Moore, Patrick (served as McConnell, Patrick)
Private
No. 505421, Royal Engineers, transferred to
No. 85487, 1st/8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
Killed in action on Monday 27 May 1918 (aged 31)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soissons Memorial, France
BIOGRAPHY
In the Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914 – 1919 database it is recorded that Private Patrick Moore (No. 85487) was born in Newtownards, lived in Berwick-on-Tweed and enlisted in Belfast. He served with the 1st/8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry and, before that, the Royal Engineers (No. 505421).
Private Patrick Moore (No. 85487) served under the alias Patrick McConnell and he was killed in action on 27 May 1918 during the German Spring Offensive. Initially he was reported as missing in action and on 1 August 1918 it was officially confirmed that he must be presumed to have died on or since that date. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Soissons Memorial in France.
In his attestation papers he declared that he was a seaman and that he was 30 years and 3 months old when he enlisted on 2 February 1917 in Belfast. He gave 68 Nelson Street, Belfast as his home address. It was noted that he was 5 feet 3½ inches tall with extensive tattoos on his arms and torso – a Hussar on a horse, a girl wrapped in a Union Jack, Buffalo Bill and a basket of flowers.
Initially he cited as his next-of-kin his mother, Elizabeth McConnell; this was subsequently changed to his father, W.J. Moore. Two addresses were noted – Westgate Road, Newcastle-on-Tyne, which was scored out, and Cockermouth, Cumbria.
Private Patrick Moore served on the Home Front from 2 February 1917 to 24 February 1917 and in France from 25 February 1917 to 27 May 1918.
In the Army Register of Soldiers’ Effects his next-of-kin was his father, William J. Moore.