Clifford Coffin

Biography

Major-General Clifford Coffin was born on 10 February 1870 in Blackheath, London, and became a noted British Army officer. His career covered a time of significant change in military history, including the late Victorian era, the Boer War, and the major conflicts of the twentieth century. He died on 4 February 1959 in Torquay, Devon, just days before his eighty-ninth birthday, having witnessed nearly nine decades of British and world history.

Coffin served as an engineer officer in the British Army, rising to the rank of Major-General. His technical skills and leadership stood out during his military service. His mix of engineering knowledge and battlefield command made officers like Coffin particularly valuable to the British Army, especially during the First World War, when both tactical skill and technical ability were crucial due to the nature of industrial warfare.

His most well-known act of bravery happened during the First World War, earning him the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry available to British and Commonwealth forces. This award placed him among a select group of servicemen recognized for exceptional bravery in battle. Alongside the Victoria Cross, Coffin received several other honors throughout his career, showcasing his personal courage and broader contributions to military operations.

Besides the Victoria Cross, Coffin was named a Companion of the Order of the Bath and received the Distinguished Service Order, both recognizing his sustained service and high-level leadership. His achievements were also acknowledged by allied nations, with France awarding him the Knight of the Legion of Honour and the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918, reflecting the high regard in which he was held internationally and the cooperative nature of Allied efforts during the First World War.

Coffin's long life allowed him to witness the Second World War and its aftermath, living into the late 1950s. His death in Torquay in February 1959 marked the end of a career and life that had been part of some of the most significant military events in British history. He is mainly remembered for his exceptional bravery and the distinguished record he compiled over decades of service to the British Army.