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Cenotaph record

Alfred John Voss

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Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Alfred John AWMM
  • Surname
    Voss AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    • WWII 29835 AWMM
    • Malaya 30441 AWMM
    • 88571 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    3 October 1918 AWMM England, United Kingdom AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    WW2 Pre 1940-1941 AWMM Post-office, Tauranga AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    WW2 Mrs. Eileen Alice Voss, care of J.K. Hamilton, Rural Delivery, Tauranga (wife) AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Pre 1940-1941 AWMM Married/WWII AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    • Military Cross (MC) AWMM
      3 August 1944 AWMM
      "Lt. Voss is the Intelligence Officer of the 21 Battalion and during the period 20-25 March 1944, when his battalion was engaged in the fighting Cassino, he showed at all times outstanding gallantry, initiative and devotion to duty. The battalion moved into the town on the night 20/21 March 1944 under orders to capture a sector known to be strongly held. The exact location of the enemy posts was not known while the initial move to a start line was over unknown ground, studded with the ruins of buildings, piles of rubble and deep bomb craters and subjected continuously to heavy defensive mortar fire and machine-guns firing from all directions. Notwithstanding this, Lt. Voss successfully led the assaulting companies to their start line. While doing so, he and the leading troops can under machine-gun fire from a nearby building and casualties were suffered. Lt. Voss led an attach on th building and silenced the gun and crew. Later that night he was directing personnel to the building selected as a Battalion HQ when he and his party came under heavy machine-gun fire from only a few yards away. At once he led his section to the attack and, after sharp action, this post was also silenced, it's crew killed and two machine-guns captured. First light the following morning found the enemy fire increased in intensity making any movement in the open dangerous in the extreme. From the building next to Battalion HQ and 15/20 ft away the engine of a German tank was heard starting up. With complete coolness and utter disregard of the shells and mortar bombs falling in the area, Lt. Voss went across exposed ground and contacted our tanks, which he then, on foot, guided back towards the building occupied by the enemy tank. From the ground he directed the fire of the tanks on the building until the walls were demolished and the tank destroyed. He remained at his post although the fire from our tanks brought down heavy return fire from enemy guns and mortars. Meanwhile communications with the forward companies scarcely existed. Line was impossible and nearly all sets were either destroyed or damaged. The enemy defensive fire was so intense and the ground so exposed to snipers that all movement had virtually ceased. Yet correct information was of vital importance. Without hesitation, Lt. Voss himself, coolly accepting the danger, went forward regardless of the clear observation and within easy range of many enemy snipers. He visited all companies and brought back invaluable information. Thereafter, until his battalion was relieved, he on each occasion did so under heavy fire. Throughout a period of determination, and devotion to duty beyond all praise. In an action were gallant deeds were many, his courage and resource stood out as a supreme example to his battalion." AWMM
    • Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) AWMM
      London Gazette 22/09/1942; "During the morning of 15 July 1942 in the attack on Ruweisat Ridge, Cpl. Voss attacked and destroyed an enemy medium machine-gun post and it's crew with hand grenades. Later in the morning, when our troops encountered enemy tanks, Cpl. Voss with hand grenades being thrown at him by the crew, attacked a tank with a pick to damage the tracks, but was driven back by heavy fire from two other tanks in the vicinity. He then moved out and brought in two wounded men under heavy fire from mortars and tank machine-guns. During the whole of the attack Cpl. Voss showed indifference to personal safety and led his men with determination and vigour. During the night attack of 22 July 1942, Cpl. Voss' platoon attacked what at first apeared to be a machine-gun post. On nearing the objective six enemy tanks were encountered, supported by infantry. As the line of withdrawal was cut off by tan machine-gun fire the attack was continued. Cpl. Voss led his section against two tanks and with the use of anti-tank grenades forced them to retire damaged. He also destroyed several of the enemy with hand grenades and forced the remainder to retire. When the order to retire was given Cp. Voss rallied his section and brought them out intact." Pomeroy and Beattie, p. 321 AWMM
    • Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) (Military) AWMM
    • War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
    • New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM
    • New Zealand Operational Service Medal AWMM

Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    WW2 1940-1941 2NZEF Nom. Roll 3, p.489 Farmer/Civilian 2NZEF Nom. Roll 3, p.489
    Tauranga, Bay of Plenty 2NZEF Nom. Roll 3, p.489
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes

Last known rank

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  • Last rank

Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Lt A. J. Voss, MC, DCM; Auckland; born Mickleham, England, 3 Oct 1918; farmer; wounded 3 Jun 1944. (Source: Cody, J.F. 21 Battalion. p.319.)

    Photo of Maj A.J. Vose in The Officers, 1st Battalion The New Zealand Regiment (Nyasa Camp, Malaya 1958). Source: The First Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment Journal (1983) AWMM

Death

About death

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  • Death
    1 March 1997 RSA Last Post/Cemetery Record
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Oropi Cemetery AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

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Sources

Sources

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  • External links
    'The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Italy.' (London Gazette, 3 August 1944, p.3605.). Military Cross.
    http://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36637/supplement/3605
    Further Reference
  • References
    • 21 Battalion (Official history of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939-45) AWMM
      pp.319, 320, 322, 327, 335, 338-9, 341, 344-5. AWMM
    • Dawson, W. (1961). 18 Battalion and Armoured Regiment. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM
      pp.140, 152, 278, 279, 300. AWMM
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1941). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 3 (Embarkations from 1st July, 1940 to 31st March, 1941). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      p.489 AWMM
    • Veterans' club : the comradeship and memories of Auckland's 21st infantry battalion. Auckland War Memorial Museum : Auckland. Accompanies exhibition held in the Pictorial Gallery, second floor, Auckland War Memorial Museum, 24 March-21 May 2006. AWMM
    • 21 New Zealand Infantry Battalion Association Inc. Records, 1955 - 2005. Auckland War Memorial Museum. MS-2008-42. AWMM
    • 1NZIR Honours and Awards 1957-1959, Archives New Zealand AWMM
    • Clamp, B., Clamp, D., & 1st Battalion the New Zealand Regiment (1957-59) Association. (2007). 1st battalion the New Zealand regiment (1957-59) association 50th anniversary: the first of the first. B. Clamp. AWMM
    • This record was partially created from Cemetery research completed by Carol Foster (2021). AWMM
    • Beattie, P.J. and Pomeroy, M.J. (2016). Gallant Acts and Noble Deeds: New Zealand army honours and awards for the Second World War. Auckland, N.Z.: Fair Dinkum Publications.; P.J. Beattie and M.J. Pomeroy, 2016. AWMM
      p. 321 AWMM
    • Fry, P., & New Zealand. Army. Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. Battalion, 1st. (1983). The First Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment : Journal / [P.J. Fry, editor] (25th anniversary commemorative ed.). Singapore: The Regiment. AWMM
    • FARELF Nominal Roll Part 1 1958-1961 - Archives New Zealand, Wellington, CAJN CH189/Box70 41/4/11 (R21234083) AWMM

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