Alfred Hannibal Cosh was a farmer who played for Brisbane club Wallabies in 1912. He was also a champion boxer, winning the Queensland welterweight crown in 1915. He stayed involved in both sports after he enlisted in early 1916. Cosh won a series of boxing victories in weekly bouts provided to entertain the troops at Enoggera. He also appeared for the Chermside Signalling school soccer team in a 4-all draw against a Brisbane representative team.
At the time of enlistment Cosh had been married to Margaret Purchase with a daughter while another child was born after his departure. Cosh left for the war in September 1916 where he was initially assigned to the 4th Pioneer Battalion. He was not sent to the front, instead being assigned to run a Physical Training and Bayonet Fighting course at Tidworth. When Cosh was sent to Aldershot to attend a training course for the teachers, his performance was praised as being “very good”.
A promotion to corporal followed in September until his rise came to a halt with a court martial in November. Cosh’s infraction is unclear, but he was sentenced to 36 days detention, fined and demoted, before being sent to France to finally join up with the 4th Pioneer Battalion. Cosh managed to regain his rank of Corporal in August 1918 and returned to Australia in April 1919.
He soon returned to boxing. His life over the next two decades can be pieced together from his enlistment and discharge forms for the second war. At some stage Cosh and Margaret separated, and he fathered another child in 1928 with Nora Deen, his long-term de facto partner who already had a daughter. He worked in a lead mine for three years and was a cook for shearers, canecutters and miners for a decade, while having a parallel career as an engine driver. He had also completed an apprenticeship as a pastry cook.
He initially attempted to enlist in 1940 as a Drill Instructor, citing his experience in the first war, but this appears rejected. It also appears he lied about his age, stating he was born in 1896, rather than 1890. In 1941 he was accepted as a cook for the RAAF and was posted in Evans Heads and Sandgate until his discharge on medical grounds in 1943. His medical report stated a diagnosis of arteriosclerosis and emphysema. While his medical report stated he was “useless for air force duties”, his discharge report stated his conduct and character was “very good”.
Cosh passed away in 1969.