Lt James Charles Somers-Cocks - 1st Bn Coldstream Guards 1914

[Nick1914]

Dear All, can anyone provide me with information on the above officer.  In theory should be easy as aristocratic name and surely related to the Barony Somers?  However, I can find very little.  In the Army List Aug 1914(column 875) he goes by the name Lt Cocks J C S.  I have checked Debretts and collateral family branches but cannot find anything nor The Peerage.  Born circa 1886 and died in 1961.

 

Here's what I have: I believe commissioned in 1909 but nothing on Sandhurst site so presumably via probationary period?  Also I can't find anything in the London Gazette under either name or initials.....but this may just be me.  Pre-war based at Aldershot but not sure whether he went out with the initial deployment or not?  Disembarkation date?  Invalided/sick in September 1914.....date & where?  Cause acute neuritis and evacuated to the UK via 2nd General Hospital(Havre) late September 1914 on HMHS David.

 

Any information greatly received including bio - schools, marital status etc.

 

Best, Nick

[alf mcm]

Nick,

  Ancestry has him in Army Lists for 1917 and 1918 as Captain, Coldstream Guards. The Army Lists they refer to are on Fold 3.https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/britisharmylists/?name=JAMES+CHARLES+SOMERS&name_x=1_1&pcat=mil_lists&priority=united-kingdom&qh=VCj5FXdnkDc%2BHYcyID8Bwg%3D%3D

 

  Ancestry also have him in the 1911 census https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2352&h=44677093&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=bmY33525&_phstart=successSource

 

Regards,

 

Alf McM

[alf mcm]

Searching for James Charles Somers-Cocks gives this family tree on Ancestry;-  https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/5283485/person/25348654846/facts?_phsrc=bmY33540&_phstart=successSource

 

Regards,

 

Alf McM

[Nick1914]

Thanks Alf, but unfortunately I'm not on Ancestry.

 

Nick

[mrfrank]

Can't help with any personal information I'm afraid, but here's an image of Lt Somers-Cocks looking rather dapper in a named group photo I have of 1st Coldstream Guards Cricket XI taken at Aldershot in the summer of 1914. If you'd like to see the full image, I'll post it in the thread or PM me.

 

Mike

Edited 13 October , 2019 by mrfrank

[sadbrewer]

He was at this funeral in early February 1915....courtesy of the British Newspaper Archive 

[wandererpaul]

Some more info on FindMyPast from his school......

 

https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=GBM%2FUNIV-ROLL%2F20631

He’s listed on a few army lists on FindMyPast too.....

 

e.g.

 

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=S2%2FUS%2FMCV%2FARMY%2FARMYLISTOCTPART131919GREA%2F0978&parentid=S2%2FUS%2FMCV%2FARMY%2FARMYLISTOCTPART131919GREA%2F0978

Edited 13 October , 2019 by wandererpaul

[wandererpaul]

Lives of the First World War has some bits too.

 

https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/876421

[wandererpaul]

Medal card at the NA

 

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D1863715

[helpjpl]

 

1.  Birth registered Apr-May-Jun 1888, Kensington.

 

2.  Son of Edward Lygon Somers-Cocks, Banker & Mayor of Kensington 1910-1911, and his wife Amabel Jemima Watson-Copley: 

https://london.wikia.org/wiki/Edward_Lygon_Somers_Cocks

Edit:  See link to A  History of the Cocks Family in References

 

3.  To be 2nd Lieutenant 4th Bn Oxford Light Infantry:

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28071/page/7043/data.pdf

 

4.  1911 Census: Lieutenant, Coldstream Guards at Victoria Barracks, Windsor.

 

5.  1960 National Probate Calendar (courtesy of ancestry):

 

 

6.  There may be another photo here:

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search/british-newspapers?date=1933-01-01&date_offsetdate=1933-12-31&firstname=somers&lastname=cox&exactnames=true&exactkeywords=false

 

JP

Edited 13 October , 2019 by helpjpl

[HarryBrook]

He transferred to the Coldstream Guards on 8 December 1909 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28315/page/9328

 

Edit to add:- Promoted to Lieutenant 7 January 1911 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28460/page/696

Edited 13 October , 2019 by HarryBrook

[Mark1959]

JP

6. The article is written by a terrible snob. It is almost unbelievable. All about skiing and the aristocracy. No pic.

Fold 3 Army Lists

Born 18/3/88. 

2nd Lt from Special Res C.Gds 8/12/09. Lt 7/1/11, Capt 17/7/15.

 

[Nick1914]

Dear All, very many thanks for all your help some nice stuff emerging.   Interesting that he was in the Martin's bank roll - presumably a post-war career.....also says alot about bank consolidation in the UK in the last century!  I have done a quick search through the Cocks family history referred to and terribly complicated as numerous branches......seems like Charles joined the bank just after the war when it merged with Martins??  

