Those wounded in the war did not all die in Europe or Africa. Leonard Moss was shot and gassed in France in 1918 but managed to return to Australia. He finally succumbed to his wounds in December 1919. The Queenslander newspaper, on 10 January 1920 reported on his funeral, though the implied date of death was incorrect:
Sergeant L.R. Moss, M.M., who died at the Rosemount Hospital, Murwillumbah, on Saturday, was buried at Murwillumbah yesterday with full military honours. The news of his death was received with deep regret by a wide circle of friends. He was one of seven brothers who served in the war, in the early part of which one was lost with the cruiser Hawke. The late Sergeant Moss was wounded and gassed in France in 1918. He had been in hospital since his return to Australia, as the result of wounds received, to the effects of which he has now succumbed.
Moss originally hailed from Fareham, England but by 1914 was working in Murwillumbah. He played soccer for the newly formed Murwillumbah United, against teams from nearby Condong and Lismore. Moss appeared in several games for United, though the club was mentioned as having to borrow players from the opposition to ensure games went ahead. One such player was Walter Staines, a Condong Mill worker who only appeared once for United against Condong.
Moss and Staines both went to war together. They enlisted on the same day in April 1916. Both were allocated to the 26th Battalion as stretcher bearers.
Both Moss and Staines were later awarded the Military Medal in September 1916 for the efforts in France, and received identical entries in the Commonwealth Gazette on 14 December 1916:
During the attack on POZIERES RIDGE on the 4th to the 6th August, 1916, this Stretcher Bearer worked continuously for forty eight hours gathering in wounded from most exposed positions which were under shell-fire continuously. He showed the greatest coolness and courage under the most trying circumstances.
The Daily Telegraph on 28 September 1916 also celebrated the soldiers’ actions.
MURWILLLUBAH. Tuesday.— Privates L. Moss and W. Staines, who have been awarded medals for conspicuous bravery in France, are Murwillumbah soldiers. Private Moss was working at printing offices here for about five years, and Private Staines was employed at the Condong mill. Both were enthusiastic soccer footballers, and were natives of England.
Moss was promoted to Corporal and spent some time at the School of Musketry in England. He returned to active service in Belgium in October 1917 and a month later was promoted to Sergeant. His 1918 saw more training, some leave and a case of influenza, until he received a gunshot wound in September. Moss was evacuated to England and then onto Australia. He was transferred to Rosemont Hospital in June 1919, with the AIF coordinating his care.
Moss died on 27 December after several days of decline. He was 28. His death was reported to Base Records on 29 December 1919 where cause of death was listed as “andocordatios”, presumably was endocarditis with both spellings appearing in earlier medical records.