THE VICTORIA CROSS AWARDED TO SERGEANT AUBREY COSENS, 1ST BN, QUEEN'S OWN RIFLES OF CANADA, HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED TO THE CANADIAN WAR MUSEUM.
15 January 2025


( select to enlarge )
Medal entitlement of Sergeant Aubrey Cosens,
1st Bn, Queen's Own Rifles of Canada

  • Victoria Cross
  • 1939-45 Star
  • France & Germany Star
  • Defence Medal ( 1939-45 )
  • Canadian Volunteer Service Medal ( 1939-45 )
    • "Maple Leaf" clasp
  • War Medal ( 1939-45 )


"On Monday, 26th February 2024 members of the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Regimental Trust and the Regimental Museum oversaw the transfer of Sergeant Aubrey Cosens' Victoria Cross to the Canadian War Museum. The VC was not accompanied by the campaign medals.

While the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Trust would have been proud to exhibit the Cosens' Victoria Cross the Trust has never been able to display it securely within the regimental museum. As a result the Cross had been held in storage for many years".

A replica Victoria Cross and the original campaign medals are held by the Queen's Own Rifles of Canadan Trust in Toronto and are on display in the regimental museum.


For the award of the Victoria Cross

[ London Gazette, 22 May 1945 ], Moosehof, The Netherlands, 25 - 26 February 1945, Sergeant Aubrey Cosens, 1st Bn, Queen's Own Rifles of Canada

In Holland, on the night of 25th / 26th February, 1945, the 1st Battalion, The Queen's Own Rifles, of Canada, launched an attack on the hamlet of Mooshof, to capture ground which was considered essential for the successful development of future operations.

Sergeant Cosens platoon, with two tanks in support, attacked enemy strong-points in three farm buildings, but were twice beaten back by fanatical enemy resistance and then fiercely counter-attacked, during which time the platoon suffered heavy casualties and the platoon commander was killed.

Sergeant Cosens at once assumed command of the only other four survivors of his platoon, whom he placed in a position to give him covering fire, while he himself ran across open ground under heavy mortar and shell fire to the one remaining tank, where, regardless of danger, he took up an exposed place in front of the turret and directed its fire.

After a further enemy counter-attack had been repulsed, Sergeant Cosens ordered the tank to attack the farm buildings, while the four survivors of his platoon followed in close support. After the tank had rammed the first building he entered it alone, killing several of the defenders and taking the rest prisoner. Single-handed he then entered the second and third buildings and personally killed or captured all the occupants, although under intense machine gun and small arms fire.

Just after the successful reduction of these important enemy strong points, Sergeant Cosens was shot through the head by an enemy sniper and died almost instantly.

The outstanding gallantry, initiative and determined leadership of this brave N.C.O., who himself killed at least twenty of the enemy and took an equal number of prisoners, resulted in the capture of a position which was vital to the success of the future operations of the Brigade.


Aubrey Cosens died during his VC action and is buried in the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Nijmegen.

News

Go to VC UK flag Home Page

Iain Stewart, 15 January 2025