Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

3371 Lieutenant Frederick George Goss             

Frederick Goss was born in Manoora on 3rd July 1982. Frederick was a son of Francis and Elizabeth (nee Mahood) Goss. Francis Goss had established a shoemaker and mixed store business in Manoora between 1872 and 1896. Frederick was apprenticed as an architect with the firm of William and Good in Adelaide and by the time he enlisted in 1915 was married to Jean with one child and living at 52 Kensington Road, Rose Park.

At the age of 32, Frederick enlisted on 2 August 1915 and in September was attached to No2 Section 6th Field Company Engineers and soon promoted to Corporal. He embarked from Sydney aboard HMAT A40 Ceramic on 23 November 1915. After landing in Egypt he was transferred to 4th Division Engineers at Moascar before being admitted to hospital at Serapeum in April. He rejoined his unit 3 days later.

In June Frederick embarked from Alexandria aboard the SS Oriana and disembarked seven days later at Marseilles in France. His unit was about to join the British Expeditionary Force in Europe. After 3 months active service in France Frederick was admitted sick to hospital and a week later was invalided from Calais to England. Here he was admitted to the Keighley War Hospital suffering from myalgia. He spent over a month in Keighley War Hospital before being discharged and granted furlough. Finally in February of 1917 he marched out of No1 Convalescent Depot at Perham Downs.

Frederick does not appear to have returned to France but his work in England was to map the cemeteries, showing the graves of Australian soldiers.

In September 1917 Frederick was promoted to Acting Sergeant. Ten months later he was admitted to Delhi Military Hospital for a month with influenza. He was discharged to a Training battalion. In November Frederick was transferred to the AIF Education Service Training School at Cambridge where he was appointed Second Lieutenant. He marched out to report to the Deputy Assistant Adjutant General in London at the end of November and was then attached to the Heavy Artillery Training Depot at Devonport as the Education Officer. In January he marched out to the Australian Army Medical Corps Training Depot at Fovent where he spent a month and a half before being attached to the 3rd Training Battalion at Tidwith. Three days later he was admitted to the Delhi War Hospital for nine days with laryngitis. Five days after being discharged he marched out to Reserve Brigade Australian Artillery at Heytesbury as Education Officer. Two weeks into this posting he was admitted to 1st Australian General Hospital at Sutton Very with pleurisy. He was discharged nine days later.

Frederick was granted leave from the 4th June 1919 until the 4th November 1919 with full military pay to undertake non military service. He was to train in Helio Printing with the firm of B.J.Hall and Company Limited, Chalfont House, Great Peter Street, London SW1.

“Whilst attached to the above Lt. Goss was instructed in the Secret process of “TRUE TO SCALE” prints. The knowledge gained should prove of great benefit on his return to Australia where the process is comparatively little known. Lt Goss paid a premium of £25- (Twenty five pounds) and gave an order for £100- (One Hundred pounds) worth of goods in return for the information received.”

Frederick’s leave was cancelled in September as arrangements had been made for him to return to Australia aboard RMS Macedonia. His return was interrupted and he re-embarked from Bombay, India  aboard HMAT A7 Medic. He arrived back in Australia on 8th December 1919.

His appointment as Lieutenant was terminated on the 20th February 1920.

Frederick moved to Sydney where he established the architectural firm F. G. Goss Pty Limited, 164 Pitt Street. He died on 15 March, 1947.