Acting Company Sergeant Major Moreton Hand
| Date of Birth | 22 August 1886 |
|---|---|
| Age at Death | 30 |
| Date of Death | 31 July 1917 |
| Service Number | 121537 |
| Military Service | Durham Light Infantry |
| Merton Address | 93 Stuart Road |
| Local Memorial | St. Luke's Church, Wimbledon |
Additional Information
Moreton was the only child of Walter Edward William Mark John Hand and Jessie Dagmar Day. He was born in Battersea on 22 August 1886 and baptised on 31 October 1886 in St Barnabas Church, Clapham Common.
By the 1911 census the family were living at 56 Langdale Road, Thornton Heath and Moreton was a Civil Servant with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.
On 12 November 1915, Moreton married Winifred Alice Townsend in St Luke’s Church Wimbledon Park. Winifred’s address at that time was 93 Stuart Road, Wimbledon Park and, as this is the address given on the Probate documents, it is likely that she continued to live with her parents after the marriage. Moreton was already in the Army, serving as a Captain in the Durham Light Infantry.
By the time of his death on 31 July 1917, Moreton was Acting Company Sergeant Major.
The Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele) started on 31 July and so did the rain. From the very start the battle was difficult for both sides and there were many casualties. It is thought that Moreton died on 31 July 1917 but his remains could not be identified and he is commemorated on the Menin Gate and in St Luke’s Church, Wimbledon Park.