Transferred back to the UK in November 1944,​[2]​ Gosse was posted to the shore establishment

HMS ​Vernon​ at ​Brixham​, Devon, which was the European port ​clearance diving​ base for the Royal
Navy.​[1]​ Clearance diving teams were responsible for removing naval mines from British waters, and
from the waters of captured ports on the European mainland.​[7]​ He brought a ​Japanese​ mine back
with him to the UK, as he considered it would be of use at HMS ​Vernon.​ [8]​
​ According to his entry in
the ​Australian Dictionary of Biography​, he was a bit of a "law unto himself" in this period,​[1]​ but was
fascinated with mechanical devices and exhibited inventiveness. He qualified as a shallow-water
diver in January 1945.​[1]
Following the capture of ​Bremen​, Germany, in April, Gosse led Naval Party 1571 to the port to clear
mines laid by the retreating Germans in the ​Überseehafen​.[1]​
​ [9]​ Prior to being sent forward to
Bremen, Gosse had interrogated a German ​prisoner of war​ (POW) who had been involved in the
demolition of the Überseehafen and its facilities who described a mine known as an "Oyster", which
was "impossible to sweep for and could never be rendered safe".​[10]​ After arriving in Bremen, Gosse
risked his life many times in defusing mines. When his divers reported a sighting of what appeared
to be a new form of mine, on 8 May Gosse dived himself and verified that it was a "D-type mine with
additional fittings", the "Oyster" mine described by the German POW. This mine was
pressure-operated, and its detonation train included magnetic and acoustic elements. About 18:00
the next day, Gosse examined the mine by touch, as the visibility was so poor that his waterproof
torch was of no use. In order to maintain his depth, he had to tether himself to the mine marker buoy
rope. Using tools he had improvised, Gosse interrupted the detonation train by removing the primer
release and the primer, which had to be extracted from about 18 inches (460 mm) down a 2-inch (51
mm) wide tube. Having made the mine safe, Gosse was releasing his tether when there was a small
explosion. Later examination of the mine showed that water had entered the primer tube and
actuated a water pressure trigger set to fire the detonator if the mine was raised. Gosse personally
defused two more "Oyster" mines at Bremen between 9 and 19 May,​[1]​[9]​ and in both cases, the
detonator fired before the mine reached the surface.​[4]​ Another officer from Naval Party 1571 said
later that "if Gosse hadn't found an answer to the ["Oyster"], Bremen Harbour would have been
[11]
unusable".​
He was promoted to acting ​lieutenant commander​ on 30 September 1945 and was demobilised on
20 March 1946.​[1]​ For his service in World War II, Gosse was awarded the ​1939–1945 Star​, the
Burma Star​, the ​France and Germany Star​, the ​Defence Medal​, the ​War Medal 1939–1945​, and the
Australia Service Meda