CANADIAN SOLDIER, FORMERLY OF SHETLAND, KILLED, DECEMBER, 1916. Private William Andrew Robert Moar, Service No 180106, 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion, was killed on the Somme, 13th December, 1916. William was son of Joseph and Jane Moar. Before enlisting at Victoria, British Columbia, on 8th November 1915, he was employed as a labourer and lived at 2579 Graham Street, Victoria. Just prior to when William was killed, the 2nd Battalion were at Etrun, France. On the 11th, at 8:30 am, the Battalion left Etrun for the trenches, relieving the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles. The weather was described in the War Diary as being dull and showery. Wind South West. The relief was completed by 12 noon, with no casualties, despite heavy trench mortars. By 3pm, the situation was quiet, and by 6pm a working party of 160 men were detailed for work under sappers. On the 13th, German trench mortars were still active, and the situation quiet with a working party detailed at 6pm. On the 13th, there weather was noted at very cold and dull. There was a gas alert that day, and hostile artillery active on Front Line and Supports. Again, in the early evening a working party of men were detailed for wiring, trench repairs, and unloading ammunition. On the 14th, the day that William was killed, the situation was noted as being very quiet. William died of wounds after being hit on the head by a German snipers bullet. He died a few hours later at No 8 Canadian Field Ambulance. He was unconscious from the time he received his wounds until his death. The Shetland News, Thursday, January 18th, 1917 Private William A Moar Information has been received by Mrs John Smith, St Magnus Street, Lerwick, of the death of her cousin, Private William A Moar, which took place in France on 14th December. Moar was a son of the late Mrs Joseph Moar, who resided for a short time at Union Street, Lerwick. Along with his mother he went to America some five or six years ago to join his step father Mr Mathew Smith of Sand, Sandwick. After the outbreak of war deceased joined the Canadians and he had therefore seen a good deal of active service in France. While in action he had received a gunshot wound to the head, and died shortly afterwards. Moar was a very promising young man of 19 years of age, and the deepest sympathy is extended to his sorrowing relatives in their bereavement. William is buried at Haute-Avesnes British Cemetery, France, Grave Reference A.16. The cemetery is situated west of Arras. It was started by the 51st (Highland) Division in July 1916, and continued to be used by field ambulances of the divisions holding this part of the line. It contains 142 Commonwealth buries of the First World War, as well as eight German graves. Sources: Commonwealth War Graves Commission The Shetland Times, January 18th, 1917. Bayanne War Diary, 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion. Library and Archives of Canada. Photographs: Haute-Avesnes British Cemetery, France (CWGC), Etrun Map (Linesman)
Posted on: Wed, 26 Nov 2014 23:56:06 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015