Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Albert Robert Moyle, known as Bert, was born on 12 November 1889 at Lawrence the youngest of the nine sons and one daughter of Francis and Jessie (née Lawrence) Moyle. He was educated locally, at Waitahuna and Lawrence schools. In 1912 Bert married Charlotte Elizabeth Waite, and they had two children. For some time before the outbreak of war they lived in Timaru where Bert was a painter. He was among the recruits passed by the medical men in Timaru in mid July 1915. Private Moyle embarked for Suez on 9 October 1915 per the “Tahiti”.

The Timaru Herald of 29 September 1916 reported that Corporal Albert Robert Moyle, of Timaru, had been wounded and embarked for England, and that of 3 October that he had died of his wounds. The Lawrence District High School flag was flown at half-mast as a mark of respect on 3 October. Albert Robert Moyle had died of his wounds on 16 September 1916, aged 26 years, and was buried in Dartmoor Cemetery, Somme, France. Just seventeen days later his brother, George Alexander Moyle, was killed in action in France.

The Otago Daily Times of 15 September 1917 carried an In Memoriam notice inserted by Bert’s wife and children–

“I think I see him still in life

Although one year has passed.

But in my memory fresh he lives,

And will do till the last.”

And the 3 October issue one for George (No. 2 Company, Machine-Gun Corps) and Albert (N.Z. Medical Corps, Lord Liverpool's Own) from their father, brothers and sisters-in-law –

Loved and lost.

Yes, we part but not forever,

Joyful hopes our bosoms swell;

They who love the Saviour never

Know a long, a last farewell.

Blissful unions

Lie beyond this parting vale.

The Names of the two brothers are inscribed on the Mosgiel War Memorial. The memorial was unveiled on Armistice Day, 11 November 1923, by the widow of the town’s mayor who had died two weeks before. Their names are also inscribed on the Lawrence War Memorial – “Erected by the people of Lawrence and the surrounding district in grateful remembrance of the men, who, at the call of duty, left all that was dear unto them, faced danger, endured hardship, and finally laid down their lives for their country in the great wars for righteousness and freedom.” Bert’s widow, Charlotte Elizabeth Moyle, died on 8 June 1947 at Gore, survived by their son and daughter, and was buried at Tapanui.

In 1919 the Peace Memorial Garden was established in Lawrence and this very attractive feature was presented to the Borough. Practically triangular in shape and profusely planted with rhododendrons and other flowering shrubs, this idea had commended itself to those who had suffered bereavement by the war and to the friends of many young men who had enlisted from the town and district. Nearly 100 trees were planted, that of Albert R. Moyle being Tree No. 6 in Block b.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [19 July 2002]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [22 July 2002]; School Admission records [22 July 2020]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [22 July 2020]; Timaru Herald, 14 July 1915, 29 September 1916, 3 October 1916, Tuapeka Times, 4 October 1916, 3 September 1919, Otago Daily Times, 15 September 1917, 3 October 1917, 9 June 1947 (Papers Past) [19 September 2017; 19 & 23 July 2020]; World War I/Built in Dunedin (https://builtindunedin.com/tag/world-war-i/) [23 July 2020]; Lawrence and Districts War Memorial (https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/lawrence-war-memorial) [19 September 2017]

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