CANADIAN EARLY OFFICERS' DECORATION

[Mervyn Mitton]

The placing of this award has had me thinking where is the correct place to post ?

Whilst it is Canadian in origin - never-the-less , it is a British award - not a more recent Country issue. I think that has to be our criteria.

This is a lovely boxed Volunteer Officer's Decoration. The hallmarks are for 1909 - King Edward 7th. - and since it was discontinued in 1908, this has to be one of the last issued. The original box is un-named, however, the hallmarks are for Garrards.

The original Decoration was Instituted on the 25th. July 1892. The purpose of the Award was to reward Officers with 20 years of Commissioned service in the Volunteer Forces. From 1894 it was extended to similar Forces overseas.

From 1908 the Volunteer Forces were superseded by the Territorial Army - and this award was dropped. There were eventually a number of replacements put into place - including the beautifully named ' Permanent Forces of the Empire beyond the Seas'.

Sometimes, these Decorations are privately named - but, not this one. However - there is a label on the reverse of the box giving the officer's name and his Canadian unit. I will be grateful for any information that we can find on him - or, his unit ?

[Mervyn Mitton]

Closer view of the front and the fine detail. Note the Royal Cypher for Edward 7th.

[Mervyn Mitton]

The un-named reverse. Only hallmarks and makers initials.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Name on reverse of box

[jeffskea]

Hello Mervyn this is what I found but it poses a few questions:

http://www.dnw.co.uk...so?itemid=67176

Rex Frederick Reginald Cosh born 26 Jan 1894 in Gananogue, Ontario - above is the link from Dix Noonan and Web auctions with his full medals and biography for sale in March 2009 - One issue though he wouldn't have qualified for the E.VII.R VD or TD if he was born in 1894 - he was awarded the Colonial Auxilliary Forces Long Service Medal instead of the Decoration as a Lt in 1927 wth the Ottawa Highlanders and the Efficiency Decoration as a Major in 1933 - his miniature set had a E.VII.R Medal though so kind of an interesting situation.

The CAFLSM was awarded to NCOs for 20 years service with war service counting double so if he received it in 1927 then he would have had to join around 1911 at 17 years old if my math is correct. I don't understand the ED being awarded in 1933 as it required 20 yrs service (again war counted double enlisted service counted half) - so it would make more sense that he be awarded it during WWII in which he also served.

For Canada, the Volunteer Decoration was awarded between 1894-1901 when it was superseded by the Colonial Auxilliary Forces Officers Decoration awarded til 1930 when the Efficiency Decoration was then established.

The Territorial Decoration was awarded from 1908 to 1930 but to Territorial Officers in the UK only - as it was still around in 1930 perhaps there was some misunderstanding and he thought he was entitled to it - it looks similar to the VD above except it had a yellow strip down the middle like its ED successor but no top brooch. Or perhaps he joined before 1911 and wanted to wear a decoration that showed he served under the reign of King Edward VII? Regardless he never wore it with his other medals as it was never included in his mounted set of 10. Maybe it was his father's.

The Permanent Forces of the Empire Beyond the Seas Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is a very interesting award but only Regular force NCOs and men were eligible (From all three services land, sea and air), it being replaced by the appropriate Service Long Service and Good Conduct Medals - in 1932 for the Army - 1925 for the RCN LSGC and 1944 for the RCAF LSGC.

A little confusing of a situation but very interesting and intriguing - glad to hear any other theories.

Jeff

Edited August 29, 2011 by jeffskea

[jeffskea]

In addition the Ottawa Highlanders are the predecessors of the current Canadian Army Reserve unit called the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa. They were named the Ottawa Highlanders from 1922-33 specifically so it sounds like the right man for sure. That unit has held many different names since its foundation around 1856 but I suppose you can rule out the decoration belonging to his father as the Ottawa Highlanders were not around during the reign of Edward VII under that name.

