Military record

World War 2 

1942

The Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve lists record that Horace was appointed Temporary Midshipman (Special Branch) on 9^th October – age 19.  Special Branch of the RNVR means 'temporary officers' fulfilling other than normal seamanship or engineering roles. The Reserve Lists also record that he was an Executive on Shore so he was probably under training. Midshipmen were the lowest rank, boys.

1943

11^th August 1943, age 19.  –  He was promoted to Acting Temporary Sub-Lieutenant (Special Branch), ie temporary officer fulfilling other than normal seamanship or engineering roles.  This is only one step up from Midshipman. He was still stationed on shore at this time.

1944

11^th February 1944 - He was awarded a D.S.O. “For gallantry and skilful leadership in beating off a prolonged attack by E-boats.

At this time he was serving  in the FS Casablanca Regiment. According to Wikipedia, Casablanca was a Redoutable class submarine of the French Navy. She escaped from Toulon during the scuttling of the fleet there on 27 November 1942, and continued in service with the Allied forces. She served mainly on intelligence gathering missions, supplying arms and delivering men to support the Corsican Maquisards. She played an important role in the eventual liberation of the island in September 1943. Her elusiveness earned her the nickname "Ghost Submarine" from the Germans. After the liberation of Corsica, the Casabianca was used for regular patrols. In 1944 she was hit in a friendly fire incident by a British plane,

Casabianca was decorated with the Croix de Guerre 1939-1945 - presumably this is the Croix de Guerre on his gravestone

1945

He joined 10^th Royal Hussars Prince of Wales Own), Royal Armoured Corps (Birmingham) with rank of Sergeant.

The London Gazette Supplement of 10/05/1945 records that he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. – a high level award for bravery, second only to the Victoria Cross in prestige. Awarded to Horace for gallantry in the face of the enemy.

Post war service

1947

He joined the Royal Armoured Corps, the 8th Hussars on a Short Service Commission as a Lieutenant 13^th June 1947, with seniority dated back to 11^th February 1945.

1949

He was transferred to Regular Army as a Lieutenant 23^rd April 1949, seniority dated 30th November 1946.

1950-53 – Korean war

He served as a Subaltern (ie an Officer below the rank of Captain, eg Lieutenant). The 8^th Hussars were involved in some of the bloodiest fighting in the Korean war at the Imjin River.

Mid 1950s

British Liaison Officer at the French Cavalry School at Saumur – although not a horseman he spoke fluent French.

1958

Left the regiment on its amalgamation in 1958, listed as a Major. He might have served on as a general staff officer

28^th December 1967

‘The north-eastern Laotian village of Sam Neua Nam Bac, which was captured from the Pa'het Lao 'n has been the scene of numerous small skirmishes and sporadic shelling by the Communists.  The situation there has always been described as tense, but not serious Communist attempt to retake it has been reported Red troops surround the valley of Nam Bac and frequently fire at government planes The British military attaché in Laos, Col, Horace Moore was wounded by Communist ground fire a week ago while taking off from the airfield there.’

Source – David Walker, Curator Queens Royal Hussars Museum

24^th February 1968 

‘22 feared dead in crash

VIENTIANE, Sunday. A Laotian DC-3 plane crashed 100 miles north of Vientiane today and an air search reported no sign of survivors among the 22 people on board. The Royal Air-Lao plane was on a scheduled flight from the Royal capital of Luang Prabang.  The British Military Attache, Colonel Horace Moore, is believed among those on board.

Source – The Sidney Herald

'From our Correspondent Bangkok, February 25 1968

Lieutenant-Colonel Horace Moore, the British military attache in Laos, is presumed dead in a Royal Air Lao DC3 aircraft which crashed 100 miles east of Vientane yesterday. He was among 22 passengers on board the aircraft.’

Source – The Times

He was 44 years old.

 

Sources 

•  www.findagrave.com
• Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Royal Navy Lists
• Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Lists (via FMP)
• London Gazette
• forces-war-records.co.uk
• David Walker, Curator Queens Royal Hussars Museum
• Wikipedia