Second Lieutenant William Moore
The first North Irish Horseman
William Moore was born in County Down around 1877. He was probably born on 20 May 1877 at Loughries, near Newtownards, Country Down, son of labourer James Moore and his wife Jane (nee Hays).
On 24 September 1900 he married Maggie McKittrick at Greenwell Street Presbyterian Church, Newtownards. Soon after the couple moved to Downpatrick, where Moore found work as a horse trainer.
It is likely that Moore served in the North of Ireland Imperial Yeomanry for much of its existence from 1903 to 1908. On 6 July 1908, when the North Irish Horse was formed following the Yeomanry regiment's disbandment, Moore was the first to enlist, being assigned No.1 on the new regiment's roll. At that time he was part of A Squadron and held the rank of sergeant.
By 1914 he had risen to the rank of Squadron Sergeant Major. In April that year he was one of four senior NCOs of the North Irish Horse to be awarded a Special Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.
Moore embarked for France with Lord Massereene's C Squadron on 21 August 1914, seeing action in the Retreat from Mons and Advance to the Aisne.
By 1917 he had risen to the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2. During that year he applied for a commission and was posted to the UK for training at an officer cadet school. He was made a 2nd lieutenant on 2 March 1918 and posted to the Army Service Corps.
He relinquished his commission on 1 September 1921.
Moore standing, far right
The first image shows Moore in 1912. The full picture can be seen here.