A scarce Great War ‘Salonika’ D.C.M. group of five awarded to Private E. S. D. Moore, Nottinghamshire Yeomanry, for his gallantry and coolness when sent out as a lone decoy to lure into an ambush a patrol of Germany cavalry on 17 April 1916; Moore was mounted on a specially chosen Charger in order to outpace the enemy should an attempt have been made to capture him

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (989 Pte. E. S. D. Moore. Notts: Yeo:); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, unofficial rivets between state and date clasps (735 Pte. E. S. D. Moore. 10th. Notts Coy. Imp: Yeo:); 1914-15 Star (989 Pte. E. S. A. [sic] Moore. Sher. Rang.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (989 Pte. E. S. A. [sic] Moore. Notts. Yeo.) generally good very fine (5) £1,400-£1,800

D.C.M. London Gazette 14 November 1916:
‘For gallantry and coolness when sent out to try and lure a party of the enemy into an ambush. He behaved in a remarkably plucky manner when in very close touch with the enemy.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 25 September 1916 (Salonika).

Edmund Schneider Dodwell Moore was born at Honington, Lincolnshire, on 22 April 1874, the son of the Reverend Henry Dodwell Moore, Vicar of St Wilfrid’s, Honington, and following the outbreak of the Boer War attested for the Imperial Yeomanry at Retford, Nottinghamshire, on 10 January 1900. He served with the 10th (Sherwood Rangers) Company, 3rd Battalion in South Africa from 29 January 1900 to 9 July 1901, and was present at the actions at Lindley and Heartebeestefontein. He was discharged at his own request on 8 August 1901.

Following the outbreak of the Great War, Moore re-joined his old unit, the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry; the Sherwood Rangers, along with the South Nottinghamshire Hussars and the Derbyshire Yeomanry formed the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Mounted Brigade and embarked for Egypt in April 1915, first entering the Balkan theatre of War on 8 August 1915. Moore served with them in Gallipoli from August to October 1915 (dismounted), before returning with the unit to Egypt where they were reunited with their horses. They then went to Macedonia (Salonika) in February 1916 where the brigade was re-designated as the 7th Mounted Brigade. It was whilst serving in Salonika that Moore was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his gallant conduct and coolness on 17 April 1917 when he volunteered to act as a lone decoy to lure into an ambush a patrol of German cavalry that had been observed in nearby woods. An accomplished rider, his charger had been specially chosen to outpace the enemy in the event an attempt was made to capture him. In further recognition of his gallant conduct, Moore’s name was brought to notice in General A. J. Murray’s Despatch dated 13 July 1916.

The following account of the action was later published in ‘The Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry in the Great War 1914-1918’ by Major H. Tallents:
‘At 5 a.m. on 17 April 1916, three Squadrons of German Cavalry came round the end of Lake Doiran towards Pateros, supported by a considerable force of infantry; one of their squadrons came on towards Gola, their right flank patrol passing within a few yards of Sergeant Hethershaw and his troop who were lying concealed in some scrub and had been told not to fire, and approached the position where B Squadron were concealed.
We disclosed only a small patrol with Private Moore as its point riding a specially selected horse which would be difficult for the Germans to overtake. The Germans were very cautious and approached our patrol very slowly, while Moore waited for them in the hopes that some at least of the Germans would chase him and be led into the trap; unfortunately they would not do this though they were within speaking distance of him, so after a little conversation with them during which they told him to “go away, you bloody fool” (his remarks to them are not recorded), he rode slowly away to one side leaving the front of B Squadron unmasked.
The Germans stood in a bunch looking towards B Squadron’s position and then turned to retire; the moment they did so it was evident that they would not be caught in the trap so B Squadron and the machine-guns opened fire. Unfortunately both the machine-guns - which were about 12 years old - jammed after a few rounds and consequently we only succeeded in wounding seven of their men and seven horses, according to the enemy intelligence reports obtained later’.

Following the Armistice Moore returned to farming. A keen huntsman he followed both the Belvoir and Blankney Hunts and latterly maintained several fox coverts. He is recorded in the 1939 Register residing at Brant Broughton where he is described as a retired farmer and ‘Air Raid Warden ARP’ having been appointed Chief ARP Warden, Brandt Broughton. He died in Newark District Hospital following a cycling accident on 27 April 1949.

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