The Great Promise: June 2013

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Fred's life after the war

EPILOGUE

I have received accolades from family and friends on publishing “The Great Promise”, although rewarding, the success would have been sweeter if my father would have been able to share this adventure with me. He passed away in 2006, two years before I was given the journal. I’ll never know if he was aware of this father’s exploits during the war, or for that matter, if he knew the journal existed. Indeed it would have been interesting to know the answers to these questions.

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Following active duty my grandfather returned to his civilian occupation as an electrician. At one point he was involved in rewiring the Parliament Building and Buckingham Palace in London. There is a reliable family rumor that during the rewiring of the Parliament, my grandfather took a lunch break and sat on the throne of England while eating his cheese sandwich.

By 1922 climatic conditions in England had degraded, continuing to adversely affect my grandfather’s lungs, already damaged by exposure to gas. This postwar environment drove a difficult decision to emigrate from England, with either the United States or Australia as appealing destinations. Many years later, during a conversation with my paternal uncle, I was astonished to learn that the Frederick Coxen family’s destiny was determined in 1922 by the toss of a coin! It was at this point that the family had boarded a ship bound for the United States out of Southampton, England.

Upon arriving in New York harbor, they were processed through Ellis Island. The family moved to Detroit, Michigan, to stay with one of my grandfather’s relatives. While living in Detroit he participated in at least one Memorial Day parade, which takes place on the 30^th of May each year to honor fallen soldiers. (Figure 21)

He worked in various jobs in the area until he landed one working for a man that blended automotive polishes and waxes and sold them to Ford Motor Company. Along with product blending responsibilities, he also double as a salesman and called on the Ford buyer. During one of their meetings the buyer suggested that if my grandfather started his own business, he would rather buy from him than the current supplier.

In 1930, he started his own company, Excelda Manufacturing and true to his word, the Ford buyer did purchase product from Excelda. Through the years I often wondered why my grandfather named his company Excelda. I asked both my father and uncle and neither one had an answer, which seemed strange since they worked with him from the company’s inception. It is family lore that Fred met and shook Henry Ford’s hand.

As was common with many enterprises during World War II, in order to meet the growing needs of a country at war, my grandfather converted the business to a tool and die shop. For a time, the facility manufactured parts for a military bomber being assembled in Detroit’s Willow Run Airport. He was also very influential in selling War Bonds to help finance the war. After the war Fred G. Coxen received the Distinguished Service Medal for the company’s contributions during the war.

After the war ended and my father and uncle returned home after serving in the US Navy, he retired without ceremony, and handed the keys to the business over to his sons.

Although retired he remained active and at one point he became involved in a Florida land development project. Along with three partners, they planned a development called “Santa Barbara Shores”, which was located in the southern section of Pompano Beach. The development took place during the 1950s and each new home had a minimum of 1,350 sq ft and had a starting price of $20,000 dollars.

Excelda continues to be owned and managed by family members, retaining Ford Motor Company as an important customer.

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To the best of my knowledge, there were at least two occasions when my grandparents returned to England to visit relatives. I don’t believe he took advantage of these opportunities to fulfill the promise made at the onset of his active military duty. However, in 1938 he drafted a letter to the RFA Records, Woolwich, England requesting any information they may have on George Millington, he wanted get in touch with Old George and hopes that they could meet when he visited England that summer. I do not know if that meeting ever took place. I wondered what happened to George so I did some investigation and found that he survived the war and remained in the RFA until retirement. To qualify for a military pension he accepted a reduction in rank from 2^nd Lieutenant to Sergeant Major.

My conversations about my grandfather’s involvement in the Great War, either active or inactive, with any senior family members never evolved, therefore the box of mementos is my only link to this phase of my grandfather’s life.

I was thirteen when he died of lung cancer in 1960.The doctors attributed this fatality to damaging gas exposure during the war, combined with cigarette smoking. My grandmother remained with us for a few more years, at which point she was laid to rest alongside my grandfather, in a small cemetery in Pompano Beach, Florida.

To use a quote from Douglas McArthur, “Old soldiers never die, they just fade away”, which is what happens to most soldiers. When they die, their names and exploits are memories housed by family or friends, until they too depart life, taking the memories with them. What remains of the soldier’s life are the few personal items saved as well as archived military records.

