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Auction: 20001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - conducted behind closed doors
Lot: 954

Five: Corporal A. Moore, Leicestershire Regiment, killed in action whilst a member of the 'British Battalion' at the Battle of Kampar, 30 December 1941

General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (4857752 Pte. A. Moore. Leic. R.); India General Service 1936-39, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1937-39 (4857752 Pte. A. Moore. Leic. R.); 1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45, surname on first officially corrected, otherwise good very fine (5)

Arthur Moore, a native of Newcastle upon Tyne, was born in 1917 and enlisted in the Leicestershire Regiment on 23 July 1935. Having seen active service in Palestine and on the North West Frontier of India, he would have remained in India until February 1941 when the Battalion moved to Penang. Sailing for the mainland of Malaya in May they were stationed at Sungei Patani, waiting for further news. Japan declared war on 7 December, whilst based at Jitra and the 'Tigers' were then in constant, ferocious contact with a fanatical enemy from the night of the 10 December through to the eventual fall of Singapore.

It was at the Battle of Kampar that Moore lost his life as a member of Major-General Murray-Lyon’s 11th Indian Division. The 2nd East Surrey's had likewise taken heavy casualties in the days prior and as a consequence the two battalions were amalgamated in to what became known as the ‘British Battalion’, namely a compliment of 760 ranks all told, under Lieutenant-Colonel C. E. Morrison, M.C. It was ordered to join 6/15th Indian Brigade at Kampar where, between 30 December 1941 - 2 January 1942, a desperate battle was fought in the face of overwhelming odds. The British Battalion held a position astride the road about half a mile north of the town. East of the road were three ridges, covered in jungle: to the west, the country was open. The last week of 1941 was spent in preparing the position for defence by digging, wiring and clearing fields of fire.

After a heavy bombardment, the enemy attacked at 0700 on New Year’s Day 1942 with a frontal assault on the first ridge and flank attacks from the jungle. They succeeded in getting a temporary foothold but were thrown off by a British counter-attack. For two days there was heavy fighting on the ridges, with many outstanding acts of gallantry, until news came that the enemy had landed in strength on the west coast to the rear of the Kampar position, which therefore became untenable. Moore is officially recorded as having been killed in action on 30 December 1941 and is commemorated upon the Singapore Memorial. Of the original members of the British Battalion, it numbered just 265 by the time of the surrender.


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Sold for
£420

Starting price
£200