Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Lawrence Vincent Moore Cosgrave, (August 28, 1890 – July 28, 1971) was a

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

soldier, author, diplomat and trade commissioner. He was the Canadian signatory to the

Japanese Instrument of Surrender The Japanese Instrument of Surrender was the written agreement that formalized the surrender of the Empire of Japan, marking the end of hostilities in World War II. It was signed by representatives from the Empire of Japan and from the Allied n ...

at the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. A decorated veteran of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, Cosgrave was twice awarded the

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a Military awards and decorations, military award of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful ...

. He worked as a trade diplomat between the wars. After the

Pacific War The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War or the Pacific Theatre, was the Theater (warfare), theatre of World War II fought between the Empire of Japan and the Allies of World War II, Allies in East Asia, East and Southeast As ...

broke out he served as the Canadian

Military Attache A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily Weapon, armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable ...

to Australia, for the

South West Pacific Area South West Pacific Area (SWPA) was the name given to the Allied supreme military command in the South West Pacific Theatre of World War II. It was one of four major Allied commands in the Pacific War. SWPA included the Philippines, Borneo, the ...

Early life

Cosgrave was born in

Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

, on August 28, 1890. Cosgrave was the son of Lawrence J., founder of Cosgrave & Sons Brewery Company, and brother of James, a partner with

E. P. Taylor Edward Plunket Taylor, Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, CMG (January 29, 1901 – May 14, 1989), was a Canadians, Canadian business tycoon, investor, and philanthropist. He was a famous breeder of Thoroughbred horse racing, r ...

in horse racing's Cosgrave Stables. He was a cousin of W. T. Cosgrave, who is considered to be Ireland's first

Taoiseach The Taoiseach (, ) is the head of government or prime minister of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The office is appointed by the President of Ireland upon nomination by Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legisl ...

. Lawrence was a 1912 graduate of the

Royal Military College of Canada The Royal Military College of Canada (), abbreviated in English as RMC and in French as CMR, is a Military academy#Canada, military academy and, since 1959, a List of universities in Canada#Ontario, degree-granting university of the Canadian ...

, student # 851RMC

post-nominals Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles, designatory letters, or simply post-nominals, are letters placed after a person's name to indicate that the individual holds a position, an academic degree, accreditation ...

are student numbers and/or Military Colleges Alumni club numbers. The numbers are sequential and meaningful to alumni. Honorary graduates start with an H. The earlier alumni were ranked by their examination scores and (only) top candidates would be offered a commission. and subsequently attended

McGill University McGill University (French: Université McGill) is an English-language public research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill University, Vol. I. For the Advancement of Learning, ...

. After he was commissioned as a militia artillery officer, he quickly befriended

John McCrae Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae (November 30, 1872 – January 28, 1918) was a Canadian poet, physician, author, artist and soldier during World War I and a surgeon during the Second Battle of Ypres, in Belgium. He is best known for writing th ...

, who was also an artillery officer from McGill.

World War I

When the First World War broke out, Cosgrave and McCrae volunteered for the

Canadian Expeditionary Force The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF; French: ''Corps expéditionnaire canadien'') was the expeditionary warfare, expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War. It was formed on August 15, 1914, following United Kingdom declarat ...

together, and signed each other’s attestation papers. Cosgrave, apparently signed McCrae's attestation on the wrong line. He served as an artillery officer in the Canadian Field Artillery on the Western Front, where was wounded and blinded in one eye. Cosgrave was twice awarded the

, first in 1916 and again in 1918. His DSO bar citation reading:He fought at the

Second Battle of Ypres The Second Battle of Ypres was fought from 22 April – 25 May 1915, during the First World War, for control of the tactically-important high ground to the east and the south of the Flanders, Flemish town of Ypres, in western Belgium. The ...

alongside McCrae and Lieutenant Alexis Helmer. Later, Cosgrave was presented with the French

Croix de Guerre The (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awarded during World ...

. During the

Battle of Hill 70 The Battle of Hill 70 took place in the First World War between the Canadian Corps and attached units against five divisions of the German 6th Army. The battle took place along the Western Front on the outskirts of Lens in the Nord-Pas-de-Ca ...

, Cosgrave played a role in reconnaissance and intelligence that coordinated the elimination of German artillery, which contributed greatly to Canadian victory in the battle. His first DSO citation noted that he: Cosgrave stated that his friend Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae wrote the poem "

In Flanders Fields "In Flanders Fields" is a war poem in the form of a rondeau, written during the First World War by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. He was inspired to write it on May 3, 1915, after presiding over the funeral of friend ...

