Private John Moore was one of two men from Papanui to die as a result of their military service on the same day in England, on 13 April 1919. The first of these men was 37 year old Private John Moore. His early education was at Belfast School, before his family moved to the Balcairn District in North Canterbury. He farmed his own property at Balcairn, North Canterbury with his wife Mary. He enlisted in November 1917, and was posted to the Canterbury Infantry Regiment. John Moore did not even reach France. He arrived in London on 30 October 1918 when the war was practically over. While awaiting repatriation to New Zealand in Sling Camp, he contracted influenza and bronchial pneumonia. He died at the 3rd New Zealand General Hospital near Codford and is buried with 99 other New Zealand and Australian servicemen in the Anzac cemetery opposite the picturesque Norman church in the village of Codford St Mary. An obituary in The Press described him as an extremely popular young man, and took part in all movements for the welfare of the district being secretary of the local Patriotic Committee from the time of its formation until he left for camp.
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