Ronald Joseph Moore

Ronald Joseph Moore DCM (10 September 1915 – 15 August 1992) was a New Zealand soldier during World War II. He was the leader of 'Moore's March', a forced march through the Western Desert by survivors of a Long Range Desert Group patrol following the Battle of Kufra at Gebel Sherif on 31 January 1941 during which Moore's patrol was ambushed by the Italian Auto-Saharan Company, and posted missing, believed killed. Moore led three other soldiers on a ten-day, 209 mi (336 km) trek: Guardsmen J. Easton and A. Winchester and RAOC fitter A. Tighe. Easton was injured and later died, the first Scots Guardsman to die in North Africa. An Italian prisoner with them escaped. They found Sarra abandoned and headed for Kufra. Tighe, who had been left behind, was picked up by a Free French patrol, and when the patrol found Moore he was headed for Tekro 80 mi (130 km) away, barefooted, and was slightly annoyed at being stopped. They had survived on some jam and water, having lost their rations, headgear and footwear when the trucks were destroyed in the initial attack.

Moore, who was known as “Skin” Moore, Trooper No 1248 in the 2 NZ Divisional Cavalry, was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions, the first member of the New Zealand Division to receive the award in World War II. He was a farmhand, born on 19 September 1915 at Te Aroha, and died on 15 August 1992.

References

• Morgan, M. Sting of the Scorpion 2000 Sutton Publishing Ltd, Gloucestershire, England, UK ISBN 0-7509-2481-0
• O’Carroll, Brendan The Kiwi Scorpions: The Story of the New Zealanders in the Long Range Desert Group 2000, Token Publications, Devon England pp100–103 ISBN 1-870192-41-9
• Polaschek, Alan The Complete New Zealand Distinguished Conduct Medal 1978, 1983 Medals Research, Christchurch NZ pp241,307