Len Moore fought with the 2nd Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps 2/KRRC across the deserts of North Africa during WW2 from 1941 to 1943. He invaded Italy with his unit in September 1943.

Len Moore 2nd Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps

After the fall of Tunis, 7th May, 1943, the 2nd Battalion remained in North Africa and was at Zaira Camp. The rest of the 4th Armoured Brigade had taken part in the Sicily campaign and had already landed in Italy. Not unpredictably, after four months of inactivity, the 2nd Battalion's orders to move arrived without warning on 19 September 1943. Nine days later the Battalion began disembarking from American LSTs at Taranto, having driven to Bizerta (the port of Tunis), some 600 miles from Tripoli, where vehicles and equipment to bring it up to scale had been issued.

Troops disembark in Taranto port, Italy 1943

Most of H.Q. Company and echelon vehicles had to follow later, because there were only two tank-landing ships instead of three. The companies had to be split up between the two tank-landing ships, one British and one American manned. The first night out the "roll" played havoc with the vehicles and Tony Egerton's jeep was knocked through the rails, the chain broke and it disappeared with Tony's kit into the sea.

After a few hours in Catania the voyage was continued to Taranto, where the 2nd Battalion KRRC joined up with the rest of the 4th Armoured Brigade, which they were now part of, and spent a peaceful week enjoying "green" country again. No more sand.

On 2 October 1943, Maj H. C. J. Hunt, subsequently to gain world renown by leading the successful 1952 expedition to Everest, joined the Battalion and took over command of D Company. He arrived during the evening, but unfortunately many of his Riflemen were in no fit state to receive their new commander, having managed to get hold of large quantities of local and very strong wine which they had drunk as if it were weak beer. Was Len Moore one of these men???

In spite of its having been rushed to Italy in precipitous haste, there appeared to be no particular need for the 2nd Battalion, and on 8 October 1943 it moved North to Foggia, where it took up a defensive position against a possible counter-attack on to the vital airfields located there.

Len Moore on the left with Judy the dog and his brother Sid in the back garden of 95 Southcroft Road, Tooting before D-Day. Len is in his Kings Royal Rifles uniform. Notice his corporal stripes. He has been sent home sick. Sid is in the Royal Armoured Corps tank crew uniform and still has both his legs.

17th October 1943 back to Blighty - Cancer

Corporal Len Moore was diagnosed with stomach cancer and given 6 months to live. His Army record shows him "NA" on 18th October 1943 and that he had 80% carcinoma of the stomach. He was sent home to England for treatment arriving back on 9th February 1944. He lived for a further 10 years. He was a real fighter against all the odds. He was discharged on 4th August 1944 having served 4 years and 202 days. He died aged 36. I am very proud to have him as my uncle.

 Len did not say too much about his war but he did speak of his pet chameleon he used to keep on his shoulder to help keep the flies away. Its long tongue would zap them out of the sky if they came near. He also would told the story to his younger brother how he cut off the badly damaged leg of British Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax's son (later a MP) with a pair of scissors in the Desert.

Len Moore is on the left at his youngest brothers wedding in Mitcham