On the night of February 25th, 1945, the men of the 1st Bn, The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada, launched an attack near Mooshof, Holland to capture ground from a well entrenched enemy force.
Sgt. Aubrey Cosen's platoon attacked enemy strongpoints 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.
Cosens assumed command of the only other four survivors of his platoon, whom he placed in a position to give him covering fire.
He then ran across open ground under heavy mortar and shell fire towards a friendly tank, mounted it, and ordered it to ram the first building. He then entered it alone, killing several of the defenders and taking the rest prisoner.
Single-handed, he entered the second and third buildings, personally killing or capturing everyone inside while fighting in close quarters and under intense point blank machine gun and small arms fire.
After killing 22 Germans and with all the objectives taken, Cosens was shot through the head by an enemy sniper as he walked out to rejoin his men.
At the age of 21, Sgt. Cosens was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. #ww2 #canada #zerofoxtrot #stayzero