2nd Lieutenant John George Cosson, DCM, 48th Battalion AIF
Australian War MemorialJohn “Jack” Cosson was born on 8 April 1866 at Barnes, in London, England, to Eliza and John Cosson senior. When Jack was 8 years old, the family moved to Western Australia.
In 1896, he moved to Coolgardie where he opened a business making tents. He met Elizabeth Mackenzie and they married in 1900. They had five children before relocating to Kalgoorlie and then Fremantle where he was working as a tobacconist by 1914.
Cosson was 49 years old when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 12 May 1915. He embarked with 16th Battalion in June 1915.
Private Cosson arrived on Gallipoli in August, just days before his first major battle at Lone Pine. Anzac troops attacked Turkish defensive positions on 6 August 1915. The Turkish trenches were protected by pine logs, severely hindering the Australian advance. They were forced to break through the logs and engage the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. Four days of intense fighting followed with over 2,000 Australian casualties.
Among these casualties was Private John Cosson, who was wounded to his left thigh on the second day of the battle.
He was evacuated to the 2nd Australian General Hospital in Cairo for two months, re-joining his unit on Gallipoli in October, where they were defending the Allies’ front lines. For his action here, Private Cosson was later awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for leadership and patrol work.
By end 1915, the Allies started evacuating from Gallipoli. Cosson was among the last to leave. On 15 December, he wrote in his diary: “There is something in the wind as men are being sent away in dribs and drabs. If the Turks knew how few men were here they would certainly have a go and would cause some trouble.…”
Cosson returned to Egypt, where on New Year’s Day 1916, he was promoted to Corporal. In April, he was commissioned to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant before being transferred to the newly-formed 48th Battalion.
Cosson arrived on the Western Front with his new battalion in June 1916. His first major action was near the village of Pozières where the allies were attempting to capture the high ground.
On 7 August 1916, the 48th Battalion was under a heavy counter-attack. During the fighting, Lieutenant Cosson and his men captured 10 enemy prisoners. He sent his men and the prisoners back into the trenches and returned to no man’s land.
One hour later, he was hit by shell fire and was killed in action.
His comrade wrote to Cosson’s brother: “I don’t think there is an officer in the Australian Army better loved by his men or more game. I believe his mates say he did not know what fear was… you can tell his wife and children that he was a soldier.”
John Cosson was 50 years old.
Meghan Adams, Researcher, Military History Section
- Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RCDIG0000153
