Death Penny
"...we went 'over the top' together, but we lost one another in the smoke."1917 Death Penny for Carberry's H.L. Moore
Death Penny
Story
More than 61,000 Canadians were killed during the First World War. Herbert Leonard Moore was one such individual who paid the ultimate price for his country. He was killed in combat at the Battle of Hill 70 on August 21, 1917 at the age of 36. He was never able to return to his job as a painter and he never saw the vast blue skies of Manitoba again. Worst of all, he never again saw his wife and family.
One of his comrades wrote to the family after Moore's death; "Poor old Herb and I were very chummy; we were always together. In fact, the day he was killed, we went 'over the top' together, but we lost one another in the smoke."
This Memorial Plaque was sent to the next of kin of all Commonwealth service personnel who were killed in the war. The plaque's close resemblance to the British penny gave it the nickname Death Penny or Deadman's Penny. The soldier's name is featured on the plaque, but no rank is given to show that everyone's sacrifice was equal.
H.L. Moore portrait