Moore | Charles Leonard Desmond
Biography
Charles Leonard Desmond Moore was wounded in the Battle of Overloon on 16th October 1944 and died of his wounds a day later, aged just 19. He was a Lance Corporal in the 1st Battalion of the Royal Norfolk Regiment which lost a great number of men in that battle.
The 1st Battalion of the Royal Norfolk Regiment was still in India on the outbreak of the Second World War. It remained there until July 1940, when it returned home. It landed in Normandy on D-Day (6 June 1944). In the ensuing campaign in North-West Europe, the regiment won two of its five Victoria Crosses of the war, the highest number for any single regiment. It suffered particularly heavy casualties in the Battle of Overloon.
The 16th October was the day on which the Royal Norfolk Regiment and others successfully bridged the Molenbeek between Overloon and Venray. The Battalion War Diary for that day records:
“Heavy fighting against stiff opposition. Several casualties are caused by shelling, mortaring and sniping. Nevertheless Bn becomes firmly established. In evening CO announces that the Bn’s achievements far exceeded the expectations of the Higher Command and issues his congratulations to all ranks and their magnificent, if costly, effort.” It came with the loss of 17 lives from that regiment on the day itself – the largest number in their time around Overloon.
Charles was born on 10th November 1924 to Charles and Maud Moore in the Wharfedale District of Yorkshire which included the northern parts of what is now Leeds. He was known in his family as Desmond. His parents were married in 1923 at St John’s Church in Moor Allerton in Leeds. At his marriage his father was described as a farmer aged 19, the son of another Charles Moore, also a farmer. His mother was Maud Rogers, aged 24. She was the daughter of John Rogers, a reservoir keeper, and was living at the Reservoir Lodge at Alwoodley while her bridegroom was living at Grove Cottage Alwoodley. The reservoir is now known as Eccup Reservoir and is just on the northern edge of Leeds.
Charles and Maud Moore had another son, John Cyril N Moore, who was born in the same area in 1926.
In September 1939 both Charles and his brother John were still living with their parents but now at 147 Thorn Lane Bradford. Charles senior was working as the head gardener at a printing works and was recorded as born on 25 August, 1903 while Maud was shown as born on 18th May 1898. Charles was still single and shown as “Tractor Driver – Gold Course” while John (born 16th Feb 1926) was still at school.
Little more is known about Charles. He does not appear to have married.
His mother, Maud Moore, died in 1980 in Bradford. His father, Charles Moore, died in 1982, also in Bradford. A probate record for him gives an address of 6 Wensley Bank Terrace, Thornton, Bradford.
