Edward Cox (cricketer)

Edward Henry Cox DSO (21 May 1863 – 23 July 1925) was an English first-class cricketer and British Army officer.

Cox was born in May 1863 at Herongate, Essex. He was commissioned into the British Army as a second lieutenant into the 1st Derbyshire Corps in September 1880.^[1] He was promoted to lieutenant in October 1882, at which point he was serving with the Royal Irish Fusiliers.^[2] In November 1884, he transferred to the Royal Fusiliers and was promoted to captain in March 1892.^[3][4] Whilst serving in British India, Cox played first-class cricket on three occasions. He made two appearances for the Europeans cricket team in the 1892–93 and 1893–94 Bombay Presidency Matches; he also made a single appearance for Bombay against Lord Hawke's touring team in December 1892.^[5] In his three matches, he scored 77 runs with a highest score of 46 not out.^[6]

Cox served in the Second Boer War, during the course of which he was promoted to major and was made a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order.^[7][8] He was later promoted to lieutenant colonel in May 1907.^[9] Having spent the permitted four-year period commanding a battalion, he was placed on the half-pay list in May 1911,^[10] with him retiring from active service in August of the same year.^[11] Cox returned to service during the First World War, being made a temporary colonel in October 1914,^[12] being placed in charge of records.^[13] Cox died suddenly from heart failure in July 1925, whilst playing cricket at Holyport, Berkshire.^[14]