Distinguished Conduct Medal GV (12024 SJT: W.MOORE. 1/WORC:R.); 1914 Star with 5TH AUG - 22ND NOV 1914 clasp (12024 L.CPL W.MOORE. 1/WORC:R.); British War Medal (12024 SJT. W.MOORE. WORC.R.); Victory Medal (12024 SJT. W.MOORE. 1/WORC.R.) - polished, toned.
12024 Sjt Walter Moore 1st Bn Worcester's born Aldington Worc 26.12.1892 Enlisted 1911 to France 5.11.1914 Won DCM Pilckem Ridge Taken POW March 1918
Walter Moore was born in Aldington, Evesham, Worcestershire on 26 December 1892 and was one of five brothers, all who served in WWI. He enlisted into the 1st Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment in 1911 and sailed for France on 5 November, arriving at Le Havre the next day.. Upon arrival in France, Moore had already been promoted Lance-Corporal.
The Regiment was engaged in the Battles of the Somme from July 1916, in particular the attack on Contalmaison, which began on 7 July and cost the Battalion 5 officers and 32 ranks killed, 8 officers and 213 ranks wounded, with a further 90 missing. The Battalion remained in the Somme sector until 1 June 1917, moving north to the Ypres sector.
On 26 July, they moved forward from their billets in Ypres to dugouts at "Halfway House." Thence on the next evening the Battalion moved up along the Menin Road to the line, and took over the trenches immediately south of the Road at Hooge. The British artillery had steadily increased their fire during the weeks preceding the attack, and in face of that fire the German front-line trenches had been almost evacuated. Patrols sent out by the 1st Worcestershire on the next two nights reported very few of the enemy in the trenches in front.
Moore, by now a Sergeant, was reported to have taken part in one of these patrols into the enemy trenches - The Badsey Parish Magazine, (Vol 22, No 9, September 1917) and the Evesham Journal of 25 August 1917:
'We have to congratulate Sergt Walter Moore, brother of Corpl Moore, on being awarded the Parchment Certificate for Gallant Conduct and Devotion to Duty. The certificate states: "He was one of the a patrol which entered the German lines near Hooge, east of Ypres, on the night of 27/28 July 1917. The patrol obtained valuable information, but was eventually discovered by the enemy who opened heavy machine gun and rifle fire. Sergt Moore showed great coolness and presence of mind and was of greatest assistance to the patrol commander in collecting and guiding the patrol back to our lines." Sergt Moore is accumulating honours quickly, for he has since been awarded the DCM for meritorious conduct in the subsequent advance on July 31. Mr and Mrs Moore have every reason to be proud of their sons, three of whom are serving in the Army and two in the Navy.'
It was during the Battle of Pilckem Ridge that he was to receive his ultimate accolade:
During the night of 30-31 July, the British guns redoubled their fire, and as the first light of dawn broke the sky the gun-fire rose to intensity and along the whole front of the Salient the British infantry went 'over the top'. The great attack had begun.
Following close behind the creeping barrage, 'C' and 'D' Companies of swept forward over the enemy's front and support lines. Little opposition was met. The organisation of the attack had been careful, and 'mopping up' parties dealt with the enemy dugouts in quick succession. The existence of a tunnel under the road, behind the enemy's lines, had long been known, and it had been anticipated that it would give much trouble; but in the event it was captured easily enough, and forty cowering prisoners were extracted.
The ground over which the Platoons advanced was a wilderness of shell-holes, and intermittent rain during the previous days had begun to soak the soil. At the German support trench ("Ignorance Support") the two leading companies called a halt and started to dig in, while 'A' and 'B' Companies, hitherto in second line, passed through, advanced through the tree stumps of Chateau Wood and captured James Trench. Then came the first definite opposition, a hail of machine-gun fire, and a heavy barrage of shells from the enemy guns. Fortunately the German shells fell upon Chateau Wood, behind the advancing companies; but the machine-guns were a serious problem. The objective of the two companies was a small spur which projects southward from the Bellewaerde Ridge. On the spur were several concrete block-houses. Several had been smashed by our shells, but one was still intact. From that cover the enemy used a machine-gun with great effect, and the advance was checked.
Lieutenant E. C. Barton led forward a small party, Sergeant W. Moore and nine men. Working their way from shell-hole to shell-hole they advanced some five hundred yards under heavy fire, closed in on the block-house and rushed it, killing or capturing all its garrison. Barton was awarded the M.C. and Moore took his D.C.M..
Further along the line the advance was held up by a light machine-gun firing from a shell-hole. Two Lewis-gunners, Lance-Corporal C. Richards and Private S. Fudger, brought their weapon into action. The German machine-gun ceased fire, but reopened as soon as the advance was resumed. The two Lewis-gunners promptly attacked. The Lance-Corporal shot down the German gun-team with his revolver and captured the machine-gun. Both won the D.C.M..
Those brave deeds enabled the advance to continue. The attacking platoons breasted the slope, crossed the sky line, and dug in on their objective, the forward crest of the spur, facing the Westhoek Ridge.
During the incessant and prolonged fighting between 23-28 March 1918, Moore was taken prisoner and initially thought wounded. The following exerts from The Badsey Parish Magazine provided a slow release of new information:
'Mrs Moore, of Aldington, has heard that her son, Sergt W Moore, DCM, is wounded and a prisoner. The information was conveyed in a letter from the Chaplain, who adds: "As far as I can make out, his wound was not too serious …. We shall greatly miss him as he was a great soldier and did excellent work with the Battalion." Nothing further has been heard of Sergt Moore, probably owing to the fact that he is wounded...
We are very sorry to learn that Sergt W Moore (brother of Pte A E Moore), DCM, who was reported wounded and a prisoner, has now been posted as missing from some date "between Mar 23rd and 28th". We trust that reassuring news of him may soon be received....
A postcard has been received from Sergt W Moore, DCM, dated May 25, stating that he is a prisoner in Germany and unwounded.'
Red Cross records indicate that Moore was taken POW at Ham on 25 March 1918 and was detailed at Lager Giessen.
Moore returned home after the conclusion of the Great War. The 1939 Register has him as a Pattern Storekeeper in a Brass Foundry and living at 28 Kenilworth Road, Birmingham. He passed away
