Aubrey Cosens' uniform | Exploring SMALL TOWN Canada at War

Aubrey Cosens was born in the small town of Latchford, Ontario. He left school at 17 to work on the Temiskaming & Northern Ontario Railway. Considered too young to sign up when war was declared, he waited until 1940 and then joined the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. He was later transferred to the Queen’s Own Rifles.

By late February of 1945, the Queen’s Own Rifles were fighting their way through Holland, tasked with clearing the small but strategically important hamlet of Mooshof. Cosens’s No. 16 platoon of D Company (Queen’s Own Rifles) was responsible for clearing out three farmhouses where the enemy was putting up strong resistance. After taking heavy casualties, the platoon commander was killed and Sergeant Cosens assumed command of the few remaining survivors. Crossing open ground to retrieve a tank, Cosens ordered the tank to attack the first farmhouse, essentially plowing into the structures to gain access. He then entered and cleared the farmhouse and proceeded to clear the two other farmhouses on his own, killing twenty enemy soldiers and taking another twenty prisoner. Soon after, he was shot through the head by a sniper. He died instantly, killed in action on February 26, 1945 at the age of 24. He was one of only sixteen Canadians to receive the Victoria Cross.

Aubrey Cosens' uniform

Date: 1914 – 1919

Image Description:

Sgt Aubrey Cosens V.C.