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Stanley Herbert Goss (1924-2011)

Soldier
Service No:311624
Rank:Lieutenant
Squadron:A
Troop:1st
Role:Troop Leader/Tank Commander
Known as:Stan
Service:Gazetted 2/Lieut, 27 Feb 1944.
Wounded:17 Apr 1945
Mentioned in:
23H Story
Page 197, Page 277
Casualty List
Record
Civilian
Residence:76 Hamilton Avenue, Ilford, Essex (1945)
Birth:2 Mar 1924 registered in West Ham, Essex
Death:15 Feb 2011 in Brentwood, Essex
Marriage:to Stella J Mathews registered Jun 1948 in Ilford
Children:2 sons, 1 daughter
Parents
Frank Stanley GossLilian A Pickering
Commercial Artist.
76 Hamilton Avenue, Ilford, Essex (1939).
Birth 22 Oct 1892 in Bethnal Green, London.
Baptism 13 Nov 1892 at St Matthias' church, Bethnal Green.
Death registered Mar 1968 in Colchester, Essex.
Birth 3 Jul 1890.
Marriage

Notes

On the 4th January a battalion of the 6th Airborne Division supported by the Fife and Forfars had battled for the village of Bure, a small village about a thousand yards from the bridge over the River Homme and entirely covering its approaches. The 6th Airborne had suffered two hundred casualties and the Fifes had lost about a dozen tanks in the all day battle. So it was with some apprehension that on the 5th January my troop was to support the Airborne in a further attempt to take Bure. The plan was for First Troop to advance down the road into the village and for the rest of the Squadron to give us covering fire from the high ground. When the time came, the thick mist prevented the Squadron from seeing us, or giving us any assistance in the village. Also they encountered trouble. Sgt. Arthur Huthwaite's tank went up on a mine and Sgt. Ken Roberts was killed by a bazooka. Meanwhile in the village, I led the way, followed by Lt. Goss. He ordered the other two tanks to take a right fork and assist the Airborne troops to clear that area. The main street turned left then right and I had gone some way along when I was informed by an Airborne officer that a German gun was firing into the village from a wood about 1500 yards away to the left. I manouevred the tank between two houses to get a shot in but was unable to locate the gun. Lt. Goss had gone by and reached the edge of the village. There was a loud bang and his tank had been hit and burst into flames. Two members of his crew were killed and one classed as 'missing presumed killed'.

Sgt Bertie McCully, A Squadron

Stan is on the list of those who attended the 23H reunion in 1959.