Joseph Tregellis Moore

MOORE, Joseph Tregellis- – – – SPC 1915

DoB:- – c1897, Brighton, VIC

Father:- – Edmund Notley Moore

Mother:- – Josephine

Service No:- 5802

Rank:- – Gunner

Unit:- – 6th Army Brigade, 106th Howitzer Battery

Joseph Moore enlisted on 6 July 1915. He was 18 years and one month old, five feet, four and a half inches tall with a dark complexion, dark brown eyes and brown hair. He also had a full set of teeth. He was unmarried and was a student.

He embarked from Melbourne on 11 October 1915, disembarking at Egypt where he spent the next few months training. On 1 April 1916 he was taken on strength at the 25th Howitzer Brigade at Moascar and then posted to the 114th Battery.

On 19 June 1916 he proceeded from Egypt to Marseilles, disembarking at that port on 25 June. The following year, when Gunner Moore returned from leave in the UK on 13 August 1917, he was admitted to the venereal diseases hospital at Havre. He spent a total of 79 days in treatment, finally rejoining his unit on 10 November.

A year later, in November 1918, Moore was on leave in the UK when he was admitted to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield, suffering from influenza. Despite nine days of treatment, Gunner Moore died of influenza and pneumonia on 27 November 1918. He was 21 years old.

He was buried at the Harefield Parish Churchyard, Grave No 90, Australian Section.

The letter sent to Joseph Moore’s mother in January 1919 from the Secretary, Wounded & Missing Bureau, Australian Red Cross Society, gives further details about her son’s funeral:

– -‘Dear Madam,

Gunner Moore died on the 27th November 1918, the primary cause of death being Influenza, and the secondary Broncho-Pneumonia. He was buried with full Military Honours at 2.30pm Friday, 29th November 1918, Grave No 90, Australian Section, Harefield Parish Churchyard, Officiating Clergyman, Rev A P Bladen who is attached to this Hospital.

The deceased soldier was accorded a military funeral, firing party and bugler from Headquarters being in attendance. Four soldiers from Administrative Headquarters acted as pallbearers. A wreath was sent by Mr C Billyard-Leake of Harefield. Mrs Milligan (cousin) 4 Linden Gardens, Bayswater Road, London was present at the funeral, also a small number of patients and Staff from the Hospital.

– Yours faithfully -¦’