70 Main St. North
John Lewis Moore
John was born in the Village of Acton on May 10, 1894. He was the only son to Nelson Farmer Moore and Agnes Lane. John lived at 70 Main St. North, Acton and it was from this home that he said goodbye to his parents and left for overseas defence of his country.
An article in the Acton Free Press May 24, 1917 reported that Private Moore enlisted in the 34th Battalion at Guelph in January 1915. He was a member of the Bugle Band of the Regiment. After nine months of military drill and instruction at Guelph and London he went overseas with his battalion and landed in England in October 1915. After some months in camps in England, the 34th was divided into special drafts and sent from time to time to the front to reinforce regiments that had been decimated. Bugler Moore was then transferred to the military band of the Montreal French Battalion, the 23rd which was a reserve force. This band was under the leadership of a French bandmaster from Paris. Remaining in England when his comrades were being sent to the front became irksome for this intrepid young soldier, and he applied for a place as a Private. Once or twice the Medical Board refused him, he persisted however and eventually secured a place in the ranks. He went to France with his Battalion in March and was evidently with the Canadian divisions which won distinction in the battles of Vimy Ridge and beyond. He fell in action Saturday May 5, 1917. He would have turned 23 years of age the week after he fell.
John was a young man of noble character, one of whom any father and mother would justly feel proud. After passing the High School entrance examination he worked at the Free Press newspaper for four years. For a time, he was foreman of the Gazette in Burlington. He was an active worker, was President of the King’s Orderlies bible class and an efficient teacher in Sunday school. He had considerable talent as a public speaker and had been granted a licence as a preacher of the Methodist Church.
On the day his father received the news that his son had fallen in action he said of him “He was true to his friends, to his country and to his God”.
John was killed by an enemy shell in the trenches, and his final resting place is unknown. He is commemorated on the Canadian National Vimy Memorial.
A true Canadian Hero. His story lives on.
