George Raymond Dallas Moor VC

GEORGE RAYMOND DALLAS MOOR VC OF BRAUNTON

Second-Lieutenant George Raymond Dallas Moor, of the 2nd Battalion, the Hampshire Regiment, aged 18. was one of the youngest officers in the British Army ever to receive the Victoria Cross.

He was the second son of Mr. W. H. Moor, late Auditor-General of the Transvaal, and Mrs. Moor, of St. Berwyns, Braunton and was born in Ceylon 22 October 1896. . The official announcement states that he was awarded the Victoria Cross "for most conspicuous bravery and resource on June 5, 1915"

Illustration courtesy of Wikipedia

"During operations south of Krithia, Dardanelles. a detachment of a battalion on his left, which had lost all its officers, was rapidly retiring before a heavy Turkish attack, Second-Lieut. Moor, immediately grasping the danger to the remainder of the line, dashed back some 200 yards, stemmed the retirement by shooting four of the men from his own side who were leading this retreat, led back the other men, and recaptured the lost trench.

This young officer, who only joined the Army in October, 1914, by his personal bravery and presence of mind saved a dangerous situation." During the action he was for eleven hours under continuous heavy fire in the trenches, and it was fourteen hours before he recovered from the state of collapse brought about as a result of his great efforts. He had previously greatly distinguished himself at the landing in Gallipoli."

Military cross citation: (gazetted 2nd December, 1918.)

"Lt. George Raymond Dallas Moor, V.C., Hampshire Regiment. . For conspicuous gallantry and skill. He carried out a daylight reconnaissance all along the divisional front in face of heavy machine-gun fire at close range, in many places well in front of our foremost posts."

The Bar Citation: (In effect, a second Military Cross)

"On October 20th, 1918, near to Pijpestraat, the vanguard commander was wounded and unable to carry on. Owing to heavy shelling and machine-gun fire, the vanguard came to a standstill. Lieut. Moor, Acting General Staff Officer, who was reconnoitring the front, noticed this ; he immediately took charge, and by his fearless example and skilful leading continued the advance until the objective was reached. He has a positive contempt for danger, and distinguishes himself on every occasion."

Lieutenant George Raymond Dallas-Moor by 1918, attached to the 30th Battalion, Divisional HQ, died of pneumonia 3 November 1918 aged 22.