Name
George William Moules
1879
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/08/1916
37
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
G/5871
The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) Regiment)
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DERNANCOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
1.C. 11
France
Headstone Inscription
MAY HIS REWARD BE AS GREAT AS HIS SACRIFICE
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Baldock memorials
Pre War
George William Moules was born in 1879 in Baldock, Herts, the son of George Tyler and Eliza Moules. He was one of four children, with three brothers, Ernest Frederick (known as Ernest or Frederick), Arthur, and John Edward (known as John or Edward).
On the 1881 Census he was living in Bygrave Lane, Bygrave, Hertfordshire, at the home of his grandparents, George and Emma Moules, with his mother, five of her siblings and his younger brother Ernest. His grandfather was a labourer and both his grandmother and mother were working as straw plaiters.
By 1891 they were living at Norton End, Baldock and George, his mother and brothers Ernest and Arthur were living next door to his grandparents George and Emma Moules (Moles) and his mother was working as a straw plaiter. His mother and brothers remained in Norton End in 1901 and 1911 but George was not listed with them, and in 1911 his father George Tyler was living there as a lodger.
He married Sarah Maria Moore on 19 July 1902 at St Peter's Church, Keighley, Yorkshire. (N.B. no father's name or occupation is recorded for George but a witness is named as another George Moules). He was then working as an iron grinder and living in Bradford Street. Their daughter Louie was born in May the following year and baptised on 24 June 1903 at St Peter's Church.
On the 1911 Census George and his wife were living with her widowed mother at 13 Pickles Street, Keighley, Yorks, where he was working as a grinder in a textile factory. His wife was also working in the factory as a twister (worsted yarns) and they were living at Keighley at the time of George's enlistment.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Keighley, Yorkshire and joined the Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment, serving with the 1st Battalion in France from 29 September 1915. He was probably one of a draft of 100 men which joined the battalion in the field on 3 October.
The battalion were situated at High Wood near Bazentin-le-Grand from 8 August 1916 and suffered heavy shelling in the early hours of 12 August, followed by intermittent shelling throughout the day. It is likely George was wounded during this time as he died on 13 August 1916 from wounds received in action, aged 37. He is buried in Dernancourt Cemetery, Somme, France.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £4 10s and pay owing of £2 5s 4d, she also received a pension of £2 5s 4d a week.
His widow, Mrs Sara Maria Moules, living at 13 Pickles Street, Keighley, Yorkshire, ordered his headstone inscription: " MAY HIS REWARD BE AS GREAT AS HIS SACRIFICE".
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts, Paul Johnson, queensroyalsurreys.org.uk/war_diaries
