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Holly Hall War Memorial

J

JTA

Guest
Hi all,
First post on here for me but I thought I'd let you all know about a project I'm working on.
My name is James Taylor and I am a History tecaher at the Holly Hall School in Dudley.

A recent discovery at St Augustine's Church, Holly Hall has come across a soldier who has been missed off all the local war memorials. Private Archibald Moore of Malvern, Crescent Holly Hall, died in 1942 in Libya, probably during the German Operation Venezia, as is burie in Knightsbridge Cemetary, Accroma.

As Archie has no known relatives, we are aiming to raise the £1,600 necessary to add his name on to the war memorial. Any information, support or donations would be welcomed.
Thanks
 
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James you are right i cant find him on the ''Cwgc'' site you could get in touch with them to give the information on him that you have

And James i not a good idea to put your email address on here its open to spammers ask a moderator to remove it

Mossy
 
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Archibald J Moore, b. reg 2nd quarter 1920 Dudley (vol 6b page 2204) Mmn Woodward.
from the attached article in the Dudley News,
"Two months ago, members of St Augustine’s Church found a gravestone in its churchyard giving details of Private Archibald Joseph Moore, who was killed in action on June 5, 1942. He was just 22. Private Moore lived in Malvern Crescent, Holly Hall, with his parents Archibald Joseph and Phyllis Hannah before he joined the 2nd Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment.
The gravestone in the churchyard is only a memorial tablet to the soldier, who is buried in a war cemetery in Libya and is the actual grave of his sister, Irene Dorothy Moore, who drowned in the sea at Bude in Cornwall in 1938 when she was just 29."


Irene Dorothy Moore birth was registered 4th quarter 1909, Stourbridge, vol 6c page 152 and her death 3rd quarter 1938 Stratton (Bude) vol 5c page 2.
She appears in the 1911 census with parents Archibald Joseph and Lucy Isabel Moore at 2 Copenhagen Row Church St Stourbridge.

Archibald Joseph and Lucy Isabel Trimmer married 2nd quarter 1908 Aston vol 6d page 678. She was born 1st quarter 888 Harley Wintney (actually at Hartford Bridge nearby) vol 2c page 183.
the 1911 also has a crossed out entry, "Sydney Leslie Moore, 3 mths" which I take to be the Sydney Leslie Moore b. 3rd quarter 1908 Fareham (2b 571) d. 4th quarter 1908 West Bromwich (6b 448).

There is a further birth entry for Moore mmn Trimmer: Cyril E F Moore, b. 1st quarter 1914 Dudley vol 6b page 2003. I assume this is the same person whose death is recorded as 1968 Newton Abbot 7a 602. The age fits.

Lucy I Moore's death is recorded as 2nd quarter 1915, Hartley Wintney, vol 2c page 280.
Archibald Joseph Moore then married Phyllis Hannah Woodward 1st quarter 1919 Stourbridge vol 6c page 45 and Archibald (junior) was born as above (top line).

Archibald senior could be the person whose death is recorded as 2nd quarter 1962 Bridgnorth vol 9a page 103, and Phyllis Hannah Moore as 4th quarter 1969 Dudley vol 9b page 438.
(She was born 1st quarter 1884 Dudley vol 6c page 120, and in 1911 was with her parents at 4, court 2, Chapel St, Harts Hill.)
 
I wonder if this is him on the 1939-45 Army Roll of Honour
Name:Archibald Moore
Given Initials:A J
Rank private
Death Date:Jun 1942
Number:4624541
Birth Place:Staffordshire
Residence:Staffordshire
Branch at Enlistment:Infantry
Theatre of War:Middle East
Regiment at Death:West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales' Own)
Branch at Death:Infantry

Suzanne
 
A rather chilling quote from https://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/38/a3127538.shtml

"Early May 1942 left with 1 Officer and 50 other ranks to join 2nd West Yorkshire Regiment. Got first Mail from home, 3 to 4 months either way, still not allowed to say where we are (censored). Arrived at the port of Tobruk, Lybia. The West Yorkshire were part of the 9th Indian Brigade 5th Indian Division the 8th Army. We were really soldiering now, joined a platoon of D company in a platoon position in the defensive line around Tobruk. We lived and slept in our postitions under the sun (90 - 100). Slept under the stars, with just a blanket, did not undress, water rationed to 2 pints per day in your bottle. Had no water for washing, washed our clothes in petrol. 4th June on the move again, deeper into the desert, signs of war all around. 5th June the Division put in an attack on the German lines, which was a disaster. Infantry can't fight tanks! Germans counter attacked on the night of the 5th, similar things were happening to the rest of the 8th Army, and so started the long retreat to El Alamein - 340 casualties."
 
