Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Brother to 11 siblings (1 deceased), he was NOT the only Gosden to enlist in the war.

Margaret Phillips, the club Historian of the Gilberton Amateur Swimming Club Inc writes;

He enlisted on the 4th of October, 1915, having already been rejected once due to the condition of his teeth. He declared himself to be single and 24 years old. He was drafted into the 9th Reinforcements of the 27th Battalion.

Once Herbert had embarked at Adelaide on the 7th of February, 1916 he sailed he Egypt where he joined the 27th Battalion. Whilst in the Canal Region Herbert was transferred to the 2nd Cyclist Battalion on the 14th of March, 1916. Five days later he embarked at Alexandria where he was taken to Marseilles in Europe. In mid April of 1916 he was admitted to hospital with Tonsilitis but rejoined his battalion four days later. On the 12th of May, 1916 he was transferred to the 1st Cyclist Battalion.

Finally in August of 1916 Herbert was transferred back to the 27th Battalion due to a surplus of men in the 1st Cyclist Battalion and he joined the 27th battalion on the 28th of August in France.

Herbert served with the 27th Battalion in France until the 5th of November, 1916 when he was originally listed as missing in action. Several days later this status was changed to killed in action. He was killed at Flers on the 5th of November when the 27th Battalion made an attack against the enemy position. His body could not be recovered after the battle as it was in No Man's Land and it stayed there until March, 1917 when the Germans retreated and the Allies could advance, retrieve it and then bury it. After the war, however, Herbert's grave could not be found and his name was listed on the Australian National War Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux. RSL Virtual War Memorial.

J.D. Walsh reported to Red Cross that he and a party of cyclists went out to look for Gosden who was missing. Walsh found him and Lieut. Hales, both dead in the same dug-out. They were off duty at the time and hid in the dug-out because shells were falling around them. A shell had burst near them and killed both. This happened in the vicinity of Bernafoy Wood. Both men were buried at Lageur Wood.

Gosden was a mechanic by trade and very clever. His brother is a schoolmaster. I knew him and I have wondered if he has heard about his brother. Fancelli and Gosden were missing at Flers when we were met by heavy machine gun fire and never got beyond the German wire. They were both found and buried by the 10 th Battalion, a long time afterwards. They were lying close together and I believe were hardly recognisable. I am quite sure that this is perfectly correct. Pte F.C. Vogen – trustworthy witness, Red Cross Files

He was buried by the Rev. Hume Robertson four months later on the 4 th March 1917. His body had been lying in no-man’s land, and it was impossible to bring it in before, the grave was in the open. Rev Hume Robertson, Red Cross Files