at RAF Bournemouth and went through further pilot training with the 11 (P)AFU (Advanced Flying Unit). At RAF Wellesbourne Mountford (near Stratford-Upon-Avon), he met fellow Canadians P/O Joe Patterson who would become his navigator, and Sgt. Amos Kimmerly (wireless operator), and Englishman Francis Allen (bomb-aimer). RAF Sgt W. Dimmick (air gunner) was also part of the crew Eddy was assigned to in the 424 Squadron based at RAF Topcliffe in Yorkshire in November, 1942.
After 3 operational missions, Sergeant Edmund Cox was promoted to Pilot Officer and was only awaiting final orders from the RCAF before sporting his new uniform. In February 1943, he flew Wellington III BJ-658 bomber coded QB-Q on what would turn out to be his final mission. Along with Eddy on this particular mission were regular crewmates Sgt. Francis Allen and P/O Joe Patterson. Canadians Sgt. Harvey Duke (gunner) and Sgt. Eddie Coates (wireless operator) joined along with RAF Sgt. Alfred Booth (gunner).
Take off was at 1722 and their mission was a “gardening (minelaying) flight, dropping vegetables (mines), in the Nectarine region, an area to the north of the Dutch Frisian Islands.” There are no known official records about the events leading to the loss of BJ-658; all we know is that only one unidentified enemy aircraft was seen in the target area and that on this occasion, visibility was poor due to low cloud at 1700ft. Laying the two 200lb mines required the Wellington to drop down to around 600ft.
Eddie Cox's body washed ashore 10 months later at Norderney but he was not immediately identified because the Red Cross had him listed as an officer. When he died, Eddie was still wearing his sergeant's stripes having been commissioned only a short time before. His recently issued Pilot Officer's badges were later discovered in his pockets. His fiancée Marjorie McDonell later related to Mrs. Patterson that in a letter, he had mentioned going with Joe Patterson to be measured for his officer's uniform, but not being able to wear it until the acknowledging RCAF orders had come through the system.
Pilot Officer Edmund Thomas Cox RCAF (25), Pilot Officer Joseph M. Patterson RCAF (23), Sergeant Francis J. Allen RAF (19), Sergeant Eddie Donald Coates RCAF (22), Sergeant Harvey McKerr Duke (24), and Sergeant Alfred E. Booth RAF (29) all died in the mission. The bodies of Harvey Duke, Eddie Coates, and Eddie Cox are buried at the Sage Cemetery in Germany. Alfred Booth is buried in Becklingen War Cemetery in Germany. Joe Patterson and Francis Allen have no known grave but are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial (RCAF) in the UK.
The flying hours recorded before their final mission.
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