Heslop's Local Advertiser 22/04/1916
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Hubert Moody was born in 1889 at Felling, Gateshead, County Durham, one of 8 children of whom only 7 survived, he was the youngest of 3 brothers and 4 sisters. His father Francis Moody native of Felling born in 1856 married local girl Catherine Waits born 1855, at Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1873. After their marriage he was employed as a mechanic at the chemical works whilst they were living at Wellington Street with their 3 children. Francis died in 1890 aged 34 years. Catherine moved to Split Crow Court, the family’s only means of support was Joseph (16) working as a coal miner. After Joseph married this task fell to Fred working at the colliery as a screener until he too left home after he married at Gateshead in 1907. In 1911 Hubert (22) and his sister Mary (25) were still single and living with their mother. He was employed as a labourer at the quarry, his sister Mary was a pickler at the pickle works. Later that year Hubert was married at Gateshead to Mary Elizabeth Tippet, a local girl born in 1890.
On the outbreak of war he was one of the first to enlist at Felling, assigned as Private 492 Durham Light Infantry, he joined the regiment at their barracks at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. In the following days he was transferred to the 1st/9th Battalion which had returned from its annual camp and ordered to prepare for war. Over the next 9 months, after spending a few weeks digging trenches at South Shields as part of the coastal defences, the battalion was formed into 4 companies and began training at Ravensworth, Boldon and Newcastle-upon-Tyne for service overseas. During his period of training he rose to the rank of Lance Corporal.
The 1/9th Battalion departed from Newcastle railway station between April 17th-19th 1915 for France, they landed at Boulogne April 20th and were attached to the 151st Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division. Within days without any nursery training they were fighting in the front line trenches of the Ypres salient where they suffered heavy casualties from shelling and gas attacks on the Frezenberg and Bellewaarde ridges but thankfully were spared the heavy losses suffered by the other Durham battalions.
Lance Corporal 9/492 Hubert Moody Durham Light Infantry was killed in action February 24th 1916 and interred at Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm). West Vlaanderen, near Ypres, Belgium, grave II. A. 17. He was 26 years old.
The cemetery was begun during April 1915 for the internment of front line fighting units. He is buried alongside Private 9/1637 Jonathan Herbert Pearson Durham Light Infantry of Felling, Gateshead, County Durham, also killed February 24th 1916, aged 22 years and single.
Hubert’s widow received all monies due to him, his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal and a pension for herself and their son James W. Moody, born January 2nd 1915, prior to his father’s departure for the Western Front. James W Moody died in 1977 aged 62 years at Gateshead.
Hubert’s brother Frederick Moody also served during WW1 as Private 33308 Durham Light Infantry and was killed August 22nd 1917. His sacrifice is recorded as one of the 35,000 names inscribed on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing, Tyne Cot Cemetery, near Ypres, Belgium.
Hubert Moody’s mother Catherine Moody nee Waits died aged 76 in 1933.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Heslop's Local Advertiser 22/04/1916 carries:
Lance Corporal Hubert Moody, of Windy Nook, killed in action on Feb. 24th, aged 27 years.
Hubert Moody is remembered in Windy Nook on W95.01 and W95.02 and Felling on F32.23
