George Howard Moss

George was the eldest son of George Moss and was 20 years when he joined up.  He was single and was a butcher living in Smithfield.  He had been in the 23^rd Light Horse.  His next of kin was his mother Ada as his father was dead.  He was 5ft. 6ins tall and weighed 138lbs, his chest measured  36ins.  His complexion was dark, hair and eyes brown and he was a Methodist

He enlisted on 24 August 1914 and sailed two months later on the HMAT A17 “Port Lincoln”.  He was in the 3^rd Light Horse.  The 3rd Light Horse Regiment was raised in Adelaide on 17 August 1914. Although most of its recruits were enlisted in South Australia, one of the regiment’s three squadrons was composed of Tasmanians and was raised and trained in Hobart. The two components sailed from their home ports in late October 1914 and arrived in Egypt in the second week of December. Here, they joined the 1st and 2nd Regiments to form the 1st Light Horse Brigade.

The 1st Light Horse Brigade deployed to Gallipoli without its horses and landed there on 12 May 1915, joining the New Zealand and Australian Division. The 3rd Light Horse played a defensive role throughout the campaign and was in reserve when its sister regiments attacked as part of the August offensive. It left Gallipoli on 14 December 1915.

Back in Egypt, the 3rd Light Horse joined the ANZAC Mounted Division. Between January and May 1916, the regiment was deployed to protect the Nile valley from bands of pro-Turkish Senussi Arabs. On 18 May, as part of its parent brigade, it joined the forces defending the Suez Canal. The 1st Light Horse Brigade played a significant role in turning back the Turkish advance on the canal at the battle of Romani on 4 August. In ensuing days the regiments of the brigade participated in the immediate follow-up of the defeated Turks, but were soon withdrawn to rest.

The 3rd Light Horse rejoined the Allied advance across the Sinai in November and was subsequently involved in the fighting to secure the Turkish outposts on the Palestine frontier - Maghdaba on 23 December 1916 and Rafa on 9 January 1917. A stint of protective duty along the line of communications through the Sinai followed. The 3rd’s next major engagement was the abortive second battle of Gaza on 19 April. Gaza finally fell on 7 November, after a wide outflanking move via Beersheba, in which the 1st Light Horse Brigade played a part.

With the capture of Gaza, the Turkish position in southern Palestine collapsed. The 3rd Light Horse Regiment participated in the advance to Jaffa that followed, and was then committed to operations to clear and occupy the west bank of the Jordan River. It was involved in the Amman (24-27 February) and Es Salt (30 April-4 May) raids and the repulse of a major German and Turkish attack on 14 July 1918.

The final British offensive of the campaign was launched along the Mediterranean coast on 19 September 1918, with the ANZAC Mounted Division taking part in a subsidiary effort east of the Jordan aimed at Amman. Turkey surrendered on 30 October 1918. The 3rd Light Horse Regiment sailed for Australia on 16 March 1919 without their horses, which were either shot or transferred to Indian cavalry units.

On 25 April 1915 he was admitted to hospital with diarrhoea.  He rejoined his unit at Gallipoli on 28 August 1915.  He was landed at Malta on 12 November1915 from the hospital ship “Devarha” with diarrhoea.  Then when he was fit for active service he left Malta for Egypt on 13 February 1916 on the hospital transport “BORNU”.

His family had believed he was being invalided out of the army because of  rheumatism and one of them in Tasmania wrote to enquire if the ship was going via Victoria could George be given leave to visit relatives in Tasmania before returning to South Australia.  On 29 March 1916 the army replied that he was fit for active service.

On 20 March 1916 he embarked on the HT “Megdalene” from Alexander to Marseilles, France to join the B.E.F.  The British Expeditionary Force or BEF was the force sent to the Western Front during World War I.

He was appointed driver and posted to Zeitoun.   On 23 November 1916 he was appointed Acting Bombardier.  On 18 June 1917 he was charged with “neglect of duty” and reverted to the rank of driver.  Between  2 and 9 November1917 he was on leave in England, before returning to the front.  On 10 May 1918 he was reappointed Acting Bombardier.

He sailed on the “Orminde” to Australia on furlough on 8 October 1918 from Taranto, Italy.  He disembarked at port Sydney on 2 December 1918.  As the war was now over he did not return to Europe.  He was discharged  on 31 January 1919.  He had served 4 years 42 days abroad.

He married Mildred FRANCIS on 14 February 1920 at Adelaide, who requested a Gallipoli Medal in 1967, stating that her husband had passed away on 13 February 1957.  Mildred Moss gave her address as c/o Mrs E. J. Cleggett, Baker street, Littlehampton, South Australia.   They had two daughters Betty on 8 October 1920 and Nancy Jean on 18 January 1922 Both in Adelaide. 

George was living in Torrensville when he died and is buried in Cheltenham Cemetery, Section K, at the age of 62 years.    His wife Mildred was living at Littlehampton when she died on 19 March 1979 and is buried in Cheltenham Cemetery, Section K, at the age of 81.

George appears only on the Smithfield memorial.