Pte 15814 Albert James Moore

• Age: 21
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 11th May 1916
• Commemorated at: Cerisy-gailly Mil Cem
  Panel Ref: II.D.2

Albert James Moore was the second of four sons and a daughter. He was born on 07th April 1895 and baptised on 05th May 1895 as James at Our Lady of Lourdes and St Bernard's Church, Liverpool. His parents James Roskell Moore and Mary Jane Walmsley married on 17th May 1893 in same church. His brother Robert was also baptised at Our Lady of Lourdes on 04th February 1894 he was born 17th January 1894. James was a confectioner by trade, born in Lytham.

The 1901 Census shows his father James, aged 34 was living at his confectionery shop premises at 23 High Street, Wavertree. His mother, Mary, is 36 years of age and was born in Rochdale. They have four children in the household; Robert aged 7, Albert James, recorded as James is aged 6, Mary aged 4 and new born Francis. Also declared is Ellen Walmsley a 68 year old widow born in Rochdale and described as mother in law. The family also employ two servants.

The family was still at the same address in 1911, his father, aged 44, was running his own catering business assisted by his wife, aged 46, and their eldest daughter Mary aged 14. His parents  advised that they had been married for 18 years and had five children all of whom had survived. Robert is now 17 and employed as a clerk in the corn trade, Albert James is shown as James and in 1911 was employed as a clerk in the cotton trade, Francis is aged 10 and at school as is John aged 6. Also declared is Constance Armitage described as an assistant confectioner. 

On 31^st August 1914 at St George's Hall, Liverpool, both Robert and James (Albert) enlisted in the 17^th Battalion, James giving his age as 20 years 330 days and enlisting as Private 15814 and Robert as Private 15608. James Albert gave his occupation as a clerk and his next of kin as his father, 89 Tweed Street. He was described as being five feet five inches tall, weighed 123lbs, chest 34", dark complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. He stated his religion as Church of England. 

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

James served in France from 7^th November 1915, earning all three medals, but was killed in action. Both Graham Maddocks and CWGC give his date of death as 01^st May 1916 but his Service Record gives it as 11^th May 1916.

In May 1916 the battalion were in front line trenches near Maricourt on the Somme.  The 17^th Bn relieved the 19^th at 5:40 p.m on 11th May 1916.  At 7:45 p.m. the enemy started shelling the front line trenches.

From the Battalion War Diary:

“Enemy shelled front line trenches 17/1, 17/2, 17/3, and 17/4 for about ¾ hr fairly heavily with 4.5, 5.9, and minenwerfer shells came from North.  Support and Communication trenches were also shelled.  Our artillery replied with 4.5 and 18 pounders.  5 OR killed and 1 wounded.” 

The Other Ranks killed, including Albert James were: Lance Corporal Donald Evans, Privates George Henry Cole, Charles Holland, and Charles Joseph Kain.  

Albert James Moore now rests in Cerisy Gailly Cemetery, Grave II D 2. alongside Private Charles Holland in II.D.3, Private George Cole II.D.4 and Lance Corporal Donald Evans in II.D.5.  Private Charles Joseph Kain is also buried in the same row in the cemetery at II.D.19.

Gailly was the site of the 39th and 13th Casualty Clearing Stations during the early part of 1917, and of the 41st Stationary Hospital from May 1917 to March 1918. The villages were then captured by the Germans, but were retaken by the Australian Corps in August 1918. Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery (originally called the New French Military Cemetery) was begun in February 1917 and used by medical units until March 1918. After the recapture of the village it was used by Australian units. The cemetery was increased after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefields of the Somme. The cemetery now contains 745 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 114 of the burials are unidentified and special memorials commemorate five casualties buried at Maricourt and Ste. Helene whose graves could not be found. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 20th May 1916:

– Killed in Action -

Moore – May 11 Private James Moore 15814 second son of James and Mary Moore of Wavertree. RIP (God's Will be done)

His death was also reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on Thursday 01 June 1916:

Killed.

King’s (Liverpools) - Moore, 15814, J. (Liverpool);

Soldiers Effects, army pay £3 12s 10d, War Gratuity of £7-10s to father James, and Pensions of both Albert and Robert amounting to 11/6 pw to mother Mary. 

In 1919, his father completed his sworn declaration regarding relations, giving his home address as still 23 High Street, and stating that in addition to his mother and father James had 2 brothers - Francis, aged 18 years, and John, aged 15 years.

Research shows that his brother Robert, also a Liverpool Pal, was killed in action, on 12^th October 1916 at Le Transloy. In 1915, Robert was convicted of two discipline offences while in the UK - destroying Government clothing (3 days CB) and being 11 minutes late on parade (2 days CB). He too landed in France on 7^th November 1915, earning his 3 medals but between 31^st March and 15^th April 1916 was admitted to 22^nd Field Ambulance suffering from “PUO”, possibly Pain of Unknown Origin, and later diagnosed as Myalgia, ie muscle pain.

On 30^th July 1916, Robert sustained a gunshot wound to his left forearm and was hospitalised. On 16^th August 1916 he rejoined his Unit and on 31^st August was awarded his first Good Conduct badge for 2 years service, but on 12^th October was killed in action during the Battle of Transloy Ridges. Robert is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme

Robert's death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 19th May 1917 –

Moore – October 12 Killed in Action age 22 R.W. Moore (KLR) the eldest son of James and Mary Moore, 23 High Street, Wavertree. (Once again Gods Will be done) RIP.

His parents and their sons James and Robert are commemorated on the Gravestone at St Bartholomew’s, Thurstaston.

Albert James is commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 22. 

Robert’s father had to endure the deaths of his two remaining sons in the Second World War.  

Merchant Navy Steward John Moore died on the 25^th September 1942 when S.S. New York was torpedoed.

John is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial, London at Panel 73.  

Senior Aircraftman 1st Class 1681561 Francis Joseph Moore, aged 45, died on the 07^th March 1946 at the Royal Infirmary, Liverpool of coronary thrombosis. He has a CWGC headstone and now rests at Thurstaston (St Bartholomew Churchyard), Wirral. 

 Their parents celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary which was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 17^h April 1943: 

GOLDEN WEDDING  

MOORE—WALMSLEY— ApriI 17, 1893 at St. Bernard’s, Kingsley Road, Liverpool, JAMES ROSKELL MOORE to MARY JANE WALMSLEY, —Gowan Hill, Seaview Avenue, Irby (late High Street, Wavertree). Congratulations on your golden wedding. 

His mother, Mary, died aged 79, just days after their Golden Wedding on 26th April 1943. 

Her death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 29^th April 1943: 

DEATHS  

MOORE— April 26, at Gowanhill, Seaview Avenue, Irby, formerly of High Street, Wavertree, MARY JANE, dearly-loved wife of James Moore. Funeral at Thurstaston Parish Church, to-morrow (Friday), at 2 p.m. 

His father died aged 80 on the 09^th July 1947. 

Probate:- 

MOORE James Roskell of Gowan Hill, Seaview Avenue, Irby, Cheshire died 9 July 1947 Probate Lancaster 8 September to Mary Moore spinster. Effects £4045 10s 4d. 

We currently have no further information on Albert James Moore, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.