Pte 29716 Alfred Moore

• Age: 20
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 72 Woodville Terrace, Everton, Liverpool. His father, Thomas, is shown as aged 50, born in Lichfield in 1861 occupation shown as a Police Constable, whilst his mother, Margaret, is aged 52, born in 1859 occupation home duties. They have been married for thirty two years and have had nine children. Eight of their children are resident at the property and are listed as; Mary aged 29, born 1882 is a dressmaker, Thomas aged 26, born 1885 is a barman, Annie aged 23, born 1888 is tailoring, Florence aged 20, born 1891 is at home, Emily aged 18, born 1893 is a clerk with the Phoenix Stationery Company, Alfred aged 15, is an office boy, Elsie aged 12, born 1899 and Henry aged 8, born 1903 are at school. His eldest sister Margaret is married and living in Liverpool.

Alfred enlisted in Liverpool joining the 20^th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 29716. Based on the amount of the War Gratuity, Alf enlisted in about May 1915, and went to France in 1916.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 20th 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 was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 20, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive. 

The 20^th King’s Battalion Diary records:

“At 4.45am prompt the attack was launched. Unfortunately, a thick mist prevailed and it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. This continued until about 6 o’clock when it lifted slightly, but it was still too hazy and impossible to see what was happening 100 yards ahead. This being so, it was not surprising to find that the attacking waves were experiencing great difficulty in maintaining connection.”

At 6am, Lt. RE Melly, No.1 Company, reported that his men had taken the German Maltz Horn trench.

At 6.30am, 2/Lt. CP Moore reported that he had 150 men, 4 Stokes Mortars and 2 Lewis Guns, but he was the only officer. He also said that due to the fog, both his “flanks were in the air” i.e. he was not in contact with neighbouring troops.

At 9.10am, Moore was still not in contact at his flanks, and now he had only 75 men, he had sent out 2 patrols and neither not returned. Later Moore established communication with the French on his right.

Around 10.00am, 2/Lt Musker reported that he had just over a company with him, but his left flank was suffering from German machine gun fire. Later he reported that he had over 30 casualties from the machine gun fire. His flanks were also “in the air”. No contact was made with this party until the remnants returned around 9.30pm, all runners sent were killed or missing. The War Diary states that this group had: ”held the ground won all day, and this permitted the consolidation of the ground won on the Maltz Horn ridge with little interference from the enemy”.

Relief for 20/Kings had been planned for 11.00pm, but it was 5.00am on the 31st July before it took place, ending a tragic day for the Liverpool Pals.

Casualties for 20^th Battalion were 16 Officers and 357 Other Ranks

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30^th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55^th Division during the early hours of the 31^st July. 

The events of 30^th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89^th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.

Alf was initially declared Missing, and his name appeared in a list published on 14th September 1916 in the Liverpool Daily Post.  

Alf's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is now commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916. 

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

His mother Margaret received his Army pay of £3 13s 7d and a War Gratuity of £4, and was awarded a pension of 9/- a week from April 1917. 

In the Liverpool Echo, on 30th July 1917 under the heading ‘Lost At The Battle of Guillemont’ his family paid tribute to Alf:

“In loving memory of dear Alf (Private A. Moore), Pals (Machine Gun Section), killed in action July 30, 1916, aged 20 years. (Ever remembered by Father, Mother, and Family.) – 67, Woodville Terrace.” 

Sadly, Alf’s was not the only loss the family suffered. His eldest brother Thomas Philip Moore enlisted in the K.L.R. and served overseas with the 10th Battalion of the Loyal North Lancs Regiment as Private 33191. He died on 28th January 1917, aged 32, leaving a widow whose address was shown as The Crown and Sceptre, 62, Crown Street, Liverpool. Thomas now rests at Melville Communal Cemetery Extension (between Bethune and Armentieres) where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"SWEETEST MEMORIES"  

His eldest sister, Margaret’s husband, Charles Joseph Black, also enlisted in the K.L.R. and was later transferred to the Labour Corps. He died of disease on 07th December 1917 and now rests in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Ypres.  Charles was 36 years old and the father of five.

His mother died in 1922, aged 63.

His father died aged 73 in 1930 (family tree). 

His brother Thomas is recorded in the Hall of Remembrance at Liverpool Town Hall as P. T. Moore of the Loyal North Lancs Regt. Alf's name is not recorded.    

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