Sir John Cox
Born(1928-10-27)27 October 1928
Peking, China
Died3 October 2006(2006-10-03) (aged 77)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Navy
Years of service1946–84
RankVice Admiral
Commands heldNaval Aviation Command
Third Flotilla
HMS Norfolk
HMS Naiad
HMS Thames
HMS Stubbington
HMS Dilston
Battles/warsCyprus Emergency
Cod Wars
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Mentioned in Despatches
Other workWormwood Scrubs parole board
The Spastics Society

Vice Admiral Sir John Michael Holland Cox, KCB (27 October 1928 – 3 October 2006) was a senior officer in the Royal Navy.

Personal life

He was born in Peking, China and first went to sea as a boy (in a small rowboat), when he warned the British fleet of the seizure of British Embassy property by pirates. This resulted in him receiving two reprimands for putting to sea without telling anyone where he was going — one from the Commander-in-Chief, China Station; the other from his mother.[1]

Cox married Anne Folkstone in 1962, and had a son, James a daughter, Alexandra and two stepsons.[1] Lady Cox died in 2020.[2]

As a British sailor, he was an influential figure, rising to numerous staff and sea commands, including Flag Officer Third Flotilla/Commander Anti-Submarine Warfare Group Two, responsible for the aircraft carriers and amphibious ships, although superseded by Sandy Woodward for the Falklands War, since he was about to retire at the time, and was on gardening leave.[1] For his actions in preparing the fleet, he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 1982 Birthday Honours.[1][3] Prior to the peak of his career, he was appointed to other notable commands, first commanding the minesweeper HMS Dilston,[1] where he was mentioned in despatches for reducing smuggling off Cyprus in 1952.[1][4] He later commanded the minesweepers HMS Stubbington, Royal Navy Reserve HMS Thames, the frigate HMS Naiad and the guided missile destroyer HMS Norfolk.[1] He was appointed Director of Naval Operations and Trade under the Ministry of Defence Naval Staff from July 1974 to April 1976. He later became Flag Officer Naval Air Command from May 1982 to September 1983.

Diplomatic career

As a Naval attaché, Cox was appointed to West Germany, where his technique of approaching Soviet Navy Officers "sailor-to-sailor" enabled him to learn intelligence while playing tennis.

Post-Naval career

After retirement from the Royal Navy, Cox turned his attention towards working with the disabled, including the Spastics Society, which he helped turn into Scope which led to the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995. He was also on the parole board for HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs along with his wife.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Obituary: Vice Admiral Sir John Cox". The Telegraph. 12 October 2006. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  2. ↑ Cox
  3. ↑ "No. 49008". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 1982. p. 2.
  4. ↑ "No. 41267". The London Gazette. 31 December 1957. p. 7603.
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