HISTORICAL ACCOUNT LOCATION: Mooshof, Germany DATE: 26 February 1945
COMMENTARY: Operation Blockbuster went in 25 February with the capture of Calcar-Udem Ridge as its goal. This attack rapidly became a desperate struggle for the towns, villages and individual farms that dotted the battlefield. The first rate troops of the 17th and 18th Fallschirmjager Regiments fought fanatically for every yard of ground now that they were defending their homeland. The 8th brigade of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division was having a particularly rough time. In the face of withering fire, Canadian assaults were slowed and halted. At the hamlet of Mooshof, D Company of the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada was stuck in front of their objective after two of their assaults were repulsed by the Fallschirmjager. It was here that 23-year-old Sergeant Aubrey Cosens was about to become a legend to the men of the Queen’s Own. After putting down a sharp German counter-attack, Sergeant Aubrey Cosen’s platoon commander lay dead in the mud and Cosen’s new command numbered only four men. Climbing atop a newly arrived tank, Cosens ordered the tank to charge into the midst of another German counter-attack, which scattered the startled paratroopers. Through a rain of machine gun and mortar fire, Cosens has the tank smash into one of the fortified farm buildings where he jumped off and killed many of the defenders and captured the rest. With his tiny platoon gathering prisoners and providing covering fire, Cosens charged into the second building and found it empty. Covered by the tanks fire Cosens charged into the third building, again killing or capturing its defenders as his awed platoon followed up. D Company was reduced to 36 men, from the 115 that crossed the line at 0430, but German resistance in Mooshof was broken. Sergeant Cosens gave orders to consolidate the position but as he made his way to report to his company commander, Cosens was killed by a sniper. For his outstanding gallantry, initiative and determined leadership that morning, Sergeant Aubrey Cosens was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross
No comments:
Post a Comment