Jeff

Edited August 29, 2011 by jeffskea

[jeffskea]

Just brainstorming some more but regarding Maj Cosh not quite qualifying for his Efficiency Decoration yet in 1933 I suspect that as a senior militia officer in the early '30s upon hearing about the new ED awarded to officers for long service and seeing that enlisted service counted half, etc, he assumed all his previously earned service on his CAFLSM re-qualified - it actually adds to a further 20 yrs if u divide by half add 4 war yrs and his 6 yrs as an officer. Some administrative misunderstanding but I'm sure it happened back then.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Jeff - thankyou for that information and interesting that DNW had it for sale in 2009. Dan IM'd to tell me that the group of ten had been in a Canadian auction in 2010 - so, they didn't take long to try and make a profit.

I have a feeling that this could well have been his Father's - then the dates would fit-in. I actually bought it for the boxed Decoration and only later saw this name on a piece of paper on the reverse of the box. Perhaps the family labelled it to show it as a bequest and that it belonged to R.F.R. Cosh - the Father could have had very different initials - and perhaps was in a different unit ?

Should it turn out to be untraceable, it is not a 'train smash' - being one of the last issued makes it a collectable Award. However, if anyone could find out if there are any details on his Father - that could make interesting history, as we will be going back to the mid-1880's ?

Thankyou Jeff and Dan. Mervyn

[jeffskea]

Hi Mervyn, for the father his name is Eli George Cosh born in Scotland 1866 died 1937. He was a Tailor in Ganaoque, Ontario. no mention of any Militia service but there is a wealth of info on ancestry for both father and son.

[Mervyn Mitton]

So, Jeff - that leaves the Father out of the picture. The question we will never be able to answer ? Perhaps he bought it thinking he was due an extra award - but the Edward 7th Cypher would always have made it impossible to wear . The only other explanation I can think of, is that he collected medals?

I will leave the name label on the reverse - someone in the future may find the answer. Meanwhile my sincere thanks for taking the trouble to look all of this up. Mervyn

[peter monahan]

Just brainstorming some more but regarding Maj Cosh not quite qualifying for his Efficiency Decoration yet in 1933 I suspect that as a senior militia officer in the early '30s upon hearing about the new ED awarded to officers for long service and seeing that enlisted service counted half, etc, he assumed all his previously earned service on his CAFLSM re-qualified....

Or he just decided that it was such a lovely decoration that he had to have one! I'd have been tempted myself: the ED is one of the most aesthetically beautiful British awards, IMHO. As to administrative mix-ups and such, I wish I had a beer for every Legion guy I've met or heard of who added a medal to his group because, "except for the *&##^$ regulation, I earned it fair and square"! Drives we logical types crazy when we can't make the group fit the regulations.

Let me know if you get tired of that one, Mervyn.

Peter

Edited August 30, 2011 by peter monahan

[Mervyn Mitton]

Hi - Peter - I fully agree with you - it is a lovely design. I think if he was going to add it to his group of ten it would have looked wrong with the Cypher.

Would you really be interested ? Mervyn

p.s. Are you planning to enter the 2011 Photo Comp. in mid-September. If not - I am desperate for senior members to act on two panels - each of 3 members - for judging entries ?

[jeffskea]

Hi Peter I agree as wellthe ED and VD are attractive medals for sure and stood out much more than a plain medal and you are probably very right he simply wanted one and had his twenty years in to justify it to himself!

Still can't help but notice his miniature set included an EVII CFALSM so I suspect he was still up to something with the EVII VD anyhow in the end the man served a very long time for his country spanning pre-WW1 to at least WWII maybe even longer, so it just makes for an interesting story, fun to speculate and wonder of the man's personality.

Thanks Mervyn for posting this interesting medal and the man connected to it in some way.

[miaoulx]

Hello all ('-') ... This belonged to my grandfather. His name was Rex Frederick Reginald Cosh, and yes, he was from Gananoque (with a 'q'), Canada. His father Eli George Cosh came to Canada as a boy, worked for a Montreal furrier for a while and then set up a tailoring business in Gananoque.

Rex earned all his medals in long service (over both wars... I'm not sure how these got on the market!). He married my grandmother in England and they made the journey to Canada in 1918 or 1919. Like his father, he was fond of fishing and hunting and crafting things; he cut down and stripped a number of cedars at our cabin at Wolf Lake and built all our cabin's furniture using the stripped raw branches. He was a painter as well... watercolours.

