Virtual
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Australia

Stanley was the son of William Henry MOSS & Dorothea Benedicte Marie Cathrine NISSEN and was born on the 24th of August 1896 in Smithfield, SA.

His parents were married on the 23rd of October 1893 in the Trinity Church, Adelaide, SA.

His father was the son of Matthew MOSS & Mary BROOKS and was born on the 18th of August 1857 in Salisbury, SA.

His mother was the daughter of Hans Christian NISSEN & Kristine Frederikke BOISEN and was born on the 25th of June 1864 in Bevtoft, Hadersley, Denmark.

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Stanley was the fifth child born into the family of 8 children; 5 boys, 3 girls.

His father was a Gardener in Smithfield and by 1900 the Moss family had moved to Louis Street, Stepney, where Stanley’s maternal grandparents lived.

They then moved to Bugle Ranges where his father gained work as a Blacksmith around the Macclesfield area and Stanley attended the Bugle Ranges School in 1901.

They were not here for very long and the family moved to Watson Street, Maylands and Stanley then attended the Norwood Primary School.

Stanley was only 5 years old when his mother died on the 18th of May 1902 at their home and they buried her in the Payneham Cemetery the following day.

In the same year his father gained employment at G Fisher & Sons Chaff mill as an accountant and confidential secretary in Riverton, SA.

It would appear that the Moss children lived with their maternal grandparents as in 1903 Stanley’s younger brother; Norman Henry, attended the Norwood Primary School and his guardian was Mrs Nissen.

Stanley then attended St Andrew's School, in Walkerville and after leaving school Stanley became a labourer and gardener.

He then moved to Renmark in 1908 and gained employment with Messrs Moffat & Baxter and later for Mr Arthur Morant.

At the age of 18, Stanley enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 3rd of April 1915 in Keswick and was allotted the service number 2636 and posted to C Company, Base Infantry in Mitcham Camp.

Six days later his brother; Leonard William, enlisted into the AIF (2638) and was posted with Stanley.

Stanley & Leonard were then transferred to the 10th Battalion, 7th Reinforcement and embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A61 Kanowna on the 23rd of June 1915, disembarking in Egypt at the end of July.

Following further training Stanley and Leonard proceeded to Gallipoli on the 11th of September 1915 on board HMT Kingstonian and were taken on strength with the 10th Battalion, D Company from the reinforcements 6 days later.

They spent 3 months on the Peninsula in the trenches before the ANZACS were ordered to evacuate.

They boarded HMAT Seang Bee, disembarking in Alexandria on the 19th of December.

Whilst they were in Alexandria their younger brother; Norman Henry, enlisted into the AIF on the 17th of January 1916 (1203) and was posted to A Company, 2nd Depot Battalion at Exhibition Camp (Jubilee Oval).

(Norman suffered from delusions of persecution whilst in training and on the 18th of April 1916 he was discharged from the AIF, medically unfit, due to Acute Mania and was admitted into the Parkside Mental Hospital for treatment).

The 10th Battalion was then split to form the nucleus of two battalions, the 10th and the 50th and both Stanley and Leonard were posted to the 50th Battalion on the 26th of February 1916.

The 50th Battalion became part of the 13th Brigade of the 4th Australian Division and was known as 'Hurcombe's Hungry Half Hundred', after its first Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Hurcombe. 

Stanley however was only with this Battalion for 3 weeks before he was transferred to the 13th Machine Gun Company on the 16th of March and an “A” was added to his service number.

During this time Stanley’s cousin; Wilfred Joseph MOSS had enlisted into the 10th Battalion, 19th Reinforcements on the 18th of April 1916 and embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A70 Ballarat on the 12th of August 1916. He was No 1 on the Lewis Machine Gun, Section B, when the 10th Battalion was in the front line neat Lagicourt and was Killed in Action on the 8th of April 1917. He has no known grave.

Stanley gained some leave in June 1917 and went to France and Scotland.

On the 20th of September 1917 Stanley and his Company were bussed to Flahov and then moved to the Belgian Chateau in the Wippenhoek area the following day to relieve the 5th Australian Machine Gun Company.

