MOULE, Walter James

Walter James Moule was born in East Melbourne on 6 February, 1889,  the fourth child of James Bush Moule (1854-1926) and his wife Emma Edith, nee Archer (1854 -1912).  He had three sisters Annie Louisa (1884-1960), Edith Miriam (1887-1947) , and Florence Amelia(1891-1966) and three broters Herbert Charles (1894-1895) Frederick William (1897-1958) and Arthur John (1885-1958). His father was a printer and worked and lived in the Brunswick area. 

Walter Moule enlisted on 5 August 1915 when he was 25 and 5 months old.He was a labourer by trade, 5' 4" tall, with fair hair and brown eyes, and by faith belonged to the Church of England. He had no previous military training and was placed with A Company, 10th Battalion on 3 November, 1915, and went into training at Ascot Vale from 3-24 November, but was then transferred to serve with the 14/16 Reinforcments at Broadmeadows. He then absconded from the military and was not seen again.

On 18 February, 1916, a military board was convened at Broadmeadows and Walter Moule was  held 'under Army Act 72 to be a deserter on 18 day of February, 1916, under Camp Order 63 para. 2 of 1916'. The police were also alerted and a paragraph in the Victorian Police Gazette 25 advertised his defection. On  29 December, he was declared to be struck off strength.

He never re-joined the army, but Electoral rolls have him living in various inner suburbs of Melbourne  (Carlton, Fitzory, Footscray) and working as a tinsmith. He never married and had no children.

Walter James Moule died on 5 July 1968 and is buried at Fawkner Memorial Park.