6 June 1915

HELLES - THIRD BATTLE OF KRITHIA - As the Turkish reserves arrived in the days following 4 June there was some desperate fighting. The Turkish counter-attacks were pushed with such vigour that at times threatened a real breakthrough themselves as there were few Allied reserves at hand to plug gaps in the line.

The desperation can be judged by the award of the VC to the 18-year old Second Lieutenant Dallas Moor who despite his youth was acting as commanding officer of the 2nd Hampshires when on the morning of 6 June there was a dangerous outbreak of panic in the salient left by the partial retirement of the 42nd Division. Terrified of being cut off, the troops occupying the front line trench (known as H12) went running back promoting equal chaos in the second line (H11) whose garrison also fell back in terror. This was becoming serious as the Turks were threatening a complete breakthrough. Moor rushed across and stemmed the retreat by the abrupt action of shooting up to four of the fleeing soldiers. He then managed not only to stop the rout, but to rally them and lead them forward to retake H11 although still leaving H12 in Turkish hands. This level of chaos and panic was not an isolated incident as the Turks pushed down the gullies, seeking to penetrate as far as they could out of sight as they probed at the weak points in the line.

His citation for the Victoria Cross reads:

"For most conspicuous bravery and resource on the 5th June 1915 [sic], during operations south of Krithia, Dardanelles. When a detachment of a battalion on his left, which had lost all its officers, was rapidly retiring before a heavy Turkish attack, Second Lieutenant Moor, immediately grasping the danger to the remainder of the line, dashed back some 200 yards, stemmed the retirement, led back the men and recaptured the lost trench. This young officer, who only joined the Army in October 1914, by his personal bravery and presence of mind, saved a dangerous situation."

Whatever one thinks of Moor's precipitate actions on 6 June 1915, Moor was to prove himself a brave officer who was subsequently awarded the MC and Bar for services on the Western Front. He died from influenza on 3 November 1918 and is buried in the Y Farm Military Cemetery, Bois-Grenier.