Lawrence Moore Cosgrave
Encyclopedia
Colonel
Lawrence Moore Cosgrave DSO
& Bar
(August 28, 1890 - July 28, 1971) was the Canadian signatory to the Japanese Instrument of Surrender
at the end of World War II
.
, Ontario
, 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
in horse racing's Cosgrave Stables. Lawrence was a 1912 graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada
, student # 851 and subsequently attended McGill University
.
he served as a junior artillery officer in the Canadian Field Artillery in France
. Cosgrave was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
first in 1916 and again in 1918; later Cosgrave was presented with the French Croix de Guerre
.
, China (1925–1935); Melbourne, Australia (1925–1937); and Sydney, Australia (1937–1942).
In World War II
he was the Canadian Military Attache to Australia, S.W.P.A. but his most notable moment came on September 2, 1945 when he was the Canadian representative who signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender
aboard the USS Missouri
. He caused a little known mishap; Colonel Cosgrave inadvertently placed his signature one line too low on the Japanese copy of the documents. He signed on the line for the French Republic. This was attributed to his being blind in one eye. This set off an unfortunate chain whereby each succeeding signer also signed one line too low on that copy of the documents. Air Vice-Marshal Leonard Monk Isitt, the Dominion of New Zealand
representative, left without a blank to sign, had to have his name and country written in at the bottom margin of the document. Cosgrave did not repeat this error on the American copy. The error was "corrected" by General Sutherland who crossed out "French Republic" and wrote in "Dominion of Canada" then made similar corrections for the rest of the document. Both US and Japanese copies of the surrender are on display on the USS Missouri, berthed in Pearl Harbor
, Hawaii
.
L. Moore Cosgrave (Signatory for Dominion of Canada, accepting the Japanese Surrender) knew Mamoru Shigemitsu
(who accepted The Surrender of Japan for the Japanese Emperor and Government) from their diplomatic days in Shanghai, their eyes crossed when Mamoru Shigemitsu boarded the Missouri, they mutually smiled with recognition, and then Mamoru Shigemitsu realized where he was and became stern and serious. They met each other again many years later in London U.K., at the Coronation of Elizabeth II, 1953. (recited by Col. Lawrence Moore Cosgrave DSO, to his Grandson).
Cosgrave claimed that the poem "In Flanders Fields
" by fellow Canadian and friend Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae
was written upon a scrap of paper upon the back of Colonel Cosgrave during a lull in the bombings on May 3, 1915 after he witnessed the death of his friend, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, the day before. The poem was first published on December 8 that year in Punch magazine, London.
On July 28, 1971, Cosgrave died at his home in Knowlton
(Eastern Townships), province of Quebec .
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Lawrence Moore Cosgrave DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
& Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
(August 28, 1890 - July 28, 1971) was the Canadian signatory to the Japanese Instrument of Surrender
Japanese Instrument of Surrender
The Japanese Instrument of Surrender was the written agreement that enabled the Surrender of Japan, marking the end of World War II. It was signed by representatives from the Empire of Japan, the United States of America, the Republic of China, the United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialist...
at the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Early life
Cosgrave was born in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, 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
E. P. Taylor
Edward Plunket Taylor was a Canadian business tycoon and famous breeder of thoroughbred race horses. Known to his friends as "Eddie", he is universally recorded as "E. P...
in horse racing's Cosgrave Stables. Lawrence was a 1912 graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada
Royal Military College of Canada
The Royal Military College of Canada, RMC, or RMCC , is the military academy of the Canadian Forces, and is a degree-granting university. RMC was established in 1876. RMC is the only federal institution in Canada with degree granting powers...
, student # 851 and subsequently attended McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
.
Military service
In World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he served as a junior artillery officer in the Canadian Field Artillery in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Cosgrave was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
first in 1916 and again in 1918; later Cosgrave was presented with the French Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre 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 awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
.
Services To Canada
He served as the Assistant Canadian Government Trade Commissioner in London, England (1922–24); Canadian Trade Commissioner, Wembley, London, England (1924); ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, China (1925–1935); Melbourne, Australia (1925–1937); and Sydney, Australia (1937–1942).
In World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he was the Canadian Military Attache to Australia, S.W.P.A. but his most notable moment came on September 2, 1945 when he was the Canadian representative who signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender
Japanese Instrument of Surrender
The Japanese Instrument of Surrender was the written agreement that enabled the Surrender of Japan, marking the end of World War II. It was signed by representatives from the Empire of Japan, the United States of America, the Republic of China, the United Kingdom, the Union of Soviet Socialist...
aboard the USS Missouri
USS Missouri (BB-63)
|USS Missouri is a United States Navy Iowa-class battleship, and was the fourth ship of the U.S. Navy to be named in honor of the U.S. state of Missouri...
. He caused a little known mishap; Colonel Cosgrave inadvertently placed his signature one line too low on the Japanese copy of the documents. He signed on the line for the French Republic. This was attributed to his being blind in one eye. This set off an unfortunate chain whereby each succeeding signer also signed one line too low on that copy of the documents. Air Vice-Marshal Leonard Monk Isitt, the Dominion of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
representative, left without a blank to sign, had to have his name and country written in at the bottom margin of the document. Cosgrave did not repeat this error on the American copy. The error was "corrected" by General Sutherland who crossed out "French Republic" and wrote in "Dominion of Canada" then made similar corrections for the rest of the document. Both US and Japanese copies of the surrender are on display on the USS Missouri, berthed in Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
L. Moore Cosgrave (Signatory for Dominion of Canada, accepting the Japanese Surrender) knew Mamoru Shigemitsu
Mamoru Shigemitsu
was a Japanese diplomat and politician in the Empire of Japan, who served as the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs at the end of World War II.-Biography:...
(who accepted The Surrender of Japan for the Japanese Emperor and Government) from their diplomatic days in Shanghai, their eyes crossed when Mamoru Shigemitsu boarded the Missouri, they mutually smiled with recognition, and then Mamoru Shigemitsu realized where he was and became stern and serious. They met each other again many years later in London U.K., at the Coronation of Elizabeth II, 1953. (recited by Col. Lawrence Moore Cosgrave DSO, to his Grandson).
Cosgrave claimed that the poem "In Flanders Fields
In Flanders Fields
"In Flanders Fields" is one of the most notable poems written during World War I, created in the form of a French rondeau. It has been called "the most popular poem" produced during that period...
" by fellow Canadian and friend Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae
John McCrae
Lieutenant Colonel John Alexander McCrae was a Canadian poet, physician, author, artist and soldier during World War I and a surgeon during the Second Battle of Ypres...
was written upon a scrap of paper upon the back of Colonel Cosgrave during a lull in the bombings on May 3, 1915 after he witnessed the death of his friend, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, the day before. The poem was first published on December 8 that year in Punch magazine, London.
After the war
Cosgrave's service to Canada continued after the war in various consular posts in Asia; and in the 1950s, his diplomatic career continued in European consular posts. For instance, he was Chargé d'Affaires in Portugal from 1952 through 1955.On July 28, 1971, Cosgrave died at his home in Knowlton
Knowlton
-Places:United Kingdom*Knowlton, Kent a parish in England*Knowlton, DorsetUnited States*Knowlton, Wisconsin, a town in Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States*Knowlton , Wisconsin, a CDP in Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States...
(Eastern Townships), province of Quebec .