Captain Fred G. Coxen had faded from existence until 2008 when his journal brought him back to life. Publishing his story insures his immortality as a piece of British and American history.

When researchers view his journal and military documents, now housed in a museum, his name will be remembered in a footnote or bibliography.

There is a lesson to be learned from this, and that is the importance of writing down your stories. Perhaps they will not include historical content, but they will carry on your life for future generations.

Many soldiers perform heroic tasks without recognition and thereby end up as footnotes in a sea of military records, such as George Millington. Their names are not found among the elite honored for their heroism, like Frederick Holmes, who received the Victoria Cross for bravery for carrying a badly wounded comrade two miles to safety, and then returned to his battalion to find even more wounded. He placed one man on a horse of an artillery gun team in an attempt to get him to safety; but somewhere in the dark he lost him. He himself was badly wounded during the Battle of Le Cateau. [1]

For the majority of soldiers, they just fade away, and remain unknown except by friends and family. Over time their names will be but a branch on a family tree, their exploits and accomplishments lost.

However, by publishing my grandfather’s story, his name and deeds will live on through eternity, and become a small fraction of both British and American history.

[1] http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWholmes.htm June 2013

Friday, June 7, 2013

Capt Fred G Coxen

His last journal entry was May 1915 - what happened after that date? The following is his military career:

After May 6^th, the first recorded event impacting Fred was his field promotion to 2^nd Lieutenant, which took place on August 21^st, 1915. Although significant, it does not reveal what happened during the three months between his last entry and his promotion; questions without answers remain.

Within the box of documents, I found and opened Fred’s “Officer’s Record of Services – Army book 439”. Studying its contents, I found a notation on the pages titled, “Service”, stating he left France on September 1, 1915 and returned to England. Under the column marked “At Home”, he had written, (AA[1] Drilling), September 2, 1915 to November 27, 1917. (Figure 10) This notation disclosed complexities within his simple statement “AA drilling”, which were previously undiscerned . Reviewing other military communiqués, I discovered that the Royal Field Artillery sent Fred to the Mersey Defence District on May 13, 1916. He was to perform inspections on the Anti-Aircraft Gun Detachments in Liverpool. (Figure 10)

I questioned what transpired in the eight months prior to his deployment to the Mersey Defence District. One plausible explanation would be that he was being trained on anti-aircraft guns, which would be logical, considering his previous experience had been with field artillery. Anti-aircraft training would also offer credence to his qualifications for inspecting the AA batteries.

An RFA dispatch dated 6.6.16 from S. W. Lane, Colonel Commanding 2a Reserve Brigade R.F.A. to Headquarters No.3 District - Mersey Defence District, questioned why the inspection was taking longer than expected, and requested to be informed if Fred was not going to return. The communiqué is divided into four sections.

The first section is the original request from Colonel S.W. Lane, while the second section is a response from Headquarters Western Command, by Harry Cooper, Colonel Commanding No.3 District, referencing telegram 2259 G of 10.5.16, regarding a speedy response to the original request. In the third section is marked “Confidential” to Garrison Commander, Mersey Garrison, Liverpool; referencing to attached letter dated 7th June, 1916, from Officer Commanding No.3 District – please say if Lieutenant F Coxen can now be returned to his unit; C.S. Hope – Johnstone, Major, General Staff, Western Command. Section four is a return response: If the establishment submitted in this office number as above of June 1916, your C.R.W.C.54318/37 (G).K.1045g of May 27th 1916 is authorized it is desired to recommend 2/Lieut.F.Coxen for the appointment of Adjutant and Quartermaster with the temporary rank of Captain. 2. He is now well acquainted with the details of the Liverpool A.A. Command, and it would be a pity to replace him by another officer who would have to learn the work all over again. (sd) R.F. Edwards, Brigadier-General, Commanding Mersey Defences; Liverpool, 9-6-16. Fred remained with the Defense District until November 30, 1916, at which time he returned to the RFA.

