MOORE, Vincent Reginald

Vincent Moore was the son of Wilfred and Ada Moore, who had both died before the war, and was the eldest grand-son of W. Beddoes-Moore of Oldswinford, Stourbridge. He attended Oldswinford C of E school and eventually moved to Lye where his grand-mother lived. He enlisted in the Worcesters and probably joined the 1st Battalion in the 8th Division. He was later transferred to the Lincolns, their 2nd Battalion also being in the 8th Division. This battalion had been involved in the 1916 battle of the Somme, almost from start to finish and had suffered heavily. By March 1917 they had made up their numbers and the 8th Division was called upon to attack the enemy, in retreat to the Hindenburg Line, at Bouchavesnes. With the Lincolns in the second line the attack started before dawn at 5.15 on the 4th March and the troops were without the usual protection of assault trenches. The leading companies followed the accurate creeping barrage and quickly overcame the main German trenches, named Pallas and Fritz. The Lincolns then arrived to take part in mopping up and to resist any German counter-attacks. In the course of the day there were five counterattacks to be halted, and the troops were finally successful in holding on to their gains. The commanding heights had been won and within weeks the Germans had been forced back to their new Line. However, losses were far from light. Heavy artillery fire had to be endured as the Germans shelled the newly occupied trenches and these losses were heavier than those incurred in the actual attack. Among those missing, presumed killed, on this day was Corporal Vincent Moore. He was 23 years of age and is commemorated on the Thiepval, Stourbridge, Oldswinford church and Oldswinford C of E School Memorials.