He had three children: two girls, and a son, Digby Cosh who went to RMC and flew Spitfires and Wildcats.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Hello, Miaoulx - a great pleasure to welcome you to our Forum and to find out that the name on the box was for your Grandfather. Your Grandfather had distinguished service and a very good set of medals - I doubt if we will ever know why he had this one ? Certainly the Decoration was too early for him to have had it awarded. I wonder who sold the Group - unfortunately, executors of wills often act without consulting all family members - which is a difficult thing to do, and of course they have no automatic right to them.

Dan, one of members did tell me the name and date of the auction - they might be willing to pass a letter from you, to the purchaser and you could ask if they wished to sell - however, they will be expensive.

I hope that you will continue as an active member now that you have joined - someone must have mentioned to you about this post ? Strangely, this is by far from being the first time that relatives have turned-up from posts. Let us know if we can assist any further ? Mervyn

[miaoulx]

Thank you Mervyn!

In fact I stumbled upon this forum while I was looking for information about Rex's father and joined simply to respond. I'm happy to know that his medals are well appreciated, and I am happy to find any trace of my grandfather (and in South Africa too! One of my favourite authors is the South African naturalist Eugene Nielen Marais!). Photos of Rex are online.

[miaoulx]

Hello Mervyn this is what I found but it poses a few questions:

http://www.dnw.co.uk...so?itemid=67176

Rex Frederick Reginald Cosh born 26 Jan 1894 in Gananogue, Ontario

Ah yes, the birthdate in that bio is off by two years. He was born at the beginning of 1892, so would be two years older. Cheers all!

[Nightbreak]

Hi, guys.

Thought I'd chime in here, as I'm the current possessor of Cosh's set of ten and his miniatures. I have a theory as to how the EDVII ended up in the box, too, although there's no way to verify it. Is it possible that the EDVII belongs to another and the case is merely Cosh's? Cosh has the George V ED in his set here.

Miaoulx: If you want to contact me at all, I'm reachable. I picked up Rex Cosh's set of ten from Fraser Medals in Stouffville, ON.

[miaoulx]

.......I have a theory as to how the EDVII ended up in the box, too, although there's no way to verify it. Is it possible that the EDVII belongs to another and the case is merely Cosh's? Cosh has the George V ED in his set here.....

Hiya Nightbreak! The EDVII is likely to either be Rex's or from someone on Rex's or his wife's side of the family. Still working on it! I'm guessing you picked the medals up some time around 2009? Cheers...

[Nightbreak]

Actually, no. I bought them this summer of 2011. Let me go through things a bit more thoroughly now with notes and paperwork. The answer has to be in here somewhere.

I also note that Digby Cosh was awarded the DSC & was MiD.

[miaoulx]

I also note that Digby Cosh was awarded the DSC & was MiD.

Yes, Dig was killed diving at Goswick (probably a low-altitude stall) just after learning he'd been awarded the DSC and Rex picked it up on his behalf.

[Nightbreak]

If anything, Rex wouldn't have gotten the EDVII VD, but the CAFOD, even though he enlisted in 1914 with four priors years experience. But that's the odd thing about the Camerons & the Ottawa Highlanders. I've seen two other sets to them that have both the ED and the CD. They're long lasting, these Highlanders.

[Nightbreak]

Gentlemen: The DNW auction listing at the end states : "Sold with copied research and with case of issue for Efficiency Decoration (Canada)." However, I have no such case. At some point, these items parted ways, perhaps with whomever purchased them from DNW and before they ended up in southern Ontario.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Hi - Nightbreak - welcome to GMIC. Your posts are quite fascinating and would seem to have brought a conclusion to this mystery. As I understand your description - when the medals were fully mounted the Efficiency box was left empty . The new owner then used it for the 1909 Decoration as they are both oval and the Dec. would have fitted.

Seems very logical and does explain things. I do hope you will continue as an active member - your collection will be of interest to our members and very suitable for the main medal forum. Please let Brian or, myself know if we can be of any help. Mervyn

[Nightbreak]

Thanks, Mervyn. I've been a 'member' for a bit, but I'm more active on the BMF, although I'd be happy to contribute more around here.