Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From Michael Ganey,
Montbrehain centenary of liberation 5 Oct 2018

COSSON Harry.
59th Battalion
Service No. 5363.
Auvers-sur-Oise Communal Cemetery.
GPS Latitude: 49.07492
Longitude: 2.17826.

Harry Cosson was born to Henry and Mary-Ann Cosson in 1897 near Mount Eccles in South Gippsland Victoria. He was one at least eleven children.

He was eighteen years of age when he enlisted at Leongatha on the 13th December 1915. He then spent some time at Royal Park in Melbourne, before he was sent to Egypt where he was assigned to the newly formed 59th Battalion on the 24th of May 1916.

The battalion arrived in Marseilles on the 30th of June 1916 and it boarded trains bound for Northern France. On the 1st of July he was moving from one carriage to another by walking on the footboards outside of the carriage, when the train passed under a bridge, which knocked Harry from the train. It was later reported that he fell under the train wheels and was killed instantly. The train was stopped for some time and then it had to continue its journey north.

He was buried by the people of Auvers-sur-Oinse, who took the responsibility for his burial and they buried him with ‘Military Honours’ in their communal cemetery on the 3rd of July. They later supplied a marble column for his Headstone.

In the mean time, a Board of Enquiry was not held until the 6th of August 1916. This was after the battalion had been part of the costly attack on Fromelles on the 19th July. The Board of Enquiry found that Harry was killed accidently.

Harry’s grave, was not registered by the Imperial War Graves Commission until October 1922, and there are no other World War 1 Commonwealth burials in this cemetery. His mother paid for and supplied an inscription to be placed on his headstone. However, the War Graves Commission have never replaced his tomb with their standard war graves headstone and therefore, the inscription was never placed on his grave.

On the 8th of July 1944, an Avro Lancaster Bomber from 207 Squadron R.A.F. crashed nearby and three of the crew were killed. Some of the crew escaped while others were captured. The people of Auvers-sur-Oise again were left to bury the bodies of those airmen who were killed. The local ‘resistance’ also became involved and when the airmen were interred, the ‘resistance’ left a plaque with images of the American, English, French and Russian Flags. This infuriated the local Gestapo and they arrested five men from the village and they were sent to concentration camps. They were never seen again.
This quiet little French cemetery also has the graves of Vincent Van Gough and his brother, Theodore.

"The following letter has been received by Mr H. Cosson in connection with the accidental death of his son in France. The letter was sent by Maurice de Gossellin; Chateau d'Auvers, Auvers sur Oise, Seine-a-Oise, to Private Cosson's aunt in Scotland, and then forwarded to Mr Cosson at Mount Eccles:

Having found your name, as his aunt, in Private Harry Cosson's note-book, I think it is my duty to let you know, although I am very sorry to do so, that he met with a fatal accident while he wvas travelling to the front. (Private Harry Cosson, No. 5363, H.I., 59th Battalion, 13th Brigade). On Saturday last, 1st of July, he was found dead near the station ot Auvers-sur-Oise, Seine-et-Oise, France, having fallen accidentally from the train that was running at a pretty high speed, his body being almost cut in two. He certainly did not suffer, for he was killed on the spot. His funeral took place on Monday last, 3rd of July, and was attended by a great many people. He was buried with military honors in the cemetery of Auverssur-Oise, and his family will easily find his grave if required. Notice has, of course been given to the military authorities, but I thought you could write this very sad news to his parents better than I could do myself, so as to soften the first shock, and let themn know the particulars of the fatal accident. Would you kindly write me the full name of his parents, and the exact age of Harry Cosson if you know it. Hoping you will find in this letter a proof of tihe sympathy we all feel for the family of this brave soldier." - from the Leongatha Great Southern Star 03 Oct 1916 (nla.gov.au)