Thiepval Memorial
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Thomas Horsley Moyle was born 1896 in Quarrington Hill the son of Nicolas Francis Moyle born 1846 a native of Truro, Cornwall and his wife, whom he married in 1872, Elizabeth Perryman born 1853 in Thornley. He was the youngest of 8 surviving children, (3 deceased), 4 boys and 4 girls. In 1901, at the age of 5, Thomas and his youngest sister Isabella were living with their widowed grandfather and uncle at 7, 4th Cross Row, Haswell whilst his parents and the remaining children were living at Back Row, Coxhoe. His father was employed as a hewer along with his brother John. brother Charles was also employed at the colliery working as a labourer and Alfred, 14 years of age, as a jigger lad. Nicolas Francis Moyle died in 1905, aged 59, at Quarrington Hill and by 1911 his widow and family, including his sister Elizabeth’s husband and child were also living there. Thomas now 15 worked at the colliery as a driver.
Thomas Horsley Moyle enlisted at Ferry Hill, joining the Durham Light Infantry as Private 19165, 14th Battalion, 15th Brigade attacked to the 6th Division of the 4th Army and was posted to France September 11th 1915, he served on the Western Front. During 1916 the 6th Division participated in the Battles of the Somme. After the success of the Battle of Morval and Thiepval Ridge at the end of September 1916 the Fourth Army was instructed on September 29th, to plan an attack around the area of Transloy, Beaulencourt and Warlencourt to be known as the Battle of Transloy, October 1st-18th 1916. The attack began in the afternoon of October 1st on Eaucourt l’Abbaye and resulted in the capture of Eaucourt and La Sars a few days later, the last big victory for the 4th Army in 1916 as the subsequent attacks on the Butte near Warlencourt were a failure and saw huge casualties. In the afternoon of October 12th, the next British attack found the Bavarian companies reduced to about 35 men each with rifles and machine guns to defend an area 1,100 yards by 1,600 yards. The defenders managed to repulse the attack and recapture ground on the British stronghold. It was during this attack October 12th 1916 that Private 19165 Thomas Horsley Moyle 14th Battalion D. L. I. was killed in action. Thomas has no known grave and his sacrifice is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Thiepval, France, pier and face 14A & 15C. Thomas was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He was 20 years old and unmarried. His mother Elizabeth had died in 1915, all monies owed to him were divided amongst his brothers and sisters.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Carol Hird has supplied the following obituary from Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail 28/11/1916:
Pte. Thomas H. Moyle, D.L.I., formerly of Quarrington Hill and Merrington, was killed in action on October 12th. He was 21 years old and previous to enlisting worked at Kelloe and Chilton Collieries.
Carol has also provided the photo show here taken from the Northern Echo 8/11/1915.
Thomas is remembered in Chilton on C107.01, C107.04 and C107.12 at Kirk Merrington on K26.01 at Quarrington on Q3.03 and Q3.05 and in the D.L.I. Book of Remembrance page 282
