Died
25th June 1943
Sources
raf-pathfinders.com
Cumbria BMD
Ancestry
Barrow News
Norwood News
London Gazette
mitchamhistorynotes.com
Soulby’s Ulverston Advertiser and General Intelligencer
North West Evening Mail
Place
Walks
Flt/Lieut Laurence Moore
(Service no 42071) 97 Squadron RAF
This started out as a simple WW2 commemorative grave, but became more interesting, following the careers of his grandfather and father.
ALSO
THEIR GRANDSON
FT/LIEUT. LAURENCE MOORE, D.F.C.
OF PATHFINDER FORCE BOMBER COMMAND
KILLED AT GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY
21ST JUNE 1943 AGED 22 YEARS.
PER ARDUA AD ASTRA
With his birth registered in Croydon in the second quarter of 1921, Flight Lieutenant Joseph Lawrence (sic) Moore died 25th June 1943, aged 22. He was piloting a Lancaster bomber (LM327-B) on a raid on Elberfeld, Wuppertal, Germany. His aircraft was shot down and all of the crew were killed. He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
CREW
Pilot: F/L Joseph Laurence Moore, DFC
F/E: F/Sgt Robert Alfred Kerckhove
Nav: S/L James Parker McMillin (RCAF)
B/A: P/O William James Stephen, DFM
W/Op: F/Sgt Alan Tomlinson
M/U Gunner: Sgt John William Darroch
Rear Gunner: Louis Leslie Davis
LANCASTER – LM327-B, 25 June 1943, lost without trace.
From Norwood News – Friday 29 November 1940
Awarded the D.F.C.
Among the latest awards for bravery is that of Pilot-Officer Joseph Lawrence Moore of Mitcham, who has been granted the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Pilot-Officer Moore was born at Mitcham in 1921, and commissioned in the R.A.F. in May, 1939.
His parents now live at Ulverston, where he received his education at the local Grammar School.
In the London Gazette of 22nd November 1940, he is listed as being in 115 Squadron when he received his DFC award.
His parents were living at 10, High Street, Colliers Wood in 1921 according to the Electoral Register. At that time, Colliers Wood was part of the Mitcham Urban District.
From rafpathfinders.com
There is an unforgettable account of James Parker McMillin, the navigator, in Joan Beech’s book, ‘One Waaf’s War’. There are a couple of small errors of memory – he was not a Wingco; the pilot was called Moore (though may have had the nickname Mort); and the aircraft was lost without trace (though someone may have seen it being shot down and reported this unofficially). However, as a brief memorial to one of the missing by someone who obviously was very fond of him, it sticks forever in the memory.
Extract from “One Waaf’s War” by Joan Beech
One [RAF officer] I shall never forget was a Canadian, the Station Navigation Officer, Wing Commander McMillin. Tall, prematurely grey, and I suppose in his early forties, he had a cheerful word for everyone and was adored by the whole camp, men and women alike. He came into the Met Office regularly and knew all our names. It seemed that he was extra attentive to me, and I heard via the grapevine that he always referred to me as ‘the little Waaf with starry eyes’. He had come unscathed through all his ops and then was reluctantly persuaded to become Navigation Officer, but he couldn’t bear being grounded. Whenever any crew member was laid off sick, Mac was there taking his place. One day, a pilot named Flt Mort had a sick navigator, and Mac eagerly jumped into the gap, in spite of people telling him that he must be mad to fly with a man who had a name like that. But it was all to no avail. Off he went with Mort, beaming happily, so delighted to be flying again, and yes – you’ve guessed it – Flt Mort’s plane was shot down in flames and no one got out. Well, the whole camp went into mourning. It was as though we had all lost our favourite brother. There was a shadow hanging over Bourn for a time and nothing was fun any more. What was it all about when someone like Mac could be snuffed out, just like that? What was God doing up there – taking a nap? In the end, of course, we all pulled our socks up and got on with the job. What else could we do?
Records of Electoral Registers in Ancestry (sample only)
1921 Thomas & Ella Oliver Moore 10 High Street, Collier’s Wood, Mitcham, Surrey
1924; 1926; 1929 1 Oak Close, Epsom, Surrey
IN
LOVING MEMORY OF
MY DEAR HUSBAND
LAWRENCE MOORE
WHO FELL ASLEEP 31ST MAY 1920
more
1911 Census
1911 Census living at 4 Cleator Street, Dalton, were Lawrence Moore (52), Police Sergeant (Lancashire CC), born Kirkoswald, Cumberland; Sarah Elizabeth Moore (48), no occupation recorded, born Keswick, Cumberland; Margaret Ann Moore (25), single, School Teacher, Lancashire CC, born Walkden, Lancashire; Thomas Moore (21), single, School Teacher, born Kirkby in Furness; Joseph Lattin? Moore (19), single, Wages Clerk, Ship Building, born Kirkby in Furness.
1901, 1891 and 1881 Censuses
The family can be found in the 1901 Census at 54 Chapel Street, Dalton; in the 1891 Census at Beckside, Kirkby Ireleth, where Lawrence is a police constable. In the 1881 Census, 22 yrs old, unmarried and living with his sister Mary Moore (19), born Haltwhistle, Northumberland, in Kirkoswald, Lawrence is a farmer of 22 acres.
Lawrence’s police career can be followed on Ancestry using his appearances in court cases, e.g. at Walkden and Lancaster. In an October 1905 Lancaster appearance, his residence is given as Grange.
The National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1920 has:
MOORE
Lawrence of 9 Hall-street Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire died 31st May 1920 at Dalton-in-Furness Probate London 22nd June to Sarah Elizabeth Moore widow. Effects £594 1s 3d.
Soulby’s Ulverston Advertiser and General Intelligencer 21 June 1906 reported that Thomas Moore had been appointed as a pupil teacher to Broughton Road Senior Mixed School Dalton. This may be Laurence’s father. The same publication reported on 16 July 1908 that Thomas Moore had passed the Preliminary Examination for the Elementary School Teachers’ Certificate (part 2) with Distinction in Mathematics. On 1 October 1908 the North Lonsdale Education Staffing Sub-Committee recommended that Dalton in Furness Lindal and Marton Council School appoint Thomas Moore to the staff. The North West Evening Mail 8 June 1911 reported that the Education Committee had been informed that Thomas Moore would be leaving Lindal & Marton for training college in September.
