258469 Sgt. George Moulding British Army 1st Btn. Wiltshire Regiment
(d.25th Mar 1918) On the 28 mile front held by the Third Army where in the days leading up to the German attack Sergeant George Moulding and other members of 1st Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment were engaged in attack practices near the village of Achiet-le-Grand.
1st Wilts were right in the thick of the fighting during the Spring Offensive but, as part of 7th Brigade, 25th Division in VI Corps, were in reserve and not in the front line on 21st March. Their was some graphic accounts of the fighting over the next few days and it is not obvious when George Moulding became a casualty. We do know that he died of wounds on 25th March and is buried in Puchevillers British Cemetery some 17 miles from Achiet.
Taking these two facts plus that he was a sergeant it does seem very likely that he was wounded on 21st March in an incident.
On 21st March at 4.40 am Achiet-le-Grand was heavily shelled and 3 officers, 4 warrant officers, 6 sergeants and 7 other ranks were wounded.
Our conclusion is that Sgt Moulding died of his wounds in a field hospital at Puchevillers. He is buried in a small, walled enclosure at the far end of the cemetery. On his headstone is the inscription chosen by his family: Gone but not forgotten by his wife and two daughters Lillian and Winnie.
Much sympathy has been felt with Mrs. Moulding, whose husband Sgt. George Moulding, 1st Wilts, died of wounds on March 25th in France. Sgt. Moulding had nearly completed his time of service when the war broke out and he was called to the colours. Before then he came safely through the retreat from Mons and the battle of the Somme.
Interestingly, the shelling of Achiet is mentioned in "The Kaiser Battle" by Martin Middlebrook, his unreferenced account says:-
A complete reserve infantry Brigade was encamped around the railhead at Achiet-le-Grand. One of the first shells their hit the Medical Hut of the 1st Wiltshire's and killed nine men.
George Moulding was 32 when he died, he was born in Wootton Bassett and enlisted in Devizes though his home address which is given as Lechlade.
He was the son of Thomas Moulding of Quenington and the husband of Alice Elizabeth Moulding of Downingtown, Lechlade. We have not established when he arrived in France but it is probable that Sgt Moulding was either a regular or at least a reservist and may well have re-joined his regiment at Tidworth in August 1914 and landed at Rouen with them on 14th August.
He is also the highest ranking soldier on the First World War memorial in Lechlade.
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