It was here on the 26th of September 1917 that Stanley suffered multiple Gun Shot Wounds and was admitted into the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station at Outtersteene, a site called "Tasmania" near Hazebrouck.  

That afternoon the vicinity of the Casualty Clearing Station was shelled, and one fell at the back of the Officers’ ward, but fortunately did not explode. The patients, including Stanley, were evacuated to the 10th Casualty Clearing Station at Remy Siding near Lijssenthoek.

It was here that Stanley succumbed to his wounds and died on the 26th of September 1917.

He was buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium; Plot XXIII, Row A, Grave No. 7.

On the very same day that Stanley died, his brother Leonard was at Westhoek Ridge and whilst with Brigade Forward Party, he showed conspicuous courage and coolness in laying telephone lines under heavy enemy shell fire. On several occasions he volunteered to repair lines during enemy barrage, and at great personal risk carried out the job perfectly. He also showed extreme coolness and bravery in bandaging wounded and assisting them to a place of safety. The following day he was responsible for many acts similar to the above.'

For his courage Leonard was awarded the Military Medal (MM).

Military

At the age of 18, Stanley enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 3rd of April 1915 in Keswick and was allotted the service number 2636 and posted to C Company, Base Infantry in Mitcham Camp.

He listed his father, of Riverton, as his next of kin.

He was then transferred to the 10th Battalion, 7th Reinforcement and embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A61 Kanowna on the 23rd of June 1915, disembarking in Egypt at the end of July.

Following further training Stanley & Leonard proceeded to Gallipoli on the 11th of September 1915 on board HMT Kingstonian and was taken on strength with the 10th Battalion, from the reinforcements 6 days later.

On the 11th of October he was asleep during a “Stand To” and was awarded 7 days field punishment No.2.

He spent 3 months on the Peninsula in the trenches before the ANZACS were ordered to evacuate.

He boarded HMAT Seang Bee, disembarking in Alexandria on the 19th of December.

The 10th Battalion was then split to form the nucleus of two battalions, the 10th and the 50th and Stanley was posted to the 50th Battalion on the 26th of February 1916.

The 50th Battalion became part of the 13th Brigade of the 4th Australian Division and was known as 'Hurcombe's Hungry Half Hundred', after its first Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Hurcombe. 

He was only with this Battalion for 3 weeks before he was transferred to the 13th Machine Gun Company on the 16th of March and an “A” was added to his service number.

The following week he neglected to carry out Fatigue and was awarded 4 days Field Punishment No.2.

The following month he attended a School of  Instruction in Zeitoun.

Stanley proceeded to France on the 5th of June 1916, aboard the SS Ivernia, disembarking in Marseilles on the 12th of June.

By the 1st of July they were in the front line trenches at Flers and remained here until they were relieved on the 10th. They then marched to Strazele and Baileull and entrained for Doulens, arriving on the 14th and then marched to Pernois.

They remained here in their billets for rest and then training until the 29th when they marched to Toutencourt and onto Harponville where they were billeted for 4 days before they moved to Brickfields Camp, near Albert, during a night march.

On the 7th of August they moved to Tara Hill where they were heavily shelled during the night.

They were relieved on the 13th and moved to Chalk Pit for 3 days and then moved back to Brickfields Camp.

By the 20th they had marched through Warloy and La Vicogne and were in billets at Bonneville and then 6 days later they moved to Rubempre and then the following day they had arrived at Vardencourt, before heading back to Brickfields Camp.

On the 31st of August they moved to the tranches in the Pozieres Sector to support the front line. They spent 5 days here in support before being relieved by the 3rd Canadian Machine Gun Company and moving back to Brickfields Camp and then onto their billets in Albert. The following day they moved to Warloy, then marched to Amplier and then entrained for billets in Steenvoorde on the 8th of September.

They remained here for 2 weeks before moving to Chippewa Camp near Reninghelst for rest and further training.

They remained here until the 7th of October when they moved to the St. Eloi Sector and relieved the 4th Australian Machine Gun Company.

