DECORATION REFUSED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1989, 12 June 1919, Page 3

DECORATION REFUSED.

A MILITARY “M.8.E.” CAPTAIN COSSGROYE’S ATTITUDE. “ONLY PERFORMED HIS DUTY.” The lengthy list of King’s"'Birthday honours recently published contained the name of Captain D. C. W, Cossgrove, who throughout the waroccupied the position of director of recruiting, and who was responsible for the whole of the recruiting work in connection with the raising, of reinforcements for 1 the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Captain Cossgrove, in common with a large number of non-combatant military officers, was appointed* a member of the British Empire Order, He has now written to His Excellency the Governor-General as follows: —

“Your Excellency, I have the honour to aeknoAvledge receipt of Your Excellency’s telegram of the 3rd inst., in which you ask me to accept the hearty congratulations of Her Excellency and yourself on the honour Avhich His Majesty the King has graciously been pleased to confer upon mo. In reply, I regret that I must decline the honour, and I trust that Your Excellency will take such steps as may be necessary to have my name expunged from the roll of members of the British’Empire. My reason for this step is that, as the Government of Ncav Zealand saw lit to retain me compulsorily in Ncav Zealand during the period of the Avar Avith Germany —thus refusing to permit me to serve His Majesty in the field—l cannot accept a mvard for doing what little lay in my power on home service in the Dominion. No honour that can be conferred upon me Avill recompense me for the loss of seeing active service in the Avar of 1914-19.18. —I have the honour to tie Your Excellency’s most obedient servant, D. C. W. Cossgrove..”