I discovered a great deal of military correspondence regarding Fred’s request for additional duty pay, for the period he held the temporary rank of Captain. His claim was eventually settled, as stated in the letter written by the major commanding Liverpool A. A. Defences. (Figure 11) The communiqué also presented insight to Fred’s next assignment, “Captain Coxen was recommended for the appointment to Adjutant in May last, and carried out the duties whilst the Establishment was under consideration and issued, and until relieved, 30^th November 1916, on assuming command of the 47^th A.A. Company, R.G.A. He was given command of the 47^th as verified by a letter he wrote and signed as “Commander 47^th AA Company, RGA, dated January 17, 1917. (Figure 19)

Referring back to his service record, I noticed that he remained in England until November 11, 1917. Then on November 28, 1917, he was redeployed to France and assigned to an AA Battery. Prior to his departure, Fred posed for a photograph wearing his captain’s uniform, which he would not wear again for two years. For upon his arrival in France, he reverted back to his rank of 2^nd Lieutenant and assigned an AA Battery.

Rummaging through the box of documents, I noticed a small piece of brown paper with a handwritten message. In the upper left-hand corner, the paper was stamped; “N ANTI-AIRCRAFT BATTERY” and directly below it was Fred’s signature “F Coxen RFA” “N” Battery. The handwritten message congratulated Fred for the downing of a bird (aeroplane), however headquarters couldn’t verify if the craft was downed solely by N-battery, or a section of Q-battery, so they divided the kill between the two batteries. N-battery was part of the HQ, 3^rd Army group, which according to sources on the “Great War Forum,” was assigned to defend Paris. (Figure 12) The fact that the paper was a congratulatory note from headquarters, and sent to Fred, indicates that Fred was “N” Battery’s commander.

Referring back to his service record, Fred remained in France until May 18, 1918, at which time he returned to England.

A military record shows in November of 1918 he was seconded for service with the newly-formed Royal Air Force[2], and assigned to the 253 Squadron, RAF Bembridge. He is listed as an Observer Officer, placed in charge of the payroll department. I have no doubt that Fred was sent to the RAF because of his prior payroll experience while Adjutant of the Mersey Defence District.

A communiqué from Captain D. Dustin, Officer Commanding 74^th Wing, RAF Calshot was discovered, recommending Fred for a promotion to the temporary rank of Lieutenant. Another memo referenced that Fred was promoted to the permanent rank of Lieutenant – retroactive to July 1, 1917. (Figure 13)

During the period that Fred operated the payroll department for the RAF, the RFA sent a message requesting his return to his RFA unit forthwith. Within the same communiqué, the RAF requested he remain with them for an additional two weeks, reasoning that with a heavy work load and complicated payroll system, his skill level was required until a replacement could be trained. (Figure 14) Therefore on August 7, 1919, the Officer Commanding, RAF Navigation School, Calshot, drafted a letter cancelling Fred’s orders to report to his RFA unit. (Figure 15)

I speculated as to whether he learned to fly during the time spent with the RAF? I found nothing within his records indicating he received flight training; however, I have a photograph showing Fred in an aviator’s suit. I posted the photo on the “Great War Forum” website; a member identified the suit as a standard RAF issue Sitcom Suit, made from proofed khaki twill, which was rubberized and lined with mohair.(Figure 16)

It was evident while serving with the RAF, Fred wore an officer’s uniform with an Observer’s Half Wing, located above the left top pocket of his uniform jacket. His uniform would be congruent with his Navigator’s training, and the reason he had the aviator’s flight suit. Never the less this latest discovery contradicts family lore, and ruins a good story. (Figure 17)

Prior to my in-depth research, it was believed that a cherished, wooden picture frame, containing photographs of both Fred and his wife, perhaps crafted from the remains of a WWI aeroplane propeller. However, an assumption was made that the propeller came from an aircraft flown by Fred. It now appears that if the frame was made from an aeroplane propeller, it would not have been from an aircraft flown by Fred.

Discovered among his personal items was a photograph of a Short 184 seaplane serial number N9111. It is unknown if Fred flew or was a navigator on this type of aircraft; whatever the case, it is an interesting photograph. (Figure 18) November 11^th, 1918 Fred received, “The King’s Message to the Royal Air Force”. (Figure 20)

His official military record shows that he transferred back to the Regular Army Reserve of Officers as Captain, on the 26^th of February, 1920, at which time he left the service and returned to his civilian occupation of electrician.

The exact reason he ended his journal on May 6^th, 1915 will remain unknown.