John W. Coxon DCM
Hero of World war 1
Early Life
JOHN COXON (born 1891) was the eldest son of Robert and Honor Coxon who had seven children - two boys and five girls. He grew up in Backworth, Northumberland, a small coal mining village and just like his father he went 'down the pit' as a boy.
Backworth, Northumberland
Backworth had been a farming village until the first coal mine was sunk in 1818. From then the population rapidly grew around the industrialisation of the village. By 1900 there were five coal mines, brick works and a railway system including the first electric railway in the country.
Coal Miner
He worked in the pit from being a boy and when he was 17 he was a coal putter. That is the miner who pushes a wagon from the narrow coal face to the pit ponies that pull them to the lift shaft. It was dirty, dangerous and physically demanding work but it made him very fit and prepared him well for life in the army.
Army Recruiting in Backworth
Army recruiting was particularly strong in Backworth where the army established barracks for recruits. The photo shows a line of soldiers in Backworth as a guard of honour for leaving recruits.
Local Pressure to Join
This is an example of the sort of support from Backworth to support soldiers in the field. The date of this poster is August 1915 and John Coxon and many more from the village had already joined the Army. The prize of a 'First Class Donkey' must have been very tempting.
The Army
John Coxon had joined his local regiment The Northumberland Fusiliers and was quickly promoted. For further promotion he had to move to a regiment who were undermanned. He was promoted to Sergeant in the 8th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry and posted to France.
Battle of Armentiéres
THE BATTLE OF ARMENTIÈRES had been fought between British and German troops and the two armies were now entrenched facing each other on the Western Front.
The Western Front comprised a line of elaborate trench and dugout systems to protect soldiers from small arms fire and artillery. Sergeant Coxon and 134 men from the 8th Battalion were about to go 'over the top' into no-mans-land to attack the enemy.É
Trench Warfare
This area between the British and German trenches is completely exposed to fire from both sides. John Coxon knew that no-mans-land was a killing area and that earlier in the year the casualties by attacking and defending from trenches had been enormous.
In March that year the British had 11,200 casualties at Neuve Chapelle. In April, another 59,275 casualties at Ypres and as recently as September another 59,275 casualties at Loos.
Life in the Trenches
At twenty fours years of age John Coxon was a seasoned soldier but nothing had prepared him for life in the trenches. It was awful. They were dirty, smelly places and riddled with disease with millions of rats feeding on scraps and bodies.
The constant shellfire from the enemy brought the possibility of random death by being buried by the trench itself following a large shell-burst. The natural inclination to peer over the trench often brought instant death from sniper fire.
Mustard Gas threat
Coxon had also just been issued with a gas mask because the Ypres battle was the first time that the Germans had used mustard gas on British soldiers. He had seen soldiers blinded by the gas having to walk in a straight line holding the man in front. Their skin had blistered and they vomited. The mustard gas caused internal and external bleeding, was extremely painful and it took four or five weeks for a soldier to die.
8th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry
IN 1915 THE COMMANDING OFFICER of the 8th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry was Lt-Colonel L.C. Howard. They were stationed west of Armentiéres. Howard had been recently promoted and his Battalion had been selected to organise an attack on the night of the 15th/16th December.
While he was proud to be chosen he was determined that this attack should be planned and executed in a professional manner to achieve results but minimise casualties. He knew of the huge number of British losses in the last six months on the Western Front and that the tactics were causing massive casualties. Both the British and German army used methods where men rushed forward in small groups, bombing the trenches and used whatever cover they could find. It wasn't just the scale of the losses that worried Howard but also that the attacks were achieving very little.
Howard decided that this attack should involve only 120 men and he asked for volunteers. Of those that came forward 135 were selected with the majority being officers and NCO's (Non-Commissioned Officers.
Planning for Action
Howard's planning for the action was meticulous. (His battle map from Army records is shown). Days before the real attack, trial trenches were dug to represent the German position using photographs from air reconnaissance.
The attack team was led by 2nd Lieutenant Withers and they practised day and night for three days with each man using the exact equipment he would use in the real attack. Each man knew his place thoroughly so the attack would go like clockwork. They practised for the last time at 5.00 am on the morning of the 15th December and then rested all day.
Lt-Colonel Howard organised a bombing of the German trenches during that day to minimise the number of soldiers in the area and Sergeant Coxon watched as the planes went over on their mission.
2.45 am, 16th December 1916
On the night of 16th December 1915, Sergeant Coxon was ready to go across no-mans-land towards the German trenches. The timing of the attack was purposely fixed for an hour and a half after the moon had set.
The night was wet and dark and it suited an attack. Coxon and the other men blackened their faces to help distinguish between friend and foe and to frighten the enemy. They also blackened their bayonets so they wouldn't be seen in the darkness.
Into No-Mans land
At 12.15 am, Sergeant Coxon watched as a small reconnaissance party went out from the trenches and saw them return at 1.30 am. They reported that they had reached the enemy wire and stayed for 20 minutes. The German listening post was unoccupied, the enemy was not alert; they heard voices and whistling from the enemy trenches.
At 2.45 am the order was given for the bridging ladders to be taken over the trench wall and 2nd Lieutenant Withers together with Sergeant Coxon and the other men followed into no-mans-land laying down in their correct order for the advance. Everything was quiet.
