Clifford Coffin

Clifford Coffin
Major General Clifford Coffin
Born	10 February 1870 Blackheath, London
Died	4 February 1959 (aged 88) Torquay, Devon
Buried at	Holy Trinity Churchyard, Colemans Hatch
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1888 - 1924
Rank	Major General
Commands held	25th Infantry Brigade
Battles/wars	Second Boer War World War I
Awards	Victoria Cross Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order & Bar Croix de Guerre (France) Légion d'honneur

Major General Clifford Coffin VC, CB, DSO & Bar (10 February 1870 – 4 February 1959) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

He was 47 years old, and a temporary brigadier general in the Corps of Royal Engineers, British Army, Commander 25th Infantry Brigade during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 31 July 1917 in Westhoek, Belgium, when his command was held up in attack owing to heavy machine-gun and rifle fire, Brigadier-General Coffin went forward and made an inspection of his front posts. Although under the heaviest fire from both machine-guns and rifles and in full view of the enemy, he showed an utter disregard of personal danger, walking quietly from shell-hole to shell-hole, giving advice and cheering his men by his presence. His gallant conduct had the greatest effect on all ranks and it was largely owing to his personal courage and example that the shell-hole line was held.

He later achieved the rank of major general.

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Engineers Museum in Chatham, Kent.

References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• The Sapper VCs (Gerald Napier, 1998)
• VCs of the First World War - Passchendaele 1917 (Stephen Snelling, 1998)

External links

• Royal Engineers Museum Sappers VCs
• Location of grave and VC medal (East Sussex)
• Clifford Coffin at Find a Grave

Biography portal

Persondata
Name	Coffin, Clifford
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	10 February 1870
Place of birth	Blackheath, London
Date of death	4 February 1959
Place of death	Torquay, Devon