SERVICE PERSON RESEARCH
SERVICE PERSON DETAILS
Service Person’s
Name
William George Moren
Rank
Trooper
Service Number
348
Regiment/Unit or
Ship or Squadron
2nd Light Horse Regiment, “B” squadron, unit embarked from Brisbane,
Queensland, on board Transport A15 Star of England on 25 September 1914
Date of Birth
1892
Place of Birth
Mount Morgan, QLD
Family Details
Married - Mrs. Florence Lily Moren, Byrne's Parade, Mount Morgan,
Queensland (next of kin)
Age at Enlistment
22
Place of Enlistment
Mount Morgan, Queensland (21 August 1914)
Date of Death
Tuesday 29 June 1915
Place of Death
Gallipoli
Cemetery or
Memorial Name
Grave or Memorial
Number
Gallipoli – Shrapnel Valley Cemetery
lll. F. 31
PHOTO:
Source: Bronwyn Tarrier, P 2005, Heroes All - Central Queenslanders who gave their
lives serving “The Empire” at Gallipoli, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
SERVICE PERSON’S STORY/EULOGY:
Prepared by Dahra Moodie
William George Moren, from Mount Morgan Queensland was born in 1892.
He was one of three children born to George Moren and Elizabeth Ann Moren. He was brother to Arthur
Henry Moren and had an older sister Ethel Margaret Moren. George Moren moved to Australia in 1885
from Hampshire England, landing in Rockhampton, who then went to North Queensland and found work
on a plantation. The 1903 Census documents that the family lived at Byrnes Parade, Mount Morgan where
George immediately secured work with the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company. Research shows that
William was born in Mount Morgan in 1892 although there is no record of William attending school at
Mount Morgan. His father, George Moren took interest in the rearing of sheep, starting with 2 lambs that
a local butcher gave him, increasing the flock to a few thousand. William like many boys of that era, helped
his parents run the property.
By the age of 22, William Moren was employed as a butcher. He enlisted in Mount Morgan on the 21st of
August 1914, leaving behind his wife Florence Lilly Moren (nee Taylor).
On September 25th 1914, the 2nd Australian Light Horse Regiment embarked from Brisbane, Queensland, on
board the A15 Star of England heading for Egypt.
On December 9th, they landed in Egypt with nothing to do but await further instructions. It was with some
frustration that the 2nd Horse Regiment were later redirected and sent to Gallipoli.
They arrived on the island on the 12th May 1915 joining the Anzac’s who were already in action. Trooper
Moren survived only 6 weeks at the front line.
William George Moren was killed in action on Tuesday 29th June 1915 at Dardanelles, North-Western
Turkey. Trooper Moren is buried on Gallipoli at Shrapnel Valley Cemetery Plot 3 row F grave 31.
Records show that Florence died in 1927, with the surname Thompson engraved on her tombstone. No
marriage record has been uncovered however the burial records state her husband’s name as Walter
Thompson. She is listed as being a mother of a daughter and two sons.
George Moren, William’s father, died in 1930, leaving behind his wife, son A H Moren and daughter Mrs
Emily Warwick. The last line of his obituary read, “His eldest son George made the supreme sacrifice in the
last war”.
The war lasted a few years. The pain much longer for the family of Trooper William Moren.
Outdoor group portrait titled the 'Mount Morgan
Members 2nd Light Horse.' Identified are back row
standing, left to right: 350 Private (Pte) Charles A
Mowbray; 274 Sergeant (Sgt) Ernest William Crain;
394 Pte Walter Henry Thompson. Kneeling: 330 Pte
Frederick Herbert Francis Hart; 390 Pte Thomas
James Stacey; 348 Pte William George Moren (killed
in action 29 June 1915); 322 Pte Percy Ussher Gooch.
Seated: 23 Pte Parker Marson; 389 Trumpeter Stanley
E Simmonds; 347 Pte Cecil James Marson (killed in
action 7 August 1915).
Source: Australian War Memorial 2015, P09471.001, https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P09471.001
(accessed 5 March 2015)
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Australia Light Horse Study Centre 2015, William George Moren, http://alhresearch.tripod.com/Light_Horse/index.blog/1846733/348-private-william-george-moren/
(accessed 13 February 2015)
Australian War Memorial 2014, Roll of Honour – William George Moren,
http://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1967329/ (accessed 20 February 2015)
Australian War Memorial 2015, P09471.001, https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P09471.001
(accessed 5 March 2015)
Bronwyn Tarrier, P 2005, Heroes All - Central Queenslanders who gave their lives serving “The Empire” at
Gallipoli, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
National Archives of Australia 2014, Edward James Drummond
http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=7986449
(accessed 21 February 2015)
The Morning Bulletin Rockhampton 1930, Queensland 1878 – 1954’, Tuesday 26th August 1930, p. 12.