Here they worked on the trenches and bombarded the enemy until the 23rd when they were relieved and marched back to Chippewa Camp.

They then moved to Hopoutre Siding and entrained for St Riquier on the 27th and marched into their billets at Bussus Busseul.

They were only here until the 3rd of November and they marched out to Vignacourt for 4 days before moving to Buire by motor bus. On the 13th they had arrived at Fricourt and had moved onto Flers the following day to support the infantry in the front line trenches.   

After 3 weeks here they were relieved on the 5th of December and moved to Quarry Siding and entrained for Meaulte and then marched to their billets at Buire. After 2 weeks of rest and further training they marched to Edge Hill Siding and entrained for Vignacourt on the 19th.

Christmas Day and New Years Day 1916 was spent at Vignacourt before they marched out to Rainneville and Buire and moved into Fricourt Camp on the 6th of January.

The following day they moved to Flers to support the infantry in the front line. They remained here until the 24th of February when they were relieved and moved to Bendigo Camp, Becourt and onto their billets in Buire.

They left Buire on the 21st of March for Memetz Camp and on the 26th they moved to Warlencourt and then onto Vaulx where they relieved the 7th Australian Machine Gun Company.

On the 2nd of April they were in support of the infantry for the attack at Noreuil and then moved to billets south of Vaulx on the 8th. Three days later they were back at the front for a couple of days before moving to Favreuil, Bapaume, Becourt and then Dernancourt.

They left Dernancourt on the 15th of May for Albert and then entrained for their billets in Caestre the following day. After 10 days they marched to Les Trois Tilleuls.

On the 1st of June they marched to Hillside Camp and erected their tents. Six days later they left for Messines and were in support for the attack at Wytschaete Ridge and then onto De Seule. They then moved by motor bus to Bandringham, near Hazelbrouck.

It was here on the 7th of June that Stanley was caught in town without a pass and improperly dressed and was awarded 96 hours Field Punishment No.2.

On the 14th of July they relieved the 4th Australian Machine Gun Company in the line at Prowse Point, Ploegsteert.

After four days they were relieved and moved to the transport lines at English Farm and onto De Seule Camp.

Moving on to Donegal Farm on the 11th of August, they continued training before moving onto Hillside Camp on the 21st. The following day they relieved the 3rd New Zealand Machine Gun Company at Ploegsteert, where they remained for 9 days, before returning to Hillside Camp.

On the 1st of September they were bussed to Hondeghem and then bussed to Mencas on the 5th for training and Mechanism Barrage Drill and they held a Sports Day here on the 16th.

On the 20th they were bussed to Flahov and then moved to the Belgian Chateau in the Wippenhoek area the following day to relieve the 5th Australian Machine Gun Company.

It was here on the 26th of September 1917 that Stanley suffered multiple Gun Shot Wounds and was admitted into the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station at Outtersteene, a site called "Tasmania" near Hazebrouck.  

That afternoon the vicinity of the Casualty Clearing Station was shelled, and one fell at the back of the Officers’ ward, but fortunately did not explode. The patients, including Stanley, were evacuated to the 10th Casualty Clearing Station at Remy Siding near Lijssenthoek.

It was here that Stanley succumbed to his wounds and died on the 26th of September 1917.

He was buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium; Plot XXIII, Row A, Grave No. 7.

*Stanley also had 5 cousins that served in WW1.

Lt. Alfred Hubert MOSS (260) - drowned off SS 'Warilda' after 4 years active service, on 3rd of August 1918.

HMAT Warilda, an Australian hospital ship, was struck and sunk by a torpedo from a German U-boat. The vessel had been transporting sick and wounded Allied soldiers across the English Channel and was clearly marked with a Red Cross.  At the time of the attack there were 801 people aboard.  Sadly, 123 lost their lives.

George Howard MOSS (167) – Returned to Australia

Cyril Edgar MOSS (56111) – Returned to Australia

Harry Brookes MOSS (1295) – Returned to Australia

Wilfred Joseph MOSS (5799) - Killed in Action on the 8th of April 1917. He has no known grave.