David Wallace Gossage, widely known as “Goss”, passed away in November 2022. Society Fellow for 69 years and Shell explorationist for 32 years, his work on exploration activities influenced geoscientists globally.
Left: David "Goss" Gossage. Image courtesy of Alex Karvelas.
Education
Goss was born in Birmingham in May 1930 and spent his childhood in Acocks Green, Birmingham, attending Yardley Road Junior School and Yardley Grammar School. He was first exposed to geology through teacher, Dr Tomlinson, and numerous field trips across the Midlands and Wales organised by his fellow “Yardleians”. Goss completed the Honours geology course at the University of Birmingham in 1950, before completing the MSc geology course in 1952. A particular highlight was being part of the University’s expedition to Spitsbergen in 1951, with details and photos recorded in Innocents in the Arctic by Colin Bull.
International exploration
Following a two-year conscription in the British Army, Goss married childhood sweetheart, “Chris”, in 1955. After a short honeymoon, Goss relocated to Holland to commence his career with Royal Dutch Shell. His first assignment commenced in April 1955, where he moved to Ankara, Turkey, to undertake mapping expeditions in the Taurus Mountains. After this, Goss moved back to Holland, before working in Madagascar, Kuwait, and Gabon.
Goss returned to The Hague in 1967 as Head of exploration in Africa and the Middle East, with stints in the UAE, Germany, Italy, Iran, Kuwait, Libya, Oman, Qatar, Turkey, and the United States. Relocating back to Africa in 1971, Goss was tasked with running Shell’s Libya operations during a turbulent political environment. He then focused on the Western Desert of Egypt and Gulf of Suez, where he oversaw some of the first seismic and well campaigns in the basins as general manager. After establishing Shell in Egypt, Goss moved back to the UK in 1978 as Head of the Middle East regional division. In his first non-technical position, Goss was involved in marketing, minerals, and oil refining. Although committed, he was delighted to shift back into pure exploration through his move to Holland in 1981, leading exploration operations in east Asia, with several trips to and discoveries in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Australia, and New Zealand.
An inspiration
Goss retired in February 1986 after a truly international career but stayed active by continuing his love of cycling and walking, with several trips to the Himalayas and multiple European mountain ranges. He was also an active contributor to the Shell Pensioners Association, Shell mountaineering club, the Society’s West Midlands Regional Group, Black Country Geological Society, Old Yardleians, and cyclists touring group. As a trustee for the Tomlinson-Brown Trust, Goss was instrumental in supporting students from poorer backgrounds fund their geology education. Annual fossil hunting trips continued to Wren’s Nest, Dudley, where educational discussions that influenced me, his grandson, to pursue a career in geology took place.
Goss continued to monitor exploration activities and publications and discuss improved subsurface knowledge across various basins, reminding the family that his passion for geoscience and love for exploration was lifelong.
By Alex Karvelas