Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From Australian Remembrance Army

𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗲
𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗡𝗼: 13681
𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗸: Private
𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁: 8th Field Ambulance

Our group of volunteers had the honour of restoring the lettering to the large granite headstone of Mary Ann and William Moore, which includes a memorial inscription for their son, Frank who was killed in action in Belgium in 1917. The grave is located at the historic Nundah Cemetery in Brisbane and approval was granted by Brisbane City Council for us to complete these works prior to commencement. We are grateful for Council’s ongoing support of this voluntary work for these veterans.

𝙇𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙒𝙚 𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩
Mary Ann Gregory and William Moore were married in Staffordshire, England in 1881. They lived in Wednesbury, Staffordshire where William worked as a Blacksmith, and raised four sons – Albert Thomas (born 1881), William Henry (born 1883) and Frank and Walter (twins, born 1890). By 1911, Albert had emigrated to New Zealand. Mary Ann, William and their three sons were living in Wednesbury where William (Snr) worked as a Blacksmith, William (Jnr) a Draper, Frank a Tailor Cutter and Walter a Tailor.

On the 30th January 1913, Frank departed London, England on board the ship “Thermistocles”, arriving in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on the 10th March. His brother William had emigrated to Australia on the 13th November 1911 and was living on Sandgate Road in the northern Brisbane suburb of Virginia. Frank settled in Virginia, working as a tailor and bought land in the suburb of Banyo.

In September of 1915, Frank enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force, in Brisbane. He embarked from Sydney on the 29th March 1916 per HMAT Kanowna and reported for duty with the 8th Field Ambulance on the 20th May at Ferry Post on the Suez Canal in Egypt. The following month, Frank embarked from Alexandria on board “Transylvania”, disembarking six days later in Marseilles, France. He was admitted to hospital sick in the field on the 22nd April 1917, and transferred to the Ambulance Train before being admitted to the 5th General Hospital in Rouen with appendicitis. He was transferred to England, and admitted to the 4th Southern General Hospital on the 16th May. Frank was granted furlough from 20th June until the 4th July, when he marched in to No. 2 Command Depot in Weymouth, England.

From 9th July until the end of September, Frank spent time with the No.4 Command Depot in Codford before training with the Overseas Training Brigade at Perham Downs. He proceeded overseas from Folkstone, England to Rouelles, France on the 1st October 1917, and marched out to the A.A.M.C 5th Division two days later. He was taken on strength of the 8th Field Ambulance on the 8th October 1917.

Frank Gregory Moore was killed in action on Saturday 27th October 1917. He had gone from Ramparts (pill boxes) into the town of Ypres to bathe at the 5th Divisional Baths when a shell exploded and killed him and two other soldiers, and wounding others. He was buried the same night at the Military Cemetery at Menin Gate by the Church of England Padre, with crosses erected on all the graves. Fellow soldiers described Frank as being a very quiet, clean-shaven man who was of biggish build, about 5ft 8, and wore glasses. Frank’s service record includes a letter that he wrote before leaving for war, in which he advises that he wishes “£10 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑆𝑢𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑉𝑖𝑟𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑆𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝑆𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑙 𝑡𝑜 𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑧𝑒 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑠𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑙”. (Copy of letter is attached.)
Extract from a letter in Frank’s file: Owing to the extremely heavy fighting which took place in the vicinity, and the heavy shell fire to which this cemetery was subjected during hostilities, no trace can be found of the grave of these two soldiers [Frank Gregory Moore and Charles Henry Carstens]. The Imperial War Graves Commission has therefore decided to erect a “Special Cross” and the inscription will be prefaced by the words :- “Buried in this Cemetery – actual graves unknown”.

We are very fortunate to have had photos taken of Frank’s memorial headstone by Marijke Vandevyvere, who visited the cemetery for us. Thank you, Marijke!
Frank’s parents and brother Walter, emigrated to Australia from England in 1920/21 and settled in Victoria Street at Banyo. Mary Ann Moore died on the 7th February 1930, and was buried at Nundah Cemetery. Her husband, William died seven years later, on the 9th May 1937, and was buried with Mary Ann.

Albert Thomas Moore married Evelyn Tracy Okey in 1911 and died in Taranaki, New Zealand in 1962.

William Henry Moore married Bridget Margaret Kelly and died in Brisbane in 1972. William and Bridget’s son, Frank Moore (born 1920) served in the second world war and was killed in Papua New Guinea on the 24th September 1943.

Walter Moore married Ellen Elizabeth Varney in 1924 and died in 1967 at Northgate, Brisbane.