Sgt Herbert William MOSS, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

Gentlemen,

I have been asked by a friend to assist her in researching her father’s WW2 military service. He was HERBERT WILLIAM MOSS, born 16 Sep 1925, died 26 Apr 2010. According to the 1939 Register he was then a baker’s apprentice living in Sawtry, Hunts. He was the son of John William and Rhoda Mary (nee Harradine) Moss and is believed to have enlisted under-age against his mother’s wishes. (So may have used a false dob?)

His daughter knows he served as a Sergeant with the Argyle & Sutherland Highlander Regiment and landed with them in Normandy on D-Day and went to France, Belgium, and Germany.

She tells me – “I know he was in hospital a long time with what is now PTSD. I know he was leading his group and instead of sending someone forward to do a recce he went himself, but while doing so a shell burst over his men and everyone but him got hit. He ended up as a mess sergeant at battalion HQ Schloss Benkhausen in charge of the officer’s mess.

A Canadian, Colonel Robertson was in charge there and mum & dad used to go to Canada on holiday with them. We weren’t allowed to ask him about what happened to him, and as he got older he got very emotional about it all.”

In order to look at the correct War Diary I have been trying to establish which Battalion Herbert was in, (possibly the re-constituted 2nd, from the 15th?) but haven’t found conclusive proof of that yet.

The daughter THINKS his army number was 14426903, although Herbert’s brother, Walter (who suffers from dementia) thinks it was 422693. So far I have been unable to make sense of either of them.

I have suggested to the daughter that she applies for his SR, but any help or suggestions so we can fill in some of the blanks will be most welcome.

 

Having been unable to help her on a previous occasion I have been approached again by the daughter of the above man who tells me there is now wider family interest in obtaining his Service Record. I have directed her to the appropriate forms but obviously it would help tremendously if she knew his Bn. and Service Number, and so I thought I would try again on her behalf. This is what we know so far:
HERBERT WILLIAM MOSS, born 16 Sep 1925, died 26 Apr 2010. On the 1939 Register he was a baker’s apprentice living in Sawtry, Hunts., son of John William and Rhoda Mary (nee Harradine) Moss. Believed to have enlisted under-age against his mother’s wishes. (So may have used a false dob?)

Served as a Sergeant with the Argyle & Sutherland Highlander Regiment and landed with them in Normandy on D-Day and went to France, Belgium, and Germany.

Daughter tells me – “I know he was in hospital a long time with what is now PTSD. I know he was leading his group and instead of sending someone forward to do a recce he went himself, but while doing so a shell burst over his men and everyone but him got hit. He ended up as a mess sergeant at battalion HQ Schloss Benkhausen in charge of the officer’s mess.

A Canadian, Colonel Robertson was in charge there and mum & dad used to go to Canada on holiday with them. We weren’t allowed to ask him about what happened to him, and as he got older he got very emotional about it all.”

In order to look at the correct War Diary I have been trying to establish which Battalion Herbert was in, (possibly the re-constituted 2nd, from the 15th?) but haven’t found conclusive proof of that yet.

The daughter THINKS his army number was 14426903, although Herbert’s brother, Walter (who suffers from dementia) thinks it was 422693. So far I have been unable to make sense of either of them. If anyone can suggest how I could ascertain his Bn. and regimental number for her I would be very grateful.

 

Although I cannot help you directly, please note that you don't need his service number to apply for his records. A full date of birth will suffice.

Lesley

 

His medal index card and info. Sorry I can't download the original card don't have subscription.

Name Herbert. William Moss.
Rank Sergeant
Award Date 21 Feb 1949
Applicant's Delivery Address The Jetty High St. Sawtry Huntingdon.
Service Group Number 54
Class of Release A.
Service Number 14426903
Regiment A & S. H. Att. C. C. G. B. A. O. R.
Stars/Medals Issued 1939-45; France & Germany; War

 

Member JohnG505 may be able to help with downloading the original medal card for you. I’ve asked him if he can assist.

 

The medal card shows him as being attached to CCG BAOR.
See more about that organization here: Control Commission Germany 1945-49

 

As if by magic (JohnG505’s magic in fact):

 

From this site:

Militärforschung - Abzug der Briten

It seems that Schloss Benkhausen was part of BAOR HQ rather than the A & SH HQ.

 

Thanks for the link, Richard - and the translation!

 

Thanks, Deacs! That is fantastic and I and Sue's family are very grateful to you and Wobbler for this. What a great result - and the stupid thing is I have an Ancestry account and used the WW2 Medal Card page only recently to look up another man's entitlement but it didn't occur to me at the time to use the same source for Herbert... Duhhhh! Old age. Thanks again

 

Wobbler & JohnG505 - Many, many thanks for your super response! All much appreciated by me and Sue's family. Cheers!

 

Service number 14426903 was issued by the General Service Corps where all soldiers from July 1942 did their basic training before going on to their allotted regiment or corps. Soldiers were supposed to retain their initial number through out their time in the army.

To give a better idea of when he joined 14426888 joined 26 Mar 1943, and 14427126 on 29 Mar 1943.
[source: Royal Artillery Tracer Cards on ancestry]

Herbert's number does not appear in the British Army Casualty lists.

Travers

 

That's very helpful, Travers - much appreciated, and the GSC explains why I've had difficulty reconciling some of the apparently 'wrong' Service Numbers in the past! Something else to remember. Pretty conclusive that he joined late March 1943, at which time he would have been 17 years and 7 months old - which I believe does tie in with the family's belief of him enlisting under age against his mother's wishes. Thank you.

 

Glad that ties in with the family knowledge & easy to see how at his real age he could pass for 18 yrs old.

Travers