Cox was born in
Bondi, and educated at
Cleveland Street High School and
Sydney Grammar School. He worked as an insurance clerk before the Second World War, but was active in the
Citizens Military Force from 1936. Rising to the rank of
sergeant by 1939, Cox was commissioned as a
lieutenant later that year and enlisted in the
Second Australian Imperial Force for active service in the Second World War. He was a platoon commander in the Middle East and Greece in the early stages of the war, where he met his later wife, whom he married during a brief return to Australia in 1942. He was subsequently deployed to New Guinea, where he was awarded the
Military Cross for his courage. Cox was later promoted to major and lieutenant colonel, and was awarded the
Distinguished Service Order for his role in administering two successful operations in 1945, during the closing stages of the war. Cox returned to Bondi after the war, working as a real-estate agent in the family business, and remaining active in the Citizens Military Force, where he rose to the rank of
brigadier. Cox was elected to the Legislative Assembly for the state seat of
Vaucluse at a
1957 by-election following the retirement of Liberal leader
Murray Robson. He served on the Liberal executive from 1963 to 1964, but did not hold parliamentary or ministerial office. Cox killed himself in his office at Parliament House on 16 November 1964, and was buried in a churchyard at
Rose Bay. ==References==