 

Can someone let me know what is school was as that will help alot.

 

The newspaper article suggests he was still sick or on leave from the front in Feb 1915.

 

Thanks again all your "digging" much appreciated.

 

Best, Nick

[HarryBrook]

Promoted temp. Captain 1 September 1915 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29310/page/9558

 

The Gazette for his resignation https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31428/supplement/8307

 

Captain on the General Reserve of Army Officers 2 July 1919 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31428/supplement/8310

[Nick1914]

Harry,  resignation reference useful as this often shows if "ill-health" was a cause.....but not in this case.

 

Best, Nick

[Nick1914]

Just to follow-up on Mike's fabulous photo of 1st Bn Coldstream Guards Summer 1914 cricket team.  Members might be interested in some interesting officer casualty background - 5 of the officers were casualties by end of Sept 1914.  Unfortunately I haven't any data on the Other Ranks in the team.

 

The following were all casualties in 1914:

 

 

Cocks - in September 1914- invalided/sick but no date yet identified....anything in the War Diary? - disembarkation date?? School??

Edwards - wounded 14th Sept 1914 on the Aisne - also Eton, Household CC team & played 1st class for Essex

Egerton - wounded 19th Sept 1914 during the Battle of Aisne and subsequently killed at Loos in Sept 1915 - also Eton, Household Bde CC

Freeman-Thomas - killed 14th Sept 1914 during the Battle of Aisne- also Eton - played in 1912 Eton vs Harrow

Tollemache - wounded 6th Sept 1914 during the Battle of the Marne - also Eton, Household Bde CC

 

Hope this is interesting.   Best Nick

[wandererpaul]

48 minutes ago, Nick1914 said:

Dear All, very many thanks for all your help some nice stuff emerging.   Interesting that he was in the Martin's bank roll - presumably a post-war career.....also says alot about bank consolidation in the UK in the last century!  I have done a quick search through the Cocks family history referred to and terribly complicated as numerous branches......seems like Charles joined the bank just after the war when it merged with Martins??  

 

Can someone let me know what is school was as that will help alot.

 

The newspaper article suggests he was still sick or on leave from the front in Feb 1915.

 

Thanks again all your "digging" much appreciated.

 

Best, Nick

 

Are you a subscriber to FindMyPast and ancestry? If not, then we cannot just give the info you're asking for. It's being a little rude to ask for something that we all pay for.

[travers61]

Hi Nick1914,

 

He may not have been employed by the family bank. His father was a partner in Cocks, Biddulph & Co so that may have been enough to give him a mention & the Martins WW1 book on Lives of the First World War just says "Ex-Service Men 1914-1919".

 

He is part of the family of the present Barons Somers & this is confirmed by a document linked to his fathers records on ancestry.  His father features on 29 trees on ancestry, but at a quick look could not see the exact link to the current Barons. However this would show in any full edition of Burkes Peerage, last published I think in about 1970, but may be at any large library.

[helpjpl]

1.  I drew your attention to A History of the Cocks Family because it confirms that Edward Lygon Somers Cocks is the father of your subject.

 

Page 182:

 

Page 190:

 

2.  James was a boarder at Stone House College, Broadstairs, in 1901:

http://www.shelwin.com/e/Thanet_Research/pt_schools.pdf

 

3.  You mention Charles in #13. Is this James?

 

JP

 

 

[Nick1914]

JP, as always most helpful and I had missed the ref on page 190.

 

Perhaps I'm mixing things up as his full name was James Charles......I've probably got the wrong bloke.

 

Thanks for the school link......there is lots in the public domain but sometimes one needs a little guidance.

 

Best, Nick

 

[Nick1914]

Note to Wandererpaul, I don't recall anywhere in these posts asking anyone to give me subscription based information.  I merely noted I did not have a subscription at this time to various sites.  Quite a different thing.

 

Information is often available from alternative public domain sources such as old school gazettes or registers -  a quite legitimate request I believe - and as later posts demonstrate such an approach has indeed unearthed one of his schools.

 

.........a little speedy to criticise I think!

 

[mrfrank]

He entered Eton in 1905 and was in AB Ramsay’s and CH Allcock’s houses. 

[helpjpl]

1.  At Eton 1901-1905.  See page 112:

https://archives.etoncollege.com/Filename.ashx?tableName=ta_registers&columnName=filename&recordId=11

 

2.  For future reference:

https://archives.etoncollege.com/authenticated/Browse.aspx?BrowseID=249&tableName=ta_registers

 

JP

[Nick1914]

Thanks Chaps, most helpful and also for the link to the registry pages.

 

So all 5 Old Etonians in 1st Bn Coldstream cricket team in Summer 1914 were casualties before the end of Sep 1914.  

 

Best, Nick

 

 

[Coldstreamer]

Thanks, I'm missing his photo