Description
British War and Victory Medal, Lieutenant Ernest Norman Gosling, Royal Naval Reserve, a talented Ships Captain who rose from 2nd Mate at 19 to Master Mariner at 23 years old, during his pre-war career he gained extensive knowledge of shipping in the middle east and spoke Arabic and French.
Both officially impressed: “Lieut E.N. Gosling. R.N.R.”
Confirmed on the medal roll as full entitlement.
In the labelled box of issue, medals un-mounted and unworn with paper packets.
Ernest Norman Gosling was born on 20th March 1883, at King’s Norman, Birmingham, Warwickshire.
The son of George William Gosling and Annie Jeanette Smith.
He gained his first “Certificate of Competency” from the Board of Trade, when he became Second Mate of a Foreign-Going Ship on 24th March 1902, aged 19.
It took very little time to rise up the ranks, on 5th June 1903, barely a year later he was now a qualified First Mate of a Foreign-Going Ship.
After just 3 more years, he received his Certificate of Competency as Master of a Foreign-Going Ship on 26th October 1906, he was just 23 years old.
Due to his work he relocated to Liverpool, to operate out of the docks there.
WORLD WAR 1
Ernest started off the war as a Temporary Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve on 23rd October 1915, joining the Hollyhock on that day.
About that time he was promoted up to Acting Temporary Lieutenant RNR on 23rd November 1915.
He then joined HMS Godetia, a sweeping sloop as her Navigating officer in March 1916.
During this time he served under Captain later Rear Admiral Hubert Henry Holland CB, who gave him a glowing review on 22nd February 1917 writing:
“Intensive knowledge of Levant and Alexandra where he served as Master and Pilot: Knowledge of Egyptian, Arabic and French: had considerable experience of transport and harbour berthing work (6 years).
Careful, painstaking, reliable, good man and experienced seaman. He is resourceful and original, Should do well in Command.”
The recommendation looks to have worked, as he was promoted up to Temporary Lieutenant on 25th August 1917, he then took command of HMS Bicester, serving as her Captain from 28th August 1917 until 10th November 1919.
HMS Bicester was a brand new ship, launched in June 1917, a Hunt Class Minesweeper, of which during the war Gosling was her only captain.
After the war was over, he was demobilised and returned home, on 10th November 1919.
The 1921 Census lists him as “Superintendent of Dredging” at Mersey Docks and Harbour Board.
In 1930 he was “Superintendent of Floating Plant”.
He later moved to Wallasey, where he was still “Superintendent of Dredging” as of 1939 probably at the Wallasey Docks.
He died at Wallasey, Cheshire, during October 1944.
