George Owen Moren was born on 4 August 1896, the third of the seven children of Nathaniel William Moren (1867-1946) and Louisa Moren née Woodall (1868-1938). His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1896 in the Paddington Registration District, London. On 30 August 1896 he was baptised at St Mary Magdalene Church, Paddington, where the baptismal register confirms his date of birth, that the family were living at 57 Clarendon Street, Paddington and that his father was an oilman.
His six siblings were: Florence Ann Moren (b.1891); William Charles Moren (1894-1972); Ada Mary Agnes Moren (1899-1916); Daisy Ethel Moren (b.1906); Frederick Sidney Moren (1910-1995) and Marjorie Kathleen Moren (1913-2002).
In the 1901 census he was shown as aged 4 years and living in three rooms at 57 Clarendon Street, Paddington, with his parents and three siblings: Florence Ann Moren; William Charles Moren and Ada Mary Agnes Moren. His father was described as 'general shop, working on his own account at home'.
When his father completed his 1911 census return form he showed George Owen Moren as aged 14 years and a G.P.O. telegraph messenger. He described himself as a furniture salesman and the family were living in a six roomed house at 6 Ruby Road, Walthamstow, Essex (now Greater London). Also on the census form were George Owen Moren's mother, Louisa Moren and four of his siblings: William Charles Moren - a G.P.O. tube messenger; Ada Mary Agnes Moren; Daisy Ethel Moren and Frederick Sidney Moren.
He was appointed as an Assistant Postman in the London Postal Service in May 1913.
He enlisted as a Rifleman on 25 January 1915 in the 8th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Post Office Rifles), service number 4096, a Territorial Force regiment. He was promoted to Postman in the London Postal Service - West, in November 1916. In 1917 his service number changed to 371786 and he entered France with the regiment on 3 January 1918. He was transferred to the 24th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (The Queen's), service number 738104, on 30 January 1918. He was killed in action, aged 22 years, on 22 August 1918 and his body was buried in Plot 2, Row K, Grave 33 of the Bray Military Cemetery, Rue du 11 Novembre 1918, 80340 Bray-sur-Somme, France.
By 16 December 1918 his army effects that totalled £5-19s-2d had been sent to his father who was also sent his £14-0s-0d war gratuity on 11 December 1919. His parents were by then residing at 40 Wellington Road, London, E8. He was posthumously awarded The British War Medal 1914-1918 and The Victory Medal.
He is shown as 'MOREN, G. O.' on the Western Postal District war memorial in Mount Pleasant, London, WC1 and as 'G. O. MOREN' on the Shacklewell WW1 memorial in Shacklewell Lane, London, E8. He is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website, on the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First Word War website, on the A Street Near You website, on the London WW1 Memorial website, on the Royal British Legion's Every One Remembered website and on page 262 of the Post Office Fellowship of Remembrance's Book of Remembrance 1914-1920.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them