Frank Goss DCM

FRANK GOSS - DCM

Soldiers in the 1914 - 1918 war were eligible for the following awards:

1. FOR GALLANTRY on the battlefield:

The Victoria Cross - for supreme acts of bravery regardless of rank

The Distinguished Conduct Medal or DCM - awarded to Warrant Officers, NCOs and Other Ranks.

The Military Cross or MC - awarded to officers below the rank of Captain and some Warrant Officers

The Military Medal or MM - awarded to Warrant Officers, NCOs, Other Ranks and women)

2. FOR GALLANTRY and/or SERVICE:

The Distinguished Service Order or DSO awarded to officers above the rank of Major.

3. FOR SERVICE and/or GALLANTRY off the battlefield

The Meritorious Service Medal or MSM

4. MENTION IN DESPATCHES

No medal was awarded but a certificate was issued plus an oak leaf emblem which was worn on the ribbon of the Victory Medal.

Subsequent awards of the same medal are referred to as BARS because the recipient is issued with a small metal bar to wear on the ribbon of the original medal.

The award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal to 9005 Sergeant Frank Goss of the Coldstream Guards was gazetted on 22 October 1917 and his citation published on 25 January 1918. He was aged 24 at this time.

Frank Goss was the third son and fourth child of William Goss, a local carrier, and his wife Bertha of Paignton. He was born in Paignton in the March Quarter of 1893 and he survived the Great War.

From The London Gazette

25 January 1918

SERGEANT FRANK GOSS

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in handling his transport on practically every night for nearly two months, with the greatest possible courage and good judgment. His absolute disregard of shell fire in going forward and personally reconnoitring shelled areas has not only reduced casualties in his transport to a minimum, but has enabled forward brigade dumps of ammunition and material to be formed.

On one night in particular, when a road was blocked by horseless wagons and runaway animals, under intense shell fire, he not only delivered the material for which he was responsible. but also brought his transport up to the dump in perfect order."