Private Lawrence Benedict Moore
Lawrence Moore was born in Paris, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John J. Moore. Lawrence had three brothers and five sisters. He was educated in Paris and worked as a teamster. The family attended Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Paris where Lawrence was a member of the Young Men’s Society.
Lawrence enlisted at the age of 27 with the Dufferin Rifles and went to Camp Niagara for training with the 76th Battalion. On arriving in England, he was transferred to the 1st Battalion. In September 1916, the 1st Canadian Battalion was deeply engaged in the brutal Battles of the Somme (Flers-Courcelette and Thiepval Ridge) as part of the 1st Canadian Division, experiencing heavy fighting and casualties. Major actions including attacks around Courcelette and Thiepval, marked by intense German resistance. During the battle of Flers-Courcelette (September 15-22), the 1st Canadian Division relieved other units and fought to take and hold Courcelette, repelling German counter-attacks. The fighting resulted in severe losses, with thousands of casualties for the Canadian Corps during this period. The battalion endured grim trench warfare, intense artillery, machine-gun fire, and desperate German counter-attacks. This would be the battle in which William was killed. On September 21, 1916, William was wounded and taken to No. 1 Canadian Field Ambulance where he died.
The 1st Battalion's actions in September 1916 were a crucial part of the Canadians' first major assault on the Somme, solidifying their reputation but at a tremendous human cost, as noted by their participation in battles like Flers-Courcelette and Thiepval Ridge. Private Lawrence Benedict Moore is buried in the Albert Communal Cemetery Extension, close to Amiens.