Lance Corporal Thomas Alexander Moir
Number: 25179
Company: 46th (Belfast) Company (New), 12th Battalion, Second Contingent
ENLISTMENT
Date: 30 January 1901
Place: Belfast
Age: 28 years stated on enlistment. (Born on 12 June 1870 in Palace Row, Armagh.)
Trade or calling: Horse dealer
Place of birth: In the Parish of Shankill, in or near the Town of Armagh, in the County of Armagh
Family: Single. Father Scottish-born veterinary surgeon John Moir, mother Maggie Ayr Moir (nee Kerrs/ Lambkerrs), of Scotch Street, Armagh.
Previous military service: No
Description: Height 5' 4 3/4". Complexion pale, eyes brown, hair brown.
Religion: Presbyterian
ACTIVE SERVICE
Date to South Africa: 1 March 1901
Date home: 5 August 1902
Service medal, clasps and other awards: Queen's South Africa Medal. Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, 1901, 1902 clasps.
DISCHARGE
Date: 11 August 1902
Place: United Kingdom
Reason for discharge: The expiration of his term of service.
Moir served in the North of Ireland Imperial Yeomanry at some point between 1903 and 1908, and for a year in the North Irish Horse between 1908 and 1914, purchasing his discharge.
He was mentioned in Charles Trimble's Memories of the North Irish Horse:
Quite a number of the South African Irish Yeomanry joined the new Regiments and one of these, Tpr. Thomas Moir, used to say that when General Kitchener took over command in South Africa he sent most of the English Yeomanry home, saying that they were only “De Wet’s Supply Column”. Used largely as escorts for supply columns, they were liable to be rushed and their wagons captured. The Irish Yeomanry were kept. Moir’s father, by the way, held a commission during the Crimean War in the Horse Transport Corps, which later became the Royal Army Service Corps.
On 23 November 1910 Moir married Mary Josephine Fahy in the Benburb Presbyterian Church, County Tyrone. The couple had twelve children over the next fifteen years. At the time of the 1911 Census they were living at 4 Gaol Square, Armagh, Thomas working as a horse dealer.
On 16 September 1914 at Armagh he enlisted in the Royal Irish Fusiliers (No.14431) understating his age by ten years. His enlistment record noted that he had a tattoo - 'Imperial Yeomanry South Africa'. He was posted to the 9th (Service) Battalion and later the 10th (Reserve) Battalion, having been found not physically fit for overseas service. On 7 July 1917 he was transferred to the Labour Corps (No.231612), serving in the 666 and 668 Labour Companies and 485 Home Service Employment Company. On 25 June 1918 he was transferred to the Royal Defence Corps (No.80159), serving in the 200 and 155 Protection Companies. On 26 March 1919 he was demobilised and transferred to Class Z, Army Reserve.
Moir died on 31 July 1944 at his home in Callan Street, Armagh, and was buried in St. Mark's Graveyard.
Armagh Guardian, 4 August 1944
This page last updated 19 September 2026.