14420223 Gerald Henry MOSS, 22nd Indep. Coy Parachute Regiment: 10/2/1945

Discussion in 'Airborne' started by Onno van meurs, Sep 11, 2020.

  1. Hello guys
    You all helped me out in the search of charles william Gee 4203587. Thank you all for that. I enjoyed it so mutch to find the puzzle that I now am trying to do it again with a new search
    This time I try to find anything on private Gerald Henry Moss 14420223.
    Here is what I allready know,
    He died 10 february 1945 age 23, son of Joseph and Margret Ann Moss of Breadsall derbyshire. He was burried at Maasbree(nl) I allready found out that there was a fieldhospital in the local school there. and he's reburried in Venray (nl). He was Killed in action.
    At the time of his death his unit was patrolling the Venlo Roermond ( NL) region prior to operation versity.
    This all was the easy part mostly quickly found at the cwgc.org

    Because I want to learn this type of research.... If you find anything... please inform me how you got it .Than I know (learn) what I am doing wrong. I searched the national archives,I found several items, but I can't read the documents. Is that because I live in The netherlands?
    Thank's in advance


    Casualty Details | CWGC
    PRIVATE GERALD HENRY MOSS
    Service Number: 14420223
    Regiment & Unit/Ship: The Parachute Regiment, A.A.C., 22nd Indep. Coy.
    Date of Death: Died 10 February 1945
    Age 23 years old
    Buried or commemorated at VENRAY WAR CEMETERY
    Grave Reference: IV. E. 9.
    Location: Netherlands
    Additional Info: Son of Joseph and Margaret Ann Moss, of Breadsall, Derbyshire.
    Personal Inscription: REQUIESCAT IN PACE
     
  2. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    There is limited personal information in the public domain for those who served in WW2 but it is possible, and recommended, to get official service records from the MOD: Get a copy of military service records

    Family History subscription sites have some military records, Royal Artillery, POW details and casualty lists; this man is recorded in the lists, but note that they do not describe the incidents, as per my post for William Gee.

    Not sure what you have found on TNA, I can't trace anything with his service number or name. The TNA has not digitised all its records and therefore only a few are available without physically visiting, medal citations, for example can generally be downloaded.

    Gerald Moss enlisted with the General Service Corps.
    Army Number Block Allocations
    http://www.corpsofmilitarypolice.org/tools/armynumber?query=14420223

    Other published material are regimental histories or personal accounts written by individuals. Remember that soldiers often transferred between units and therefore the best way to research is to obtain service records and then look for war diaries for the units they were with at particular times.
     
    dbf likes this.
  3. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Hi.
    The 6th Airborne Division were on the Mass river opposite Venlo from Baarlo, Kessel down to Roermond 22nd January - 20th February. I’ve visited the area and am a friend of the Baarlo historical society. I have some maps to show you where 22 Company were located but at this time I don’t have their war diary. Send me a private message with your email address and we can go from there.

    Alex.
     
    BrianHall1963 likes this.
  4. Hi Alex
    thaks for your replay I presume your dutch, me too but for resaerch sake Ill answer in English.
    I have allready cracked the case, private Moss was buried just to the north of house Aarsen,by the way nice story about that house. How do I know...
    When looking at the burielcard from cwgc you always see : original buried at, in this case Maasbree and than some numbers in this case 846086. Than I found some original staff cards from Tegelen and Maasbree is on them. if you look at the first 3 digits and read tham as 84.6
    and the second as 08.6 and look them up at the staffcard .Then you find a bit to the north of house aarsen He was buried there with 6 of his colleges. Un fortunatly my card is 1-25 and if you take a card 1-100 then it even would me more exact.

    Yours
    Onno
     
    BrianHall1963 likes this.
  5. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Hi.
    I’m English! I’ve spent some time in your area researching the movements of the British Airborne troops. I’ve got the correct map for that area. So I guess they are grid references you mean. Please post the link to the CWGC and I’ll have a look at the map.
     
    BrianHall1963 likes this.
  6. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Turns out I do have the war diary. MOSS was wounded on a river crossing and died of wounds. I have a picture of the entry but the file is too big to post here for some reason.
     
  7. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    War diary noting the incident.

    Alex
     

    Attached Files:

    BrianHall1963 likes this.
  8. Wow thanx alex
    just for educational purpose where/ how did you found that
     
  9. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    I have copies of their war diaries. Photographed from the national Archives in London.

    Alex
     
    BrianHall1963 likes this.
  10. Okidokie..i'll keep that in my mind. Have you allready figured out his primirary burial place.. I did at grit 84.6 and 08.6. You can find the map at this forum as part of the chart tegelen it is just north of house aarsen
     
    BrianHall1963 likes this.
  11. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Hi. Yes I have that map on my laptop.
    I didn’t go to that spot when I was there. I concentrated on the forward positions on the river.
     
    BrianHall1963 likes this.
  12. Ka7en

    Ka7en Member

    Iv just joined this site as per the recommendation of onno.

    I came across a photo of the war grave of Gerald Henry Moss after my auntie gave me a box of old photos.
    He must have been my great grandads friend.
    I struggled to find any information on him but thanks to you Alex and onno I have something to go by.
    It's such a shame it really is
     
  13. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Hi.
    happy to help. Were there any photos of him in there?
    Alex
     
  14. Ka7en

    Ka7en Member

    There's photos of his war grave but I'm unsure if there is any if him, theres hundreds of photos. I'll look through again and see if any stand out
     
  15. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Was your relative in the war too?
     
  16. Ka7en

    Ka7en Member

    He was yes.
    Also I can't find any photos of who I assume would be Gerald, I'd love to put a face to the name though
     
  17. Alex1975uk

    Alex1975uk Well-Known Member

    Do you know which regiment?
     
  18. Ka7en

    Ka7en Member

    Yes u do he was in the 1st airborne division
    His names Henry Watkins.
     
  19. Kmharrison

    Kmharrison New Member

    Hello,
    Private Gerald Henry Moss (known as Gerry) was my great uncle (my brother is named after him, in fact).
    I’d be delighted to know what you find out about him.
    My understanding is that after being injured he was looked after for a time by a courageous Dutch family (at great risk to them) and for years afterwards Gerry’s brother Stan used to visit them.
    Stan and my grandfather Brian (Gerry’s youngest brother) have both now died and I’m afraid I don’t know the name of the Dutch family but would love to know.
    Please do let me know what you discover.
    With best wishes,
    K Harrison
     

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