Arthur Cocks (cricketer)

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Arthur Cocks
Personal information
Full nameArthur Denis Bradford Cocks
Born29 July 1904
Dharamshala, Punjab Province,
British India
Died6 June 1944(1944-06-06) (aged 39)
Sword Beach, near Ouistreham, Normandy, France
BattingRight-handed
BowlingUnknown
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1924Bedfordshire
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 2
Runs scored 30
Batting average 15.00
100s/50s –/–
Top score 26*
Balls bowled 306
Wickets 0
Bowling average –
5 wickets in innings –
10 wickets in match –
Best bowling –
Catches/stumpings 3/–
Source: Cricinfo, 24 April 2019

Arthur Denis Bradford Cocks (29 July 1904 – 6 June 1944) was an English first-class cricketer and British Army officer. Cocks served with the Royal Engineers from 1925–1944, serving in the Second World War, in which he was the first British officer killed on D-Day. He also played first-class cricket for the British Army cricket team.

Life and military career[edit]

The son of George Arthur Cocks and his wife, Annie Violet Cocks, he was born in British India at Dharamshala.[1] Cocks was educated in England at Bedford School, where he played cricket for the school team.[1] He played minor counties cricket for Bedfordshire in 1924, making a single appearance in the Minor Counties Championship.[2] After leaving Bedford, he decided on a career in the army and attended the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.[1] He graduated from Woolwich in January 1925, entering into the Royal Engineers as a second lieutenant.[3] He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in January 1927.[4] In May of the same year he made his debut in first-class cricket for the British Army cricket team against Oxford University at Oxford, before making a second appearance in June against Cambridge University at Fenner's.[5] He scored 30 runs in his two first-class appearances,[6] while with the ball he bowled a total of 51 wicketless overs.[7]

He married Majorie Du Caurroy Chads in 1932 and shortly after served in British Burma,[1] where he was stationed at Rangoon. He returned to England in 1936, where he was promoted to the rank of captain in January,[8] before being seconded to the War Office as a staff captain in December 1937.[9] He relinquished his appointment at the war office in January 1939.[10] He served in the Second World War with the Royal Engineers, during which he was promoted to the rank of major in January 1942,[11] with a further promotion to the rank of lieutenant colonel.[1] On D-Day he landed at Sword Beach with the 5th Assault Regiment, known as the 'Hobart's Funnies', in the course of which he was killed in action.[1] He was the first British officer to be killed on D-Day.[1] His body was returned to England and buried at St. Peter's Church, Frimley.

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 McCrery, Nigel (2011). The Coming Storm: Test and First-Class Cricketers Killed in World War Two. Vol. 2nd volume. Pen and Sword. p. 372. ISBN 978-1526706980.
  2. ↑ "Minor Counties Championship Matches played by Arthur Cocks". CricketArchive. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  3. ↑ "No. 33015". The London Gazette. 27 January 1925. p. 593.
  4. ↑ "No. 33243". The London Gazette. 28 January 1927. p. 580.
  5. ↑ "First-Class Matches played by Arthur Cocks". CricketArchive. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  6. ↑ "First-class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by Arthur Cocks". CricketArchive. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  7. ↑ "First-class Bowling For Each Team by Arthur Cocks". CricketArchive. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  8. ↑ "No. 34250". The London Gazette. 28 January 1936. p. 603.
  9. ↑ "No. 34464". The London Gazette. 17 December 1937. p. 7917.
  10. ↑ "No. 34539". The London Gazette. 27 January 1939. p. 606.
  11. ↑ "No. 35433". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 January 1942. p. 437.

External links[edit]

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