Английская Википедия:George Gosse

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Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Use dmy dates Шаблон:Use Australian English Шаблон:Infobox military person Lieutenant Commander George Gosse, Шаблон:Post-nominals (16 February 1912 – 31 December 1964) was an Australian recipient of the George Cross, the highest award for extraordinary acts of gallantry away from the field of battle that could be awarded to a member of the Australian armed forces at the time. Gosse served in the Royal Australian Navy between 1926 and 1933, reaching the rank of sub-lieutenant and receiving training and experience with the British Royal Navy.

In 1940, he joined the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RANVR) for service in World War II. Quickly sent back to the United Kingdom, he served on several shore establishments before being sent to British India as a naval mine clearance specialist. He returned to the UK in late 1944, and in April 1945 he was given command of a naval party responsible for mine clearance in the recently captured Bremen Harbour in Germany. He displayed exceptional courage in defusing three mines under very difficult conditions between 8 and 19 May 1945, which resulted in him being awarded the George Cross.

Gosse continued to serve in the RANVR after the war, reaching the rank of lieutenant commander before retiring in 1958, and died of a heart condition in 1964. His medal set is displayed in the Hall of Valour at the Australian War Memorial.

Early life and career

George Gosse was born on 16 February 1912 at Harvey, Western Australia, the elder child of William Hay Gosse, a farmer, and his wife Muriel Шаблон:Nee Davidson. He was a grandson of the explorer William Gosse and a nephew of the businessman Sir James Hay Gosse. His father had served in the 2nd South Australian Mounted Rifles in the Second Boer War in South Africa, and joined the British Army as an artillery officer in World War I. He was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry and was killed in action in 1918. Muriel died in 1920; George and his younger sister were then cared for by their paternal grandmother.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn

Gosse was schooled at St Peter's College, Adelaide, South Australia, from 1920 to 1925,Шаблон:Sfn and entered the Royal Australian Naval College (RAN College) at Jervis Bay in 1926,Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn aged 13.Шаблон:Sfn According to a family member he was "so like his father, gay, feckless, fearless and gregarious".Шаблон:Sfn While at the RAN College he excelled at field hockey, and upon graduation in 1930 received the prize for engineering theory. Beginning in January 1930 he served aboard both Australian County-class heavy cruisers, first Шаблон:HMAS then Шаблон:HMAS. He was promoted to midshipman in May of that year. In July 1931, he sailed for the United Kingdom for further training with the British Royal Navy.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn

His first assignment was to the Mediterranean Fleet, aboard the Шаблон:Sclass super-dreadnought battleship Шаблон:HMS. He also attended an air course on the Шаблон:Sclass aircraft carrier Шаблон:HMS, and was familiarised with the employment of destroyers during a stint aboard Шаблон:HMS.Шаблон:Sfn In September 1932 he was promoted to acting sub-lieutenant,Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn and entered the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. The social and sporting temptations of London beckoned, and Gosse's studies suffered. After he failed the examination for lieutenant, he was returned to Australia and his naval career ended on 30 October 1933. Gosse then worked at odd jobs for a few years, and on 1 October 1938 he married Diana Skottowe at his old school chapel.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn The couple had two daughters.Шаблон:Sfn

World War II

On 1 September 1939, the day World War II began, Gosse attempted to rejoin the RAN, but was rebuffed.Шаблон:Sfn Gosse managed to enlist as an ordinary seaman in the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve on 21 October 1940.Шаблон:Sfn He initially underwent training at the shore establishments HMAS Torrens and Шаблон:HMAS, before sailing for the UK in December. After serving at the shore establishment Шаблон:HMS,Шаблон:Sfn in April 1941 he was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant while posted to the shore establishment Шаблон:HMS. He next served at the shore establishment Шаблон:HMS, then in December of that year he was transferred to the Royal Indian Navy shore establishment Шаблон:HMIS in Calcutta, British India, as a naval mine disposal officer. In February 1942 he was promoted to provisional lieutenant. In August he was transferred to the shore establishment HMS Lanka. This was followed by a posting to the shore establishment Шаблон:HMS in Bombay in October 1942.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Although his 1940 annual report had described him as "below average, for whom it was doubtful a niche could be found",Шаблон:Sfn two years later his report indicated that he was reliable and keen, and displayed ingenuity. When faced with difficulties, he was always cheerful, and was "a daring character" who was very interested in mines.Шаблон:Sfn

Файл:George gosse defusing mine.jpg
George Gosse defuses a German mine at Bremen.

