Lance Corporal Douglas J Moore

Douglas "Dougie" Moore enlisted in July 1942 and began training 23 August, where he completed his 6 weeks basic training at Bitts Park Camp in Carlisle. After basic training Dougie was moved to Durran Hill Camp on the other side of Carlisle to complete a further 8 weeks mixed training, including weapons and MT maintenance.

After completing training, he was posted to the 8th Irish Battalion Kings Regiment stationed at Folkestone, where his main duties were beach patrols and manning machine gun positions to thwart any attempt of an invasion.

In February 1943 they were moved to Middlesborough to protect the steel mills of Dorman Long.

In May 1943 they were stationed to Paisley in Scotland, where they completed training on use of invasion craft on various beaches including, Troon, Irvine and Gullane. This included training in the use of landing craft and various methods of landing supplies. After this they were stationed at Portobello, near Edinburgh for further beach training.

At the end of 1943 they were stationed in the South of England for general duties including sentry duties at Biggin Hill Fighter Airport, Westerham. This also included guard duty for Churchill's Country Retreat where he held conferences with Montgomery, Eisenhower and other top brass.

Around March 1944 they were stationed to a tented camp just outside of Poole, where they practiced sailing, embarking and disembarking of the Isle of White coast until the invasion on June 6th.

On June 6th they landed in support of the 1st Canadian Division, securing the flanks of the beachhead while the Canadians advanced. Other duties were to evacuate the wounded, burying the dead and clearing any obstructions on the beach.

Around the middle of July Dougie volunteered for the 6th Air Division and joined the 1st Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles, 3rd Air Landing Brigade, were they held their position in the line until September. They were then sent home to reequip and have 14 days leave, during which they were called to back to camp where they thought they would reinforce the Arnhem Landings, but it was declared a lost cause and they were sent to complete their leave.

Around a week before Christmas, they were deployed to Belgium to help the Americans in the Ardennes. After the defeat of the German breakthrough, they were returned home to prepare for the crossing of the Rhine.

In March 1945 they were deployed to Hamelin after crossing the Rhine, and advanced to just outside of Luneburg. This was when the armistice was signed and within a few days they were returned home and given leave.

Upon return from leave they were given their jungle gear and boarded the Duchess of Bedford on route to India. While on route the war in Japan was over so they were diverted to Palestine, landing in Haifa, stationed briefly in Lydda before being stationed in a camp on the coast in Nathanya until Christmas 1945.

Dougie was then stationed in Jerusalem, at a Palestine Police Depot called Mount Scopus, where he was on constant patrol to capture Jewish terrorists.

Around October 1946 they were deployed to Austria via Italy and stationed at Villach. The main duties here were to guard the Palace of Vienna during the 3 months of British Government control.

In April 1947 Dougie proceeded to Aldershot for his discharge, where he was given a suit, shirt, tie, pair of shoes and a trilby hat and rejoined civilian life.