Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Captain L. H. D’O. ‘Bill’ Moule, East Lancashire Regiment and South Nigeria Regiment, who took part in active service in assorted operations against local tribesmen in South Nigeria 1903-11, largely under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel W. C. G. Heneker, D.S.O., Connaught Rangers. He married the daughter of the Irish nationalist politician Charles Stewart Parnell, and was a personal friend of Sir Roger Casement, the latter being executed for treason in August 1916

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (Lieut: L. H. D.’O. Moule. E. Lanc: Regt); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Lt. L. H. D’O. Moule. E. Lanc. Regt.); Africa General Service 1902-56, 2 clasps, S. Nigeria 1902-03, West Africa 1906 (Lieut: L. H. D. O. Moule. S.N. Regt.) last clasp loose on riband, light contact marks, generally very fine (3) £800-£1,200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from an Africa Collection.

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R. Magor Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, July 2003 (when A.G.S. had ‘S. Nigeria 1902-03’ clasp only).

Louis Horsford D’Oyley Moule was born in Mizzapur, India in October 1876. He was the son of H. D. Moule, C.S.I., and educated at Exeter before enrolling as a cadet at Dartmouth Naval College in 1891. The navy was obviously not for Moule, and he commenced his military career in the Cape Mounted Rifles and was a veteran of the punitive expedition to Griqualand West in 1897. He was commissioned second lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment in May 1900, direct from his old regiment out in South Africa. Subsequently employed in the operations in Cape Colony with the Colonial Division, and in the Transvaal and Orange Free State with Lord Methuen’s Flying Column, and afterwards in a mobile column, he was advanced to lieutenant in March 1902.

Moule transferred in the same year to the Southern Nigeria Regiment, and quickly witnessed further active service in assorted operations against local tribesmen 1903-11, largely under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel W. C. G. Heneker, D.S.O., Connaught Rangers (additionally entitled to ‘South Nigeria 1903’ and ‘South Nigeria 1905-06’ clasps). He was appointed a captain in the 8th (Service) Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment in September 1914, but had to relinquish his commission due to ill health (entitled to Silver War Badge).

Moule married Katie O’Shea, the daughter of the Irish nationalist politician Charles Stewart Parnell, in 1907. They were both friends of Sir Roger Casement, whom Moule had met in South Africa during the Boer War. Casement, who was executed for treason at Pentonville Prison 3 August 1916, frequently mentions his friend “Bill” Moule in his famous Black and White Diaries.

In later life Moule resided at 30 Mornington Crescent, London, and he died at St. Pancras Hospital, London in June 1938. The latter part of his family life had been particularly sad after having to leave the Army due to heart disease - the family became impoverished, with his wife resorting to crime - varying from petty theft, and fencing to driving an unlicensed taxi!

Sold with copied research.