" in 20 minutes on a scrap of paper resting on Cosgrave's back. John Scott Cowan of the RMC, writes that this is the "most likely" account of the drafting of "In Flanders Fields". The poem was first published on December 8 that year in the London-based magazine ''Punch''. Cosgrave unveiled the Colonel John McCrae Memorial, at

Boezinge Boezinge (; ) is a village in the municipality of Ypres in the Belgian province of West Flanders. Boezinge can be reached via the N369 road in the direction of Diksmuide. It was an independent municipality until 1977. It hosts the historical bre ...

, Ypres, West Flanders, on October 5, 1963. Cosgrave wrote the book ''Afterthoughts of Armageddon'' (Toronto: S.B. Gundy, 1919), about his experiences during World War I, and dedicated it to "the million dead". One article describes the book "as an account of the emotions Cosgrave and his comrades experienced in the years of grinding horror, poison gas and trench warfare". It was published by his wife Beryl (née Hunter Jones). Cosgrave ended the book with his thoughts when he heard children singing "

Silent Night "Silent Night" () is a popular Christmas carol, composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber to lyrics by Joseph Mohr in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria. It was declared an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO The United Nations Educati ...

" in occupied Germany, the Christmas after the Armistice of 1918. He wrote:Cosgrave finished the war with the rank of lieutenant colonel at only 28. He was demobilized in 1919 and did not pursue an active military career.

Service as a trade commissioner and diplomat

Between the wars Cosgrave served with the Trade and Commerce Department. Cosgrave worked in various consular posts, he then became a senior official with the Trade and Commerce Department and was Canadian trade commissioner in the Orient. He was the Assistant Canadian Government Trade Commissioner in London from 1922 to 1924; Canadian Trade Commissioner at the

British Empire Exhibition The British Empire Exhibition was a colonial exhibition held at Wembley Park, London England from 23 April to 1 November 1924 and from 9 May to 31 October 1925. Background In 1920 the Government of the United Kingdom, British Government decide ...

Wembley Park Wembley Park is a district of the London Borough of Brent, England. It is roughly centred on Bridge Road, a mile northeast of Wembley town centre and northwest from Charing Cross. The name Wembley Park refers to the area that, at its broad ...

in 1924; at

Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...

from 1925 to 1935; at Melbourne from 1935 to 1937; and at Sydney from 1937 to 1942. Cosgrave's post as trade commissioner in Shanghai was according to Trade and Commerce second in importance only to London. He was the ''de facto'' ambassador, chief Canadian presence in China and an important figure in early Canada-China relations (Canada would not establish embassies until the 1940s). He made contacts with top ministers of the Nationalist regime in

Nanjing Nanjing or Nanking is the capital of Jiangsu, a province in East China. The city, which is located in the southwestern corner of the province, has 11 districts, an administrative area of , and a population of 9,423,400. Situated in the Yang ...

, reorganized the trade office and "promoted Canadian prestige through a vast social and business network" in the Shanghai international community. He became a member of the illustrious Shanghai Club and joined the

Shanghai Volunteer Corps The Shanghai Volunteer Corps (SVC) (1853−1942) was a multinational, mostly volunteer force controlled by the Shanghai Municipal Council which governed the Shanghai International Settlement. History The Shanghai Volunteer Corps was created on ...

. The ''

North China Daily News The ''North China Daily News'' (in Chinese: ''Zilin Xibao''), was an English-language newspaper in Shanghai, China, called the most influential foreign newspaper of its time. History The paper was founded as the weekly ''North-China Herald'' ...

'' drew a caricature of him and wrote: On April 29, 1932, during a celebration for the birthday of Emperor

Hirohito , Posthumous name, posthumously honored as , was the 124th emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, from 25 December 1926 until Death and state funeral of Hirohito, his death in 1989. He remains Japan's longest-reigni ...

in Shanghai, a Korean independence activist threw a bomb that killed or wounded several Japanese officials. Cosgrave, a bystander, came to the assistance and possibly saved the life of

Mamoru Shigemitsu was a Japanese diplomat who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs three times during and after World War II and as Deputy Prime Minister. As a civilian plenipotentiary representing the Japanese government, Shigemitsu cosigned the Japanese In ...

, who would become the Japanese Foreign Minister at the end of World War II. Amid growing safety concerns in Shanghai due to political instability and conflict, along with the city's muggy weather, hectic living conditions, dirty streets, and artificial social life, Cosgrave requested reassignment and was transferred to Melbourne in 1934.

