GROSS, Reginald William Stuart
Service Number: | O35958 |
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Enlisted: | 12 September 1939 |
Last Rank: | Flight Lieutenant |
Last Unit: | Not yet discovered |
Born: | Adelaide, South Australia, 18 August 1916 |
Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
Schooling: | Adelaide High School |
Occupation: | Civil Aviation Executive |
Died: | Natural Causes, Mornington, Victoria, Australia, 27 April 2003, aged 86 years |
Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
12 Sep 1939: | Enlisted Laverton | |
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12 Sep 1939: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant, O35958 | |
27 Aug 1943: | Honoured Distinguished Flying Cross, for courage over Bay of Biscay, when aircraft under attack. | |
6 Jun 1947: | Discharged |
Help us honour Reginald William Stuart Gross's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Julianne Ryan
Service record numbers: O35958 (205785)
Rootsweb ID: I520982 Birth Record: 18 Aug 1916 in Adelaide, South Australia
Father: Frederick Gross b: 1877 in Steinbach, Württemberg, Germany
Mother: Janet Stuart Olcorn b: 1875 in Rutherglen, Victoria, Australia
12/9/1939 enlisted at Brighton North, Victoria
place of enlistment Laverton, VIC
Flight Lieutenant in 10 SQUADRON
Flying Officer 205785 Gross and Sergeants 14611 William Cheseldon Henson Moser and 62956 Rhys Frederick Owen were navigator, armourer/air gunner and flight engineer respectively of an aircraft Captained by Flying Officer 416164 Basil Alfred Williams detailed for a flight in August 1943. Whilst over the Bay of Biscay the aircraft was attacked by 7 enemy aircraft. In the ensuing engagement, which lasted an hour, Flying Officer Williams fought with great skill and determination. The aircraft was repeatedly hit and when the inter-communication system was putout of action, Flying Officer Gross, though wounded, did everything he could to keep his Captain informed of the enemy’s tactics. The starboard main petrol tank was pierced and Sergeant Moser crawled into the mainplane and attempted to stop the leak.
He afterwards manned the galley gun, relieving Sergeant Owen who had fought with great resolution and remained at his post although wounded in the knee by cannon fire, and assisted in frustrating many attacks. Flying Officer Williams succeeded in flying the damaged aircraft to base being greatly assisted by Flying Officer Gross, whose navigation in difficult circumstances was of a high order. In the face of trying circumstances these members of the aircraft crew displayed great courage, skill and determination.
(By 416164 Flying Officer Basil Alfred Williams and 285147 Flying Officer Reginald William Stuart Gross DFC.)
27/8/1943 London Gazette - Awarded "Distinguished Flying Cross"
for courage over Bay of Biscay, when aircraft under attack
*** service records need to be ordered through National Archives of Australia ***
6/6/1947 discharged from service
1947 married Dorothy Annie Young in East Melbourne, Victoria
(b. 1917 Aberlour, Banff, Scotland - d. 1963 East Melbourne, VIC)
Father: George Alexander Young b: 18 MAR 1871 in Keith, Banff, Scotland
Mother: Alexina Sinclair Brims b: ABT 1883 in Bower, Caithness, Scotland
3 children
Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan. 7/6/2016. Lest we forget.