His father, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Moore, and paternal grandfather, who joined the York and Lancaster Regiment as a private, were both awarded the Military Cross in 1916 during the First World War.

After basic training, and service at sea in the cruiser HMS Sirius, he joined X Troop of 40 Commando in Malaya in November 1950, during the Malayan Emergency.

While a company commander, he was awarded a Bar to the Military Cross in December 1962 when he led an attack against rebels holding the town of Limbang in the Sarawak area of Borneo, rescuing British and Australian hostages.

[1] On promotion to lieutenant colonel in 1971, Moore was appointed in command of 42 Commando, completing two tours of duty in Northern Ireland, including participation in the high-profile Operation Motorman to eliminate areas proclaimed by the IRA as "no-go" to the Army and police.

Moore relieved Brigadier Julian Thompson as ground commander when he arrived shortly before the 5th Infantry Brigade, travelling ahead on HMS Antrim to reach the islands on 30 May.

[2] Moore implemented the plans proposed by Thompson, with the British soldiers forced to march across the inhospitable islands in the absence of sufficient helicopters and against Argentine resistance.

Moore was advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 11 October 1982 "in recognition of service within the operations in the South Atlantic",[3] and left the Marines in 1983.