World War II

Lawrence Moore Cosgrave signs formal surrender

Cosgrave returned to military service in 1942. During

he was the Canadian Military Attache to Australia, for the

. He was chosen as the Canadian representative at the official surrender of Japan and on September 2, 1945, signed the

on behalf of Canada aboard the battleship USS ''Missouri'' in Tokyo Bay. When his turn to sign came, Cosgrave inadvertently placed his signature one line too low on the Japanese copy of the documents, signing on the line for the French Republic. This was attributed to his being blind in one eye, through an injury sustained in the First World War. Japan Instrument of Surrender 2 September 1945

Japan Instrument of Surrender 2 September 1945

The problem was easily corrected, by US General Richard Sutherland who crossed out "French Republic" and wrote in "Dominion of Canada" under Cosgrave's signature, then made similar corrections for the rest of the document.Ellwand, Geoff
"Making a mess of history,"
CBC News. April 27, 2006. Air Vice-Marshal Leonard Monk Isitt, the Dominion of

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

representative, left without a blank to sign, had to have his name and country written in at the bottom margin of the document. The Japanese delegates accepted the corrected copy. Cosgrave did not repeat this error on the Allied copy. Cosgrave knew Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu, who signed the instrument of surrender on behalf of the Japanese Emperor and Government, from their diplomatic days in Shanghai. It is reported that their eyes met when Mamoru Shigemitsu boarded the ''Missouri'', they both smiled with mutual recognition, before Shigemitsu once more became stern and serious. They met each other again a number of years later in London at the

Coronation of Elizabeth II The Coronation of the British monarch, coronation of Elizabeth II as queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms took place on 2 June 1953 at Westminster Abbey in London. Elizabeth acceded to the throne at the age of 25 upon th ...

in 1953.

After the war

Cosgrave retired from the military in 1946 and began working for the Commerce Department again. He held various consular posts in Asia; and in the 1950s, his diplomatic career continued in European consular posts. He served as

Chargé d'Affaires A (), plural ''chargés d'affaires'', often shortened to ''chargé'' (French) and sometimes in colloquial English to ''charge-D'', is a diplomat who serves as an embassy's chief of mission in the absence of the ambassador. The term is Frenc ...

in Portugal from 1952 to 1955. On July 28, 1971, Cosgrave died at his home in Knowlton (Eastern Townships), province of Quebec where he had previously settled. Decades after Cosgrave's death, social media of the Canadian armed forces, posted a series of tweets in September 2020, emphasizing the importance of his military career. They included these two: "Who among us was awarded two Distinguished Service Orders for gallantry in action during WWI?" and "Who among us was awarded a Croix de Guerre?".

Notes

References

* * Preston, Adrian (RMC 4237). and Peter Dennis. (1976)
''Swords and Covenants.''
London:

Croom Helm Routledge ( ) is a British multinational publisher. It was founded in 1836 by George Routledge, and specialises in providing academic books, journals and online resources in the fields of the humanities, behavioural science, education, law, an ...

; Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield. * Preston, Richard Arthur (RMC H16511). (1991)
''To Serve Canada: A History of the Royal Military College of Canada.''
Ottawa:

University of Ottawa Press The University of Ottawa Press () is a bilingual university press located in Ottawa, Ontario. It publishes approximately 25-30 books annually in both English and French. The UOP is the only fully bilingual university publishing house in Canad ...

. (cloth) * Preston, Richard Arthur (1970)
''Canada's RMC -- A History of Royal Military College,''
2nd edition, 1982. Toronto:

University of Toronto Press The University of Toronto Press is a Canadian university press. Although it was founded in 1901, the press did not actually publish any books until 1911. The press originally printed only examination books and the university calendar. Its first s ...

. (cloth) * Preston, Richard Arthur (1968)
''R.M.C. and Kingston: The Effect of Imperial and Military Influences on a Canadian Community.''
Raleigh, North Carolina:

Duke University Press Duke University Press is an academic publisher and university press affiliated with Duke University. It was founded in 1921 by William T. Laprade as The Trinity College Press. (Duke University was initially called Trinity College). In 1926 ...

; see ''Ontario History.'' Vol. 60, pp. 105–123. September 1968.

Kingston, Ontario Kingston is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the northeastern end of Lake Ontario. It is at the beginning of the St. Lawrence River and at the mouth of the Cataraqui River, the south end of the Rideau Canal. Kingston is near the Thousand Islands, ...

. * Smith, R. Guy C. (RMC H1877). (1984). ''As You Were! Ex-Cadets Remember,'' Vol. I, 1876–1918; Volume II, 1919-1984.

: RMC. The R.M.C. Club of Canada.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cosgrave, Lawrence Moore 1890 births 1971 deaths Canadian Expeditionary Force officers Canadian Army personnel of World War II Royal Military College of Canada alumni Canadian recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France) Canadian Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Ambassadors of Canada to Portugal McGill University alumni People from Old Toronto Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery officers Military personnel from Toronto Military attachés Canadian colonels