Aubrey Cosens VC (21 May 1921 – 26 February 1945) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

posthumous recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

forces.

Military service

Aubrey Cosens was born in

Latchford, Ontario Latchford is a Single-tier municipality town in Timiskaming District in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is located on Bay Lake on the Montreal River near the town of Cobalt and the municipality of Temagami and is 20 kilometres (13 miles) from th ...

on May 21, 1921, the only son to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Cosens. Shortly afterwards his family moved near Porquis Junction and this is where Cosens remained until he left school at 17 and went to work as a section hand on the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway. A year after taking this job, the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

broke out and Aubrey attempted to join the RCAF and was rejected because he was considered too young. In 1940 he joined

The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's), or A & SH of C, is a Primary Reserve Scottish regiment, Highland infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces, based at John Weir Foote, John W. Foote VC Armoury in Hamilton, Ontario ...

as private and later transferred to

The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada ("In peace prepared") , colours = None (Rifle regiments have no colours) , march = , mascot = , battle_honours = See #Battle honours , website ...

as a Corporal. He was promoted Sergeant while serving as part of the D-day reinforcements in Normandy, France. He was 23 years old and a

sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...

The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada ("In peace prepared") , colours = None (Rifle regiments have no colours) , march = , mascot = , battle_honours = See #Battle honours , website ...

during the

Canadian Army The Canadian Army (french: Armée canadienne) is the command responsible for the operational readiness of the conventional ground forces of the Canadian Armed Forces. It maintains regular forces units at bases across Canada, and is also respo ...

's involvement in the

. On the night of 25–26 February 1945 at Mooshof near

Uedem Uedem is a municipality in the district of Cleves, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located near the border with the Netherlands. Division of the town Uedem consists of 4 districts * Uedem * Uedemerfeld * Keppeln * Uedemerbruch * Brunze ...

, Germany, B and D Coys of The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada led a series of attacks on German strongholds. During the battle his Platoon Commander was killed-in-action and the platoon took heavy casualties. Sergeant Cosens assumed command of the four survivors of his platoon whom he placed in position to give him covering fire. Running forward alone to a tank, he took up an exposed position in front of the turret and directed its fire. When a further counter-attack had been repulsed, he ordered the tank to ram some farm buildings into which the Germans attackers had retreated. He went in alone, killing 22 of the defenders and taking the rest prisoners. He then dealt similarly with the occupants of two more buildings, but was shot by a sniper when he went to report back to superior officers.

Legacy

Aubrey Cosens was mentioned in

Robert Heinlein Robert Anson Heinlein (; July 7, 1907 – May 8, 1988) was an American science fiction author, aeronautical engineer, and naval officer. Sometimes called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was among the first to emphasize scientific accu ...

's ''

Starship Troopers ''Starship Troopers'' is a military science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein. Written in a few weeks in reaction to the US suspending nuclear tests, the story was first published as a two-part serial in ''The Magazine of F ...

'', albeit misspelled.

Little ships, the ones named for foot sloggers: Horatius,
Alvin York Alvin Cullum York (December 13, 1887 – September 2, 1964), also known as Sergeant York, was one of the most decorated United States Army soldiers of World War I. He received the Medal of Honor for leading an attack on a German machine ...
, Swamp Fox, the Rog herself, bless her heart, Colonel Bowie,
Devereux Devereux is a Norman surname found frequently in Ireland, Wales, England and around the English-speaking world. The name may derive as a Norman French rendering of the Welsh name "''Dyfrig''" or "''Dubricius''". This name would have been familia ...
,
Vercingetorix Vercingetorix (; Greek: Οὐερκιγγετόριξ; – 46 BC) was a Gallic king and chieftain of the Arverni tribe who united the Gauls in a failed revolt against Roman forces during the last phase of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars. Despite h ...
, Sandino, Aubrey Cousens, Kamehameha,
Audie Murphy Audie Leon Murphy (20 June 1925 – 28 May 1971) was an American soldier, actor and songwriter. He was one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II. He received every military combat award for valor available from t ...
,
Xenophon Xenophon of Athens (; grc, wikt:Ξενοφῶν, Ξενοφῶν ; – probably 355 or 354 BC) was a Greek military leader, philosopher, and historian, born in Athens. At the age of 30, Xenophon was elected commander of one of the biggest Anci ...
,
Aguinaldo A thirteenth salary, or end-of-year bonus, is an extra payment given to employees at the end of December. Although the amount of the payment depends on a number of factors, it usually matches an employee's monthly salary and can be paid in o ...
--

Grave/memorial at Buried at

Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery and Memorial ( French:''Le Cimetière de Guerre Canadien Groesbeek'', Dutch:''Canadese Oorlogsbegraafplaats Groesbeek'') is a Second World War Commonwealth War Graves Commission military war grave cemetery, locate ...

in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. Plot VIII. row H. Grave 2. Headstone.

References

External links

CWGC: Aubrey Cosens

Legion Magazine article

COSENS, Aubrey

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cosens, Aubrey Cosens,Aubrey Cosens,Aubrey Canadian World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross People from Haldimand County Canadian military personnel killed in World War II Queen's Own Rifles of Canada soldiers Burials at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery Canadian military personnel from Ontario Canadian Army personnel of World War II Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's) soldiers

Military service

Legacy

See also

References

External links