Transferred back to the UK in November 1944,Шаблон:Sfn Gosse was posted to the shore establishment Шаблон:HMS at Brixham, Devon, which was the European port clearance diving base for the Royal Navy.Шаблон:Sfn Clearance diving teams were responsible for removing naval mines from British waters, and from the waters of captured ports on the European mainland.Шаблон:Sfn He brought a Japanese mine back with him to the UK, as he considered it would be of use at HMS Vernon.Шаблон:Sfn According to his entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, he was a bit of a "law unto himself" in this period,Шаблон:Sfn but was fascinated with mechanical devices and exhibited inventiveness. He qualified as a shallow-water diver in January 1945.Шаблон:Sfn

Following the capture of Bremen, Germany, in April, Gosse led Naval Party 1571 to the port to clear mines laid by the retreating Germans in the Überseehafen.Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn Prior to being sent forward to Bremen, Gosse had interrogated a German prisoner of war (POW) who had been involved in the demolition of the Überseehafen and its facilities who described a mine known as an "Oyster", which was "impossible to sweep for and could never be rendered safe".Шаблон:Sfn After arriving in Bremen, Gosse risked his life many times in defusing mines. When his divers reported a sighting of what appeared to be a new form of mine, on 8 May Gosse dived himself and verified that it was a "D-type mine with additional fittings", the "Oyster" mine described by the German POW. This mine was pressure-operated, and its detonation train included magnetic and acoustic elements. About 18:00 the next day, Gosse examined the mine by touch, as the visibility was so poor that his waterproof torch was of no use. In order to maintain his depth, he had to tether himself to the mine marker buoy rope. Using tools he had improvised, Gosse interrupted the detonation train by removing the primer release and the primer, which had to be extracted from about Шаблон:Convert down a Шаблон:Convert wide tube. Having made the mine safe, Gosse was releasing his tether when there was a small explosion. Later examination of the mine showed that water had entered the primer tube and actuated a water pressure trigger set to fire the detonator if the mine was raised. Gosse personally defused two more "Oyster" mines at Bremen between 9 and 19 May,Шаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn and in both cases, the detonator fired before the mine reached the surface.Шаблон:Sfn Another officer from Naval Party 1571 said later that "if Gosse hadn't found an answer to the ["Oyster"], Bremen Harbour would have been unusable".Шаблон:Sfn

He was promoted to acting lieutenant commander on 30 September 1945 and was demobilised on 20 March 1946.Шаблон:Sfn For his service in World War II, Gosse was awarded the 1939–1945 Star, the Burma Star, the France and Germany Star, the Defence Medal, the War Medal 1939–1945, and the Australia Service Medal 1939–1945.Шаблон:Sfn

a plain silver cross with a circular medallion in the centre depicting the effigy of St George and the Dragon, surrounded by the words "FOR GALLANTRY"
The George Cross

On 26 April 1946, Gosse's award of the George Cross (GC) was promulgated in The London Gazette. The citation read:Шаблон:Sfn

Шаблон:Blockquote

The George Cross was the highest award for extraordinary acts of gallantry away from the field of battle that could be awarded to a member of the Australian armed forces at the time.Шаблон:Sfn Three days after his GC was promulgated, Gosse was visited at home by a journalist from The Advertiser daily newspaper and was surprised to learn he was to receive an award for doing something he enjoyed so much. He joked, "George Gosse, George Cross. Sounds like a test of sobriety".Шаблон:Sfn

Later life

Gosse was invested with his George Cross in Adelaide on 3 June 1948 by the Governor of South Australia, Lieutenant General Sir Willoughby Norrie. He continued to serve in the RANVR and was substantively promoted to lieutenant commander on 30 June 1955 before retiring in 1958.Шаблон:Sfn He remained an inventive designer, creating many useful domestic gadgets and fittings, but his interest waned once a challenge had been met. According to his entry in the Australian Dictionary of Biography, his work was mostly "unspectacular".Шаблон:Sfn He was president of the Sporting Car Club of South Australia from 1946 to 1948.Шаблон:Sfn

During 1950, Gosse was part of an Australian armed forces recruiting campaign throughout South Australia, before collapsing from nervous strain at a rally in Renmark.Шаблон:Sfn In 1953 he was part of the contingent sent to the UK for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II,Шаблон:Sfn and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.Шаблон:Sfn In 1964, he travelled to the UK for a reunion and joined the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association.Шаблон:Sfn Gosse died of a coronary occlusion at Maslin Beach on 31 December 1964, and was cremated.Шаблон:Sfn The Victoria Cross recipient Brigadier Sir John George Smyth wrote that Gosse "always lived right on top of the world, as though every day was his last".Шаблон:Sfn He is commemorated on the Returned and Services League Walls at the Centennial Park Cemetery in Pasadena, South Australia.Шаблон:Sfn

His medal set is displayed in the Hall of Valour at the Australian War Memorial.Шаблон:Sfn A ward at the former Repatriation General Hospital, Hollywood, in Western Australia (now Hollywood Private Hospital) has been named in his honour.Шаблон:Sfn

Footnotes

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References

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