Doug Moore was one of ten children. He lost his mother in 1925 when he was six years old, and was cared for by his elder sister Margaret until her marriage in 1934. Doug had a special relationship with Margaret and looked on her as his mother.
Margaret married Eric Sherrif Watt and had two children, Marjorie and Barrie. All were present with Doug at a dinner at their home in Camp Hill before Doug embarked on the Centaur. As a parting gesture, Doug left two bottles of beer (the large type, Tiger brand, Melbourne), saying: “Sherrif, we will drink these bottles when I return…”
The bottles are still intact, just the way Doug left them.
Marjorie and Barrie would like to bury one of them at sea near the Centaur with a weighted biodegradable wreath and a small plaque stuck to the bottle.
“In memory of Corporal Douglas William Moore, QX49317. Doug, you can share this one with your mates. You are remembered by your family, Barrie and Marjorie.”
20 August 1919 — 14 May 1943
by Owen Moore, brother (In May 2005 edition newsletter).
Douglas was the son of Robert Michael and Isabella Moore of Kangaroo Point Queensland.
There were ten of us in the family, five boys and five girls. I was the youngest. I was fostered out of the family to a lovely foster mum, Mrs C Ball, and therefore I was separated from the rest of the family. They all lived at Kangaroo Point behind the Gabba Cricket Ground in Brisbane.
Doug would have gone to St Joseph’s church. I know he was engaged to be married. He left home early and went to the country to work. He joined the Army and he made it to New Guinea and was wounded at Milne Bay. He was still on the ship, S.S. Anshun, which was burning when shelled by a Jap war ship causing it to capsize at the wharf. Doug was taken back to Australia, and admitted to Greenslopes Hospital. From there he went to the Centaur as a medical orderly, and lost his life.
It was the same month as I joined the Army and I went to New Guinea on the Gorgon, a sister ship of the Centaur. There were four of us brothers serving overseas in the Army in WW2 – John, Douglas, Leslie and myself.
I have placed a plaque for Douglas at Caloundra. As the last surviving member of the four of us men who all served overseas, it is an honour to keep Douglas’ name to be remembered for all times with the help of all you good people and the Association. You are all doing a great service.