John Cox (Royal Navy officer)
Encyclopedia
Vice-Admiral Sir John Cox KCB
(27 October 1928 - 3 October 2006) was an English
Royal Naval Officer and Admiral
.
, 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. Unfortunately 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.
Cox married Anne Folkstone in 1962, and had a son and daughter and two stepsons.
for the Falklands War
, since he was about to retire at the time, and was on gardening leave. For his actions in preparing the fleet, he was appointed KCB in 1982.
Prior to the peak of his career, he was appointed to other notable commands, first commanding the minesweeper
HMS Dilston, where he was mentioned in dispatches
for reducing smuggling
off Cyprus
in 1952. He later commanded the minesweepers HMS Stubbington, Royal Navy Reserve HMS Thames, the frigate
HMS Naiad
and the guided missile destroyer
HMS Norfolk
.
, 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
.
which lead to the Disability Discrimination Act
of 1995. He was also on the parole board
for HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs
along with his wife.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(27 October 1928 - 3 October 2006) was an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
Royal Naval Officer and Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
.
Personal life
He was born in PekingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, 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. Unfortunately this resulted in him receiving two reprimands for putting to sea without telling anyone where he was going — one from the Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
, China Station; the other from his mother.
Cox married Anne Folkstone in 1962, and had a son and daughter and two stepsons.
Career
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 WoodwardSandy Woodward
Admiral Sir John Forster "Sandy" Woodward GBE, KCB is a British Admiral who commanded the British Naval Force in the South Atlantic during the Falklands War.-Naval career:...
for the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
, since he was about to retire at the time, and was on gardening leave. For his actions in preparing the fleet, he was appointed KCB in 1982.
Prior to the peak of his career, he was appointed to other notable commands, first commanding the minesweeper
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
HMS Dilston, where he was mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
for reducing smuggling
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
off Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
in 1952. He later commanded the minesweepers HMS Stubbington, Royal Navy Reserve HMS Thames, the frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
HMS Naiad
HMS Naiad (F39)
HMS Naiad was a Leander-class frigate of the Royal Navy . Like the rest of the class, Naiad was named after a figure or figures of mythology, in this case the Naiads of Greek mythology. Naiad was built by Yarrow Shipbuilders of Scotstoun...
and the guided missile destroyer
Guided missile destroyer
A guided missile destroyer is a destroyer designed to launch guided missiles. Many are also equipped to carry out anti-submarine, anti-air, and anti-surface operations. In the U.S...
HMS Norfolk
HMS Norfolk (D21)
The fifth HMS Norfolk was laid down on 15 March 1966 by Swan Hunter and launched by Lavinia, Duchess of Norfolk in November 1967. She was commissioned in March 1970...
.
Diplomatic career
As a Naval attachéAttaché
Attaché is a French term in diplomacy referring to a person who is assigned to the diplomatic or administrative staff of a higher placed person or another service or agency...
, Cox was appointed to West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, where his technique of approaching Soviet Navy
Soviet Navy
The Soviet Navy was the naval arm of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy would have played an instrumental role in a Warsaw Pact war with NATO, where it would have attempted to prevent naval convoys from bringing reinforcements across the Atlantic Ocean...
Officers "sailor-to-sailor" enabled him to learn intelligence while playing tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
.
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 ScopeScope (British charity)
Scope is a London-based charity, which operates in England and Wales, focusing on people with cerebral palsy particularly, and disabled people in general. Its aim is that disabled people achieve equality....
which lead to the Disability Discrimination Act
Disability Discrimination Act 1995
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which has now been repealed and replaced by the Equality Act 2010 , except in Northern Ireland where the Act still applies...
of 1995. He was also on the parole board
Parole Board
A parole board is a panel of people who decide whether an offender should be released from prison on parole after serving at least a minimum portion of their sentence as prescribed by the sentencing judge. Parole boards are used in many jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom and the United...
for HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs
Wormwood Scrubs (HM Prison)
HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs is a Category B men's prison, located in the Wormwood Scrubs area of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, in inner west London, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service....
along with his wife.
Source
- The Daily TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
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