This was featured on the Midlands news today (15th March). I think it is great that the School pupils want to add this soldiers name to the memorial- I hope they manage to raise the funds. Did anyone else see it?
Polly :)
 
pollypops said:
This was featured on the Midlands news today (15th March). I think it is great that the School pupils want to add this soldiers name to the memorial- I hope they manage to raise the funds. Did anyone else see it?
Polly :)
Click to expand...
Polly yes I did, I think it will happen Dave
 
Hi again.
I'm glad we're getting the message out to everybody. If anybody knows of anyway we could raise anymore money for our campaign, or any local businesses wish to donate to our fund please let me know.

James
 
Well done James for highlighting your cause. I love anything that involves our children. I am happy to do a raffle to help your fund on behalf of the BHF at our Black Eagle meet up. If anyone has a prize to donate let me know.
 
Wendy,
Thanks very much. We are running our own raffles and events at the school, envolving a Talent Show and a Sponsored March by Children at our school from different uniformed organisations.

Any cheque donations should be made to Holly Hall School Fund, where we will transfer the money to the church for the plaque.

Donations or scheques should be sent to :

James Taylor
Holly Hall Mathematics and Computing College
Scotts Green Close
Holly Hall
Dudley
DY1 2DU

Thanks
 
Wendy said:
Well done James for highlighting your cause. I love anything that involves our children. I am happy to do a raffle to help your fund on behalf of the BHF at our Black Eagle meet up. If anyone has a prize to donate let me know.
Click to expand...

Wendy Excellent :) I`ll bring a bottle :)
 
Thanks Dave that should make a few bob if I know our friends.:)

Thanks for your details James. I have made a note and I am sure our members will support your cause after our meet on 27th March. I will forward the proceeds. Wendy.
 
Wendy,
Thanks to you and your members to the kind donation of £65 to the Archie Moore Memorial Appeal. Along with your contribution, the Talent Show organised by the pupils and the sponsored march, carried out by students from the seperate uniformed organisations in the area, we have hit the £1000 mark! We are having a Mufti (Non Uniform) Day tomorrow where the students will pay to wear thier own clothes to school, which realistically should virtually raise the extra £400 to add to community doantions. We are well set to have the new plaque cast and set in place by V.E. Day!
Thanks again for all your help and support

James Taylor and the Holly Hall Mathematics and Computing College, Dudley
 
James I am so pleased we could help a little. It sounds as though you are going to get Archie Moores memorial done by V.E. day. The pupils have done a great job raising funds I hope your non uniform day goes well. Please keep us informed of your progress. Best wishes from us all at the BHF.:)
 
We've done it!
Great show of support from the kids today and we raised over £600. The school total, minus donations from the local community stands at £1,658! We have decided to use extra money to repair Archie's sisters grave and donating the rest to Help for Heroes. Thanks for all your support.

James
 
There was a small item on the BBC tv local news this morning about the memorial and mentioned Archie Moore.
I would guess, and hope we will see more in the evenings full programme . Max
 
JTA said:
We've done it!
Great show of support from the kids today and we raised over £600. The school total, minus donations from the local community stands at £1,658! We have decided to use extra money to repair Archie's sisters grave and donating the rest to Help for Heroes. Thanks for all your support.

James
Click to expand...


Good news
 
This is excellent news - the School pupils should be very proud of themselves for all the effort they have put in to raisng the funds needed for the memorial.
Polly
 
Yes I agree Polly it's so nice to see youngsters being involved in such a project. I hope to visit Archie's memorial when time permits. I would also like to thank James their teacher for his time and effort in organising all this......Well done James!
 
Hopefully James will let us know when Archie Moores name has been added to the memorial - I would like to visit it too. Isn't it lovely that they are going to tidy up his sisters grave too - what a lovely project the School have taken on.
Polly :)
 
Hey guys. James here. I forgot my last password and log in, and what email addy I used so I re registered! feel free to deacivate the old JTA account. I re-registered because I am soon to start work on a guide book for St Augustines Church, and I will probably need some advice on that lol.

The War memorial is now up, with Archie's name added to it. A local head stone craftsman cleaned and restored Archi'es sisters headstone and replaced it back into the church yard. If anyone would liek to see either of them, pease dont hesitate to contact me and I'll give you a tour! lol.

We did have a few issues with local residents unfortunately and many of the follwo up plans had to be scrapped due to people playing politics with local history, a sad state of affairs. Now the school has finished with the project, and I have recently been awarded an MA in Conflict Studies from Wolverhampton University, I hope to follow upon the campaign as a private historian, and maybe complete some of the projects I had in mind. Thanks again for your support and advice. I hope to see you round, as I have a bit more experience on forums than I did previously.

Speak Soon.
James (JTA)
 
Hello again James, thank you for the update. I will make a note the next time we visit Wolverhampton it would be lovely to see the finished project. I am pleased the people on the forum could help. A very satisfying project.
Congratulations on obtaining your MA at Wolverhampton! Best wishes Wendy.
 
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