No.14567461, Sapper, Samuel MOORE
Aged 34
medals unknown
22 Bomb Disposal Company, Royal Engineers
Killed on Active Service on Tuesday, 19th September 1944
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Samuel MOORE was born on 22nd February 1910 in Haverhill (Risbridge Q2-1910 4A:892) son of James and Hannah MOORE (née TURNER). 1911 census...Aged 1, he was at 4 Spring Cottages, Sturmer Lane, Haverhill with his father James MOORE [38] farm labourer born Withersfield; his mother Hannah [34] finisher of trousers, born Wratting; sister Lillie [9] born Withersfield; brothers James [11] born Withersfield, Alfred [7], Arthur [5] and William [3] all born in Haverhill. Samuel attended the local council school and became a well-known sportsman in the town. Below is the Haverhill Rovers FC team (1927–28) that won the Haverhill & District League Cup. It is believed that Samuel is standing in the back row, third from left. |
It is not known when Samuel left Haverhill but in 1933 he married Elizabeth M Gould in Willesden. They had two daughters, Patricia J born in 1936 and Sheila Ann who
was born on 29th October 1937, both births being registered in Brighton. Elizabeth died in Worthing in 1939. At the time of the 1939 register, widower, Samuel, was
living in Ardingly Drive, Worthing in the household of Charles and Gertrude Ayling and was employed as a Drainage Contractor. Daughter, Sheila Ann,
is listed on the Register but there are three closed entries and Patricia may be one of them.
It is not known when Samuel joined up or where he was first posted to but in 1940 Samuel married ladies hairdresser, Rebecca Shore (known as Queenie), (Devizes,
Wiltshire Q3-1940 5a:503), so perhaps he was stationed locally and that is how he met her. They had a son, James H Moore, born in 1941.
In the 1939 register his widowed mother [28-3-1877] was at 4 Sturmer Road with his brother Alfred [2-8-1903] a council horse keeper, and sister
Ivy [6-12-1914] a horse hair weaver. There are 2 closed records.
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Samuel was eventually posted to the Royal Engineers, 22 Bomb Disposal Company that was formed at Brentford in 1943 under Major M Durban RE. A company within
the 2nd Bomb Disposal Group that covered the South East, 22 BD Coy was based at Colchester.
Thanks go to Lyn Dyson, West Lavington Parish Council, for help with the research and the photograph of Samuel and his grave. Samuel was killed while working with Sapper Corcoran and Corporal Ashford clearing mines from the beach at Frinton-on-Sea. This stretch of coastline had been mined in anticipation of a German invasion. All three men were killed. Samuel was buried at All Saints Churchyard Extension, West Lavington. |
photo: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details