Into Enemy Trenches
AT 3.00 AM THE SIGNAL WAS GIVEN for the advance which was carried out very quietly and slowly over no-mans land. Withers took with him broad white ribbon that he unrolled as he went leaving behind a white path for others to follow to the enemy wire. The plan was that the ribbon would also allow the men to return quickly after the attack.
Coxon and the men carried mats that they used to throw over the wire to enter the enemy trench. At 3.15 am, Withers entered the German trenches followed by Sergeant Coxon and the other men. The last soldier entered at 3.20 am. Withers saw three Germans as he entered the trench and shot one. The blackened faces frightened the enemy and many ran down the communication trenches towards the rear.
A German officer and two soldiers rushed Sergeant Coxon and he shot both the officer and one of the soldiers and took the third soldier prisoner. The attack team searched for mines and tried to take a large machine gun but they couldn't get it up the muddy wall of the trench.
At 3.35 am, Withers gave the signal to return to the trenches and this was complete by 3.50 am without a single British casualty. The enemy had been completely surprised and the assaulting troops were into their trenches before any alarm was given.
Bravery Awards
THE ATTACK HAD BEEN A TOTAL SUCCESS and there was jubilation in the 8th Battalion. The bravery of 2nd Lieutenant Withers and Sergeant Coxon are mentioned in the daily intelligence report from the front.
Twelve days later, on December 28th news came through of awards for gallantry.
Lt-Colonel D.C. Howard was awarded The Distinguished Service Order (DSO). Sadly, it was noted that Colonel Howard had been killed in action on the night of 23/24th December while making a reconnaissance and was not aware of his gallantry award. 2nd Lieutenant Frank Dean Withers was awarded the Military Cross and Sergeant John William Coxon awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
Distinguished Conduct Medal, DCM
Sergeant Coxon's actual medals are shown in the photograph. The DCM is on the right.
National Publicity
The painting by W. Avis was used by national newspapers who applauded the bravery of Sergeant Coxon. The title is:
'Sergeant Coxon Shoots Two of a Party of Three Germans who had Attacked Him During an Attack on Their Trenches'
Wounded in Action
NEWS REACHED BACKWORTH in January 1916 that Sergeant Coxon had been injured in battle. It was reported in the local newspapers.
He was honourably discharged from the Army and returned home. In August 1916 he married Margaret Anne Mole. During their marriage they had three children - Robert, George and John.
The people of Backworth presented Sgt. Coxon with an inscribed gold watch to recognise his bravery.
TO SERGT J. W. COXON D.C.M.
from friends of
BACKWORTH DISTRICT
to commemorate his work in the field
DEC. 1915
Back to the Coal Mine
He returned to work in the coal mine but this time as a coal hewer. The coal hewer digs the coal and fills the tubs alternately hewing and filling. It is very dangerous and physically challenging work. The coal seam at Backworth is so thin that John Coxon must creep in on his hands and knees. To work in the small space his feet are kept wide apart, his body bent at right angles to his hips and his head held well down with his face turned forward. Terrible conditions for anyone to work but good compared to the trenches of the Western Front. He continued to work 'down the pit' until he died.
Sergeant John William Coxon DCM
John William Coxon DCM died on 11th March 1941 at the age of 50 years leaving a widow and three sons (aged 23, 16 and 13). Ironically on the day of his death his eldest son Robert was in the army fighting during World War 2.
At his burial in Earsdon Churchyard the army provided a stone commemoration plinth and both the grave and commemoration plinth are still there today but in some state of disrepair.
Post Script: Lt-General L.C. Howard. DSO
Distinguished Service Order Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and ability on the night of 15-16 December 1915, near Armentiéres. He organised with the greatest energy and skill a successful raid by his battalion on the German trenches. He inspired all ranks with enthusiasm and confidence. He displayed complete indifference to personal danger during the withdrawal of the raiding force under heavy fire. Lieutenant-Colonel Howard had previously been brought to notice for gallant work near Loos on 26 September 1915.
Lt-General L.C. Howard DSO was killed in action just one week after winning his DSO. He was 34 years old.
Post Script: Lieutenant Frank Dean Withers. MC
Military Cross Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry near Armentiéres on the night of 15th/16th December 1915.
He was in command of the leading party of his battalion in a successful raid on the Germans, and was the first man to jump into their trench. He shot the German sentry and behaved with such cool bravery that the remainder of his party were able to accomplish their task". He received his Military Cross from the King at Buckingham Palace on 1st April 1916.
Lt Frank Dean Withers MC (1893-1916) was killed in action on the 1st July 1916. He was 23 years old.
Post Script: Museum of Somerset 2015
During 2015, to mark the centenary of the start of World War 1, the Museum of Somerset displayed the heroism of John William Coxon DCM as a feature of their tribute to the men and women of that time.
Acknowledgements and thanks
For this life story we have used information and images from the following: The Imperial War Museum, The National Archives, London Gazette, Newcastle Daily Journal, Wikipedia, ‘Backworth Remembered’ by Robert Mitchelson, Google Images, Museum of Somerset, Ancestry.com, Durham Mining Archives, The Family of Sergeant John William Coxon DCM.