Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Early Life

George Douglas Moore was born on the 28th March 1884, the son of George Moore and Maggie Harris, at Glanville (SA Birth Registration 323/291).

Schooling

George attended Semaphore Collegiate School, where in 1897 he passed his Junior Public Examinations. In February 1898 George was awarded an Elder Entrance Scholarship to Prince Alfred College. At PAC he passed further Junior Examinations in 1899 and was awarded the Gethering Scholarship. He passed his Senior Public Examinations in December 1900 and in 1901 he ranked third in the Order of Merit for University scholarships.

Before commencing at PAC, George played cricket for Semaphore United. While at PAC George competed in the annual Sports (1899-1901) and played football and Inter-collegiate football (1900 & 1901).

Adelaide University

In March 1902 George was awarded the Angas Engineering Exhibition and commenced studying toward his Bachelor of Science Degree he also completed subjects at the School of Mines. He graduated B.Sc. in December 1904. He undertook more study in 1905, 1906 & 1908 toward a Diploma in Applied Science.

University Sport

Athletics
George competed in the University Sports in 1903 coming first in the Gretna Green Race and in 1904 coming third in the Mile Handicap.

Rowing
George was cox for the Science team in the University Club completion in April 1904.

Football
In his first two year at University (1902 & 1903) George played football for North Adelaide Juniors in the Adelaide and Suburban Association. In 1904 he played league football (12 games) for Port Adelaide Football club.

George played football for Adelaide University:
• 1904 -Law v Arts/Science, v Combined Colleges and Intervarsity v Melbourne University
• 1905 AU v Wesley College and Intervarsity v Melbourne University
• 1906 Adelaide & Suburban Association competition and v Melbourne Scotch and v PAC.

In the 1904 Intervarsity match Moore played in the forward lines and was named among the Best Players for Adelaide (who lost the match by 8 points). He was also among the prominent players in the 1905 Intervarsity match.

Early Career

In late 1906 or early 1907 George joined the Survey Department of the Public Service and by December 1908 he was doing field duties at Waikerie as an assistant to Mr George McCoy.

George represented the Civil Service in a football match against a combined Banks team at the Jubilee Oval in August 1909.

In June 1910 George was admitted as a member of the Institute of Surveyors. He was a licenced surveyor. By August 1910 he was a partner in the firm Kreusler & Moore, at 5 Penn Chambers, 100 King William St, Adelaide. The firm moved to the Widow’s Fund Building in Grenfell Street in July 1912. In May 1912 George was appointed a mining surveyor.

In September 1912 George was undertaking surveying work in conjunction with the East-West Railway Line under Supervising Engineer F.W.T. Sanders.

In March 1913, the firm became Kreusler, Moore & Whitham. In November 1915 George was appointed as the Institute of Surveyors representative on the Board of Examiners for Surveyors, a role he held for many years. In August 1916 the firm changed its name to Waterford, Moore & Whitham. The firm undertook a wide range of work for private individuals and for local government authorities.

World War I

On the 24th January 1916 George enlisted in the 2nd Depot Battalion. He attended NCO School then Engineer Officers Training School at Roseville, Sydney from May 1916 to November 1916. Tragically on the 4th of August 1916, George’s brother, Roy Stanley Moore, of the 27th Battalion, fell at Poziers. Roy had served at Gallipoli and had played football for Semaphore Central and cricket for Ethelton B Grade. George‘s brother Spencer John Moore (SN 31595) was also in Camp at the time of Roy’s death.

George was appointed Captain with the AN&MEF (Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force ). The AN&MEF was a small volunteer force of approximately 2,000 men, raised in Australia shortly after the outbreak of the First World War to seize and destroy German wireless stations in German New Guinea in the south-west Pacific.

George embarked from Sydney on the 23rd of January 1917 onboard the ‘S.S. Morindra’ and landed at Rabaul. He left Rabaul on 23rd of March 1918 on furlough, re-embarking from Sydney for Rabaul on 31 May 1918 on the ‘S.S. Marsina’. George undertook a range of survey duties in Kaewing (Kavieng) and Talasea. He was discharged on 7 October 1919.

Post World War I

In late 1919 George returned to his civilian role as a surveyor and land broker. He supported the need for town planning and returned to his role as an examiner in surveying at the School of Mines.

George married Mabel Margaret Quayle and on the 23rd of May 1924 their daughter Margaret Suzanne Alice Moore was born. At that time the family was living at Halsbury Avenue, Kingswood.

In May 1926 ‘Mr. G. D. Moore, of Messrs. Waterford, Moore, & Whitham, Adelaide, returned by the East-West express on Friday evening, after a fortnight's holiday at Kalgoorlie’.

Unfortunately for George and his business partner George Waterford, they had to charge their business partner (William Whitham) with fraudulent conversion, the case was deferred and later dropped when it became apparent the Whitham had mental health issues.

George undertook survey work in the Loxton area in 1932. In September 1934 he won a prize of £10 10/ for the best design for Sturt Reserve improvements. His surveying work in the Barossa Valley resulted in the creation of three new streets in Nuriootpa.

In January 1939, George surveyed a course for speed attempts by Sydney racing motorist, J.F. Snow, at the Coorong.

George was 55 years of age at the outbreak of WWII. He continued to undertake his survey work in SA. In March 1940 he was being assisted by Mr F. Stuart in surveying the new aerodrome at Port Lincoln.

In January 1941, George had the misfortune to be driving his car at Hurtle Square in the city when an elderly gentleman with poor eyesight stepped on to the road. Sadly the elderly gentleman later died at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. The Coroner found that the driver was not to blame. At this time George and his family were living at Bethune Avenue, Glenunga.

In 1943 George did several surveying jobs for the District of Spalding, including surveying a crossing over the Broughton River. George was active in advertising his services to Local Councils and in 1944 he is reported as doing work for the District Council of Clare and the Loxton District Council and in 1948 he did work for the District Council of Clare and the Saddleworth District Council. George was still undertaking survey work (District Council of Encounter Bay) in February 1956, aged 72.

George visited his brother Spencer in Victoria in February 1948. In a newspaper article mentioning the visit it was stated that George played Lawn Bowls for the Parkside Bowling Club.

George and Mabel’s daughter Margaret Suzanne Alice became engaged to Bernard Pemble-Smith, of Nondugi, New Guinea (the son of Mr and Mrs J.F. Pemble-Smith of Port Kembla, formerly of Port Victoria, SA. They married in August 1952 and had a son., Peter in May 1954.

Death

George’s wife Mabel Margaret Moore died on 17th of October 1958 and was cremated at Centennial Park, Adelaide. George Douglas Moore passed away two years later on the 24th of September 1959, aged 75, and was cremated at Centennial Park.

Author EE (Beth) Filmer

For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project (in the period 2015-2019) please see the document attached.