CAPT. WILLIAM RALPH COBB, M.C., 3RD BATTN. THE QUEEN'S OWN (ROYAL WEST KENT REGT.) (S.R.), ATTD. 1ST BATTN. DIED, OCTOBER 5TH, 1917, op WOUNDS BECEIVBD IN ACTION AT GHELUVELT THE SAME DAY. AGED 21. At the School 1909—14 (Ferox Hall). Capt. W. R. Cobb, M.C, was the eighth son of Herbert Mansfield Cobb, F.S.I., and Mrs. Cobb, of Mockbeggar, Higham, Kent. Three of his brothers are O.T.'s, and all four were previously at the Rev. H. 0. U. Snowden's, Hildersham House, Broadstairs. The sixth son, Temporary Surg.-Lieut. G. F. Cobb, R.N. (F.H. 1906—11), was in the Science Sixth for two years, became a House Praepostor in September, 1910, and a Sergeant in the O.T.O., January, 1911. He served in various ships in the North Sea. The seventh, Temporary Major M. L. Cobb, M.C., R.E. (F.H. 1907—13), became a House Praepostor in September, 1911, a School Praepostor in May, 1912, and Captain of his House in the following Term, was in the Engineering Sixth from May, 1910, and left as a Sergeant in the O.T.C, having been in the XL in his last year. He received a commission, dated September 4th, 1914, in the Home Coimties (Kent) R.G.A. (T.F.), but transferred to the R.E. as a Temporary Lieutenant, AprU 3rd, 1915, was promoted Temporary Captain, September 10th, 1917, and was Acting Major, O.C the 203rd Field Coy., R.E., from June, 1918. He was mentioned in the Despatches dated April 30th, 1916, and March 16th, 1919; wounded on August 11th, 1916, and awarded the Military Cross, January 1st, 1917. The youngest, Temporary Lieut. R. M. Cobb, General List R.F.C. (F.H. 1913—16), became a House Praepostor in September, 1915, and left from the Army Class at Christmas, 1916, his commission being dated June 21st, 1917. He was injured in a bad " crash " in June, 1917, but served with the 20th Tent Detachment, R.A.F., in France and Germany from March, 1918, till September, 1919. Ralph Cobb entered the School in September, 1909, with a New Judd Entrance Scholarship of £80, and reached the Upper Sixth in September,-1912. He became a House Praepostor in September, 1912, a School Praepostor in May, 1913, and Captain of his House in January, 1914. He was to have been Captain of the School in September, 1914, but on the outbreak of war took a commission dated August 15th, 1914, in the Special Reserve of the West Kents, and going out attached to a Regular Battalion on January 25th, 1915, was wotmded at Ypres on April 23rd, 1915, and again on July 24th, 1916, at " High Wood." The award of the Military Cross was annoimced in the Gazette of March 26th, 1917, with the following account of the distinguished gallantry for which it was awarded :— " He handled his company in a raid against the enemy's trenches with marked ability, and the success of the raid was largely due to his leadership. He has on many previous occasions done fine work." It is now known that this was on February 23rd, 1917, on the Menin road. near Ypres. All his service in France was with the 1st Battn. of the West Kents, and such information as has been obtained as to the operations and fighting in which he took part will be found in the summary of his War Service on another page. On October 4th and 5th, 1917, he had done magnificent work before he received his fatal wounds from which he died the same day either before or just after reaching the dressing station. It is known that he was again recommended for distinction. His CO. gave the following account in writing to Capt. Cobb's father :— " We (the Battalion) were ordered to attack at 6 a.m. on the morning of 4t]i October, and your boy took his Company forward. He and his men gained their objective with slight loss and immediately began the task of consolidation. By the evening of the 4th, the other Commanders of Companies had been wounded and evacuated to the rear, and your gallant boy took over the superintending of the consolidation so satisfactorily that the Battalion was enabled to beat off at least five enemy counter-attacks during the next 16 hours, and to escape with few casualties one intense bombardment of our lines by the enemy guns. " Orders had actually been received for the relief of the Battalion, and had gone out to Companies—and the runner who had taken the message to your son, brought back the news that he had been wounded. The shock of his wounds was too great. He died as he had lived, a very gallant soldier, and is buried on the ground he helped to gain. " I have only known him for the last three months, but had formed a very high opinion of him both as a soldier and as a man. Your eon was immensely popular in the Battalion, which can ill afiord the loss of such a leader of men. " His soldier servant wrote :— " He was very greatly admired and beloved by all the boys of his Company, who miss him very much. They all hope that further honours will be added to his name, as he thoroughly deserves any distinction that may be awarded." A major who was with the Battalion till last June wrote :— " I always considered him one of the best officers we had out here, and I cannot tell yon how sorry I was to hear of his death. I have had several accounts of the lighting about the 4th October, and every one I hear from speaks most highly of his work on that occasion. He evidently did magnificent work " ; and quoted a letter he had received from another officer who said :— " We had 24 hours of the heaviest shelling that has been known on this Front. The men, thanks to poor old Cobb, held on and defeated fi.ve counter-attacks. He was cool, calm and collected all through. The men haven't finished talking about him yet." The CO. of the Special Reserve Battalion wrote:— " He gained the affection of every one who met him. He was always a most able and conscientious officer. Every one who has served with him speaks of his bravery and devotion to duty. An officer who is just back on leave tells me he was responsible for the success of the Battalion in the last attack and deserved the highest honour." The Brigade Major wrote :— "He is a great loss to the Brigade. He was a magnificent officer, always cheerful and absolutely fearless. "His splendid work contributed very largely to the great success achieved by his Battalion. I saw him just as he was going up into action, laughing and joking, a perfect example to both officers and men. " The General has asked me to tell you how much he appreciated the splendid work your son did—every officer and man who was with him during the battle speaks of the splendid leadership and utter disregard of danger shown by your son."