Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry 53
An unusual Second War 1943 ‘Immediate’ Night Fighter’s D.F.C. group of eight awarded to Warrant Officer, later Flight Lieutenant, R. C. Moss, Royal Air Force, a veteran of the Battle of Britain with 29 Squadron, he went on to form a successful partnership with Flying Officer C. A. Crombie as his pilot with 89 and 176 Squadrons - accounting for at least 8 enemy aircraft destroyed in Beaufighters. Having destroyed a number of German aircraft earlier in the war, Crombie and Moss successfully engaged a Japanese bombing force near Calcutta, 19 January 1943. Destroying 2 and damaging a third, the pair were eventually forced to bale-out before their fuel tanks exploded
Distinguished Flying Cross,
G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1943’; 1939-45 Star, 1 clasp, Battle of Britain; Air Crew Europe Star; Africa Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Air Efficiency Award,
G.VI.R., 1st issue (W/O. R. C. Moss (800670) A.A.F.) mounted as worn, generally good very fine (8)
£5,000-£6,000
Provenance: Sotheby 1990 and Spink 1995. D.F.C. London Gazette 16 February 1943 (jointly listed with his pilot Flying Officer C. A. Crombie - who was awarded the D.S.O.):
‘As pilot and observer respectively Flying Officer Crombie and Warrant Officer Moss have flown together in many night flying operations in the United Kingdom, the Middle East and in India. They have destroyed 8 enemy aircraft and damaged another. One night [19th] in January, 1943, they destroyed 2 of a formation of 4 Japanese aircraft [near Calcutta] before being compelled to abandon their own aircraft which was set on fire during the engagement. Flying Officer Crombie and Warrant Officer Moss have displayed great courage, determination and devotion to duty.’
The original recommendation for Moss’s D.F.C. states:
‘W/O Moss employed Night Fighters since May 1940 UK, M.E., Malta, India. During this time taken part destruction 6 enemy aircraft. On night 19/1/43 was Radio Operator to F/O Crombie and responsible interception which resulted 2 enemy aircraft destroyed 1 damaged subsequently abandoning aircraft set on fire by return fire E/A. This W/O fine record skill courage Night Fighter Operations.’
Raymond Christopher Moss was born in London in August 1917. He joined the Auxiliary Air Force as an Aircrafthand, and served with 600 Squadron prior to the Second War. Moss was called up in August 1939, and remustered as an Airman u/t Air Gunner. After carrying out training at 5 B.G.S. Jurby, he was posted for operational flying to 29 Squadron (Blenheim If’s) at Digby, 1 July 1940. The Squadron were engaged as a night fighter unit, and Moss flew in a number of patrols with them during the Battle of Britain - his first being on 18 September 1940.
Moss retrained as a Radar Operator/Navigator to keep in line with the new AI technology, and was posted to 89 Squadron at the end of 1941. The latter became operational in Beaufighters at Abu Sueir, Egypt, in January the following year. Moss was crewed with an Australian pilot - Flying Officer C. A. Crombie - with whom he was to form a successful partnership. Crombie and Moss achieved their first victory together, 19/20 June 1942, when they destroyed an enemy aircraft near Mersa Matruh:
‘We were airborne at 21.00 hours, June 19th, 1942 on a Section Recce... at 22.15 were instructed to return to base. Just before arriving there we were told that a definite Bandit was coming in from the sea and was vectoring North. After a fifteen minute “Sandy” chase of Bandit, who was jinking at 10,000’, my Observer [Moss] reported an a/c crossing our course from Port to Stbd. and 300 ft. above. I then saw an a/c with four exhausts and I chased on visual contact for about five minutes, during which time the E/A went down to 5,000 ft. I asked Ground Control if it was OK to Shoot, and they replied “OK, Shoot, Shoot.”
I then closed to about 50 yds astern, slightly to starboard and below, and gave a 3 second burst, and my Observer and I both saw hits down the fuselage and on starboard wing; immediately there was an explosion in the fuselage and burning pieces fell off E/A. He then turned to port and I gave him another short burst whereupon he went straight down in a dive. I followed him down but could not get my sight on him again, and at about 1,000 ft I pulled out of my dive. E/A then turned inland and went into slight mist. I was not able to follow and investigate as we were put onto another bandit. This time we got near enough to feel his slip-stream but did not get a visual. We were then ordered back to base and pancaked at 00.15 hours. Clain - One E/A destroyed.’ (Combat Report refers)
The following month the partnership added another He.III destroyed, 8/9 July, and a Ju.88 probably destroyed, 27/28 July. Crombie and Moss were despatched to reinforce the squadron’s detachment at Malta, 20 September 1942. Operating out of Ta Kali they carried out a number of intruder sorties over Southern Sicily accounting for 7 enemy aircraft destroyed, and 2 probably destroyed before the close of December. At the start of the following year they were sent as part of a detachment to Dum Dum in India. The nucleus of this detachment formed 176 Squadron (Beaufighters), and the latter was primarily engaged against raiding Japanese bombers.
The Squadron became operational on 15 January, and Crombie and Moss came to the fore once again four nights later: ‘Flying Officer Charles Basil Crombie, an Australian serving with 176 Squadron, with Warrant Officer R. C. Moss as his Observer, tackled a Japanese bomber formation over Budge Budge (south of Calcutta) on the night of January 19th, 1943. His Beau was hit and set ablaze during his initial attack but he remained in his seat, destroyed two and seriously damaged a third bomber before the Beau’s fuel tanks exploded and he was forced to a parachute.’
Crombie ordered Moss to bale out before he engaged the third enemy aircraft, and Moss was injured in the process. The former was awarded an ‘Immediate’ D.S.O. for the above, whilst Moss was awarded an ‘Immediate’ D.F.C. Having recovered from his injury, Moss was commissioned Pilot Officer in March 1944. He advanced to Flying Officer in September 1944, and to Flight Lieutenant in March 1946 (awarded his Air Efficiency Award in December 1945). Crombie was killed in an a flying accident, 26 August 1945.
Moss retired in January 1950, and became a freelance journalist in later life. He died in Canterbury, Kent, in February 2000.
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