2nd Lieutenant Douglas Dana Drew Kinnaird MOIR
A Company, 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards)

Date of birth: 12th December 1894
Date of death: 23rd July 1916

Killed in action aged 21
Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 3A and 3D
He was born at Halifax, Nova Scotia on the 12th of December 1894 the second son of Major John Drew Moir, Royal Army Medical Corps, and Sarah Jane Constance Pretender (nee Allaway) of 55 Pembridge Villas, Bayswater, London W11.

He was educated at the Junior King’s School from June to December 1904 and later at Plymouth College, where he was a member of the Officer Training Corps for five years and attended three annual camps.

He enlisted as a Private in the 7th (County of London) Battalion and was mobilised on the 5th of August 1914 attached to the Headquarters Company. He applied for a commission on the 9th of October 1914, in an application which was supported by the Headmaster of Plymouth College, and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 10th Battalion Norfolk Regiment on the 27th of October 1914. On the 27th of August 1915 he relinquished his commission for a Cadetship to Sandhurst where he played for the Rugby XV. On leaving Sandhurst he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Yorkshire Regiment on the 21st of December 1915.

The 1st of July 1916 was the opening day of the Battle of the Somme and the 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment went into the attack at the village of Montauban with a strength of 14 officers and 688 men. On that day and over the following few days they suffered casualties of some 439 officers and men before they were relieved. On the 11th of July they moved to Morlancourt and to Vaux-sur-Somme on the 13th . On the 14th of July they marched to Vecquemont where they entrained for Ailly-sur Somme and then marched to Fourdrinoy where they were inspected by Major General J.S.M Shea after which they were marched back to Morlancourt once again. Douglas Moir embarked for France on the 12th of July 1916 and joined the battalion in the field during this period along with replacements of another 11 junior officers and 309 other ranks.

In the early afternoon of the 22nd of July 1916 the battalion marched to assembly positions for an attack on the village of Guillemont the following day. They reached Glatz Redoubt at about 4.30pm and moved forward to Trones Wood at 9.30pm, coming under heavy shelling on their way forward, suffering a number of casualties during the move. By 2.30am the following morning they were in position with zero hour for the attack having been set for 3.40am. A Company were on the right of the attack with B Company on the left and D and C Companies were in support and reserve. At zero hour the assault companies moved forward but soon lost direction in the darkness and in the smoke which had been laid down by the British artillery to cover the attack. Some platoons reached the enemy trench to the south of Guillemont but found the enemy wire had not been cut by the artillery and, coming under intense enfilade fire, they were forced to withdraw. D Company, with remnants of A and B Companies, managed to capture a trench to the north of the village where they beat off two counterattacks and consolidated their gains. They were relieved at 7pm and withdrew to Happy Valley. Casualties for the attack were heavy, with Douglas Moir being killed as he led his men to the attack. Nine other ranks were also killed, along with five officers and one hundred and fifty one other ranks wounded with two officers and ninety men being posted as missing.

His father received the following telegram dated the 28th of July 1916: -

"Deeply regret to inform you that 2nd Lt D.D.D.K. Moir 2 Yorkshire Regt. killed in action July 23. The Army Council express sympathy."

Two statements were taken from eyewitnesses in order to ascertain what happened to him. Statement of Private 24327 J.W. Snowdon 1st Platoon, A Company, 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment taken at Harfleur on the 19th of September 1916: -

"I last saw him on Sunday July 22/16 (sic) at Guillemont about 4am about the second German line. I saw him fall apparently killed instantly. I was close to him. We had to carry on. Pte. Smith of A Company, 2nd Platoon also saw this. Smith is now up the line. We held and still hold the place where he fell."

Statement of Lance Corporal 24520 Robert W. Samuel A Company, 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment taken at Etaples on the 20th of October 1916: -

"He was my platoon officer - one of the best officers you could wish for. I went out with him to the German lines on a bombing raid. He told me to get back but stayed on himself. Fenwick and Calligan stayed with him. They came in later and reported that the Lt. was hit. Calligan is wounded and is now in England. Fenwick is now a groom in the RFA."

A brother officer wrote to his father which was passed on to the War Office: -

"He was seen to fall shot through the head in an attack near the German lines."

His father requested that the War Office contact the United States ambassador to see if his son was being held as a prisoner of war but this request was denied as Douglas Moir had been reported as killed, not missing in action.

Junior King's School

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