Person

Born in Stockton on Tees in 1891, Thomas Moore was working as a labourer and living in Darlington with his married sister, Nelly Dixon, when he enlisted in the Army Service Corps in January 1915. At the end of August 1915, Driver Moore sailed for France with his ASC Company, which formed part of the 24th Divisional Train, carrying stores and supplies to this New Army Division.

On 11 February 1916, Thomas Moore’s ASC Company was billeted in huts about eight miles behind the front line at the village of Busseboom, south of Ypres. Late that evening, Driver Moore shot and mortally wounded another ASC soldier, Staff Sergeant James Pick, and, when an officer arrived on the scene, he too was threatened, until Driver Moore was disarmed by other soldiers.

Thomas Moore was arrested and charged with murder. At his court martial on 18 February, no motive for the killing was uncovered, though, in his defence, Thomas Moore stated that his mother was in an asylum and that he too was insane. He was, however, found guilty of murder and sentenced to death.

At 5.40 am on 26 February 1916, Thomas Moore was executed by a firing squad drawn from his own ASC Company. He was 26 years old.

On 15 March 1916, his sister received a typed letter from the ASC Records Office, Woolwich: “Madam, I have to inform you that No. T/4/040862 Driver Thomas Moore, Army Service Corps, was sentenced after trial by Field General Court Martial to be shot, and the sentence was duly executed at 5.40 am on the 26th day of February 1916.”

Thomas Moore was buried near where he was executed. His grave, however, was lost and so his name was added to the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres.

As Thomas Moore had been executed, no campaign medals were sent to his next of kin.

Where to look for more information about this person:

Julian Putkowski & Julian Sykes, Shot at Dawn (Barnsley, 1998), pp. 69-71.

Cathryn Corns & John Hughes-Wilson, Blindfold & Alone (London, 2005), pp. 365-367.

T/4/040862 Driver Thomas Moore’s Army Service Record has survived and is held at The National Archives. This record may be seen on the Ancestry family history website: http://www.ancestry.com/

http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=BritishArmyService&rank=1&new=1&so=3&MSAV=1&gss=ms_r_db&gsfn=thomas&gsfn_x=XO&gsln=moore&gsln_x=XO&_F8007A65=040862&dbOnly=_F8007A65%7C_F8007A65_x&_F8007A65_x=1&dbOnly=_F0007CF4%7C_F0007CF4_x&dbOnly=_F0007E0C%7C_F0007E0C_x&uidh=000

Commonwealth War Graves Commission
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/907346/MOORE,%20THOMAS

North East War Memorial Project
http://www.newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=11290

Civil Parish: Darlington

Birth date: 1891

Death date: 26 Feb 1916

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: Stockton on Tees.
2 King Street, Darlington.

Employment: Labourer.

Family: Sister: Ellen (Nelly) Dixon.

Military service:

T/4/040862 Driver, Army Service Corps, 1914-1916.

Medal(s): Though Thomas Moore was eligible for the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, no campaign medals were sent to his next of kin.

Memorial(s): Darlington Memorial Book.
Menin Gate, Ypres.

Gender: Male

Contributed by Durham County Record Office | Durham at War Volunteer