In Newport (St. Mary) Churchyard, Essex is the Commonwealth War Grave of 37159 Wing Commander Rowland Branston Cox serving with the Royal Air Force (RAFO) who died 29/09/1944.

He was the son of Norman Simpson Cox and Margaret Heaton Cox and the husband of Rose Anne Cox, of Newport.

Jean Longstaff has submitted the following:-
Roland Branston Cox was born on 27th April 1913 in Sunderland.  He was the son of Norman Simpson Cox and Margaret Heaton Cox (nee Waterhouse) who had been born in Essex.  By 1921 the family, consisting of 3 sons Geoffrey John (b.1910), Rowland and William Burdon (b.1919) were living at 8 The Esplanade, Sunderland with three servants to help around the house.  Father Norman was the Secretary of the Sunderland Gas Company, he died in 1930.

From the age of 10 until he was 18 Rowland attended Loretto School and became a house prefect, was good at sport and was a member of the O.T.C.

Rowland Cox joined the RAF in January 1936, and the following year took part in the North West Frontier campaign. In 1940-42 he served in Libya and Eritrea, being promoted to Squadron Leader in 1940 and Wing Commander in 1942. After a period with Coastal Command, he was attached to the Canadian First Army in Britain as Air Liaison Officer with the rank of Acting Group Captain.

Whilst in North Africa Rowland married Rose Anne in Cairo and they had a son Michael John, born 13th August 1942.  On their return to England they lived in Newport, Essex.

In 1944 Wing Commander Rowland Cox was commanding officer of 34 Wing Support Unit based at RAF Northolt and on 29th September he was pilot of Avro Anson NK607 on route to a conference in Belgium which hit a tree in thick cloud and crashed in woods, somewhere within the grounds of an Army Ordnance Depot, near Dean Lane, Merstham, about three miles from RAF Kenley.  All crew and passengers were killed.

His mother Margaret Heaton Cox died in 1956 her address was Moorfields Cotherstone.

Rowland Branston Cox is remembered at Cotherstone on C127.02.