Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Private A. E. Moody, 1st Battalion, Norfolk Regiment, who was killed in action in the attack on the Chivy Spur, during the operations on the Aisne, on 14 September 1914

1914 Star, with clasp (8136 Pte. A. E. Moody. 1/Norf: R.); British War and Victory Medals (8136 Pte. A. E. Moody. Norf. R.); Memorial Plaque (Albert Edward Moody) good very fine or better (4) £240-£280

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Barry Hobbs Collection of Great War Medals.

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Albert Edward Moody was born in 1893 at Plaistow, Essex and enlisted for the Norfolk Regiment in London in 1910. He served with the 1st Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front arriving at Havre on 16 August.

Having advanced to positions along the railway line south of the Mons Condé Canal on 23 August, his battalion was withdrawn to Dour on the 24th and later sent forward again to positions west of Elouges, with the battalion’s right on the Elouges-Quièvrain railway line and the 1st Cheshires occupying the ground west towards Audregnies. Attacked by a numerically superior enemy, Colonel Ballard ordered a retirement towards Bavai - an order which unfortunately failed to reach the Cheshires also under his command. The Norfolks lost 4 officers killed, 4 officers wounded and approximately 250 other ranks killed, wounded or missing but their short stand at Elouges and the sacrifice of the Cheshires had bought valuable time for the rest of the British Expeditionary Force during the retreat from Mons.

The 1st Norfolks were in a holding position two days later at Le Cateau and the following month fought at the Marne and the Aisne. During the latter operations, Private Moody was killed in action on 14 September 1914 as the Battalion attacked the enemy positions on the Chivy Spur - over 100 men of the battalion were killed, wounded or reported missing as a result of this action.

Private Moody was the son of George and Maria Moody of 13 Bathurst Avenue, Merton Park, Surrey. Initially he had no known grave and was named on the La Ferte-sous-Jouarre Memorial, Marne, France. His remains were later identified however and lie buried in Montcornet Military Cemetery, France.

Sold together with the recipient’s damaged Imperial War Graves Commission Scroll (La Ferte-sous-Jouarre Memorial).