Ernest William Newman

Surname: Newman
Other names: Ernest William
Other people in this story:
Henry Newman
Mary Elizabeth Newman née Burden
Phyllis May Newman née Jackson
Locations in this story:
Sutton Waldron, Nr. Shaftesbury, Dorset
East Orchard, Shaftesbury, Dorset
France & Flanders
Norfolk War Hospital, Thorpe, Norwich, Norfolk
Maperton, Wincanton, Somerset
Yeovil, Somerset
West Orchard, Shaftesbury, Dorset

Story:
Ernest William Newman was born in Sutton Waldron, Nr. Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 28th April 1899 and baptised at the Parish Church on 28th May 1899 the son of Henry Newman and Mary Elizabeth Newman (née Burden).  He lived with his family at Sutton Waldron and later at East Orchard, Shaftesbury. He enlisted on 29th April 1917 but was not embodied until 24th May 1918 when he joined the 3rd Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 40979).  He left for France on 12th September 1918 and was posted to the 6th Battalion.  He received a gun shot wound to the shoulder on 10th October 1918 and by 15th October 1918 had been repatriated to the Norfolk War Hospital, Thorpe, Norwich, from where he was discharged back to duty after recovery on 3rd December 1918.  He was demobilized on 23rd January 1919 and gave his address as 19 West Orchard, Shaftesbury.  He was awarded the Victory and British War medals.  The 1921 Census shows him living with his parents in West Orchard working as an Agricultural Labourer. He married Phyllis May Jackson on 3rd December 1933 in Maperton, Somerset, and they went on to have two children.  By the 1939 Regsiter he was living at Clapton, Maperton, Wincanton, Somerset and working as a Farm Carter.  He died in the Yeovil Registration District in 1982.

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St. James from Park Walk

Fred Toogood

Surname: Toogood
Other names: Fred
Other people in this story:
Margaret Annie Toogood nee Dunn
Locations in this story:
St. James, Shaftesbury, Dorset
India
Yeovil, Somerset
Enmore Green, Shaftesbury
Mesopotamia

Story:
Fred Toogood was born in St. James, Shaftesbury, Dorset, in 1884 according to his Military enlistment papers.  There is little information about his early years but it is known he lived for a time in Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, Dorset.   He had enlisted prior to WW1 with the Special Reserves of the 3rd Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment and served with them for six years.   By 1911 was working in Yeovil and boarding out.  He married Margaret Annie Dunn in Yeovil, Somerset, in 1914.   He was embodied on 1st September 1914 and joined the 5th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry (Service No. 2466) he later joined the 5th Battalion (Service No. 240823) in Mesopotamia and was attached to the Tank Corps.   Whilst there he suffered severe wounds to his left leg and was transferred to India for medical treatment. Unfortunately his leg had to be amputated and he was sent back to the UK and found physically unfit for further service.   He was discharged on 10 Aug 1917 with a full pension for life and awarded the British War Medal as well as the Silver War Badge No. 124600 .  He went to live in Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, Dorset, where his wife had been staying, before moving back to 44 Park Street, Yeovil, Somerset, and by the 1921 Census had moved to 4 Dampier Place, Yeovil, where he died in 1937.

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Cann and Shaftesbury from Melbury Hill

Thomas William Lodge

Surname: Lodge
Other names: Thomas William
Other people in this story:
Albin Andrew Lodge
Elizabeth Jane Lodge née Kelly
Jessie Mary Ann Lodge née Hutchings
Locations in this story:
Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset
South Africa
Crete
Malta
India
Beaminster. Dorset
Thorncombe, Bridport, Dorset
Eccliffe, Gillingham, Dorset

Story:
Thomas William Lodge was born on 12th September 1879 in Cann, Shaftesbury, and baptised at St. Rumbold's Church on 25th July 1880, the son of Albin Andrew Lodge and Elizabeth Jane Lodge (née Kelly).  The family lived in and around Cann throughout his childhood.  He had previous experience with the 3rd Reserve Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment but enlisted as a Regular Soldier on 19th March 1897 and saw service in Crete, Malta, South Africa and, by 1911, in India.  (His Service No. was 5345).  He held the rank of Acting Regimental Sergeant Major at one time but was factually a Sergeant.  He remained in India during the First World War until his discharge on 15th August 1920 having completed his period of engagement of over 23 years.   According to his medal roll he was only awarded the British War Medal.  He was on a full pension and lived initially at Eccliffe, Gillingham, Dorset.  In 1929 he married Jessie Mary Ann Hutchings at Beaminster, Dorset.  They had one child.  By the 1939 Register  he was living at Beaminster, Dorset but noted as incapacitated.   He died in 1950 and was buried at Thorncombe, Bridport, Dorset, on 9 Oct 1950.

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3E3D52FE-B70A-4D5C-8153-4FE3C725A90E

Walter John Lane

Surname: Lane
Other names: Walter John
Other people in this story:
John Lane
Maria Lane née Alner
James Lane
Mary Ann Lane née Furnell
Charles Lane
Locations in this story:
Brickhill, Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, Dorset.
France & Flanders
St. John, New Brunswick, Canada
Liverpool
Toronto, Canada

Story:
Walter John Lane was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 18th January 1892, the son of John Lane and Maria Lane (née Alner). His siblings included Charles (b.1878) and James (b.1883), both of whom served in the Royal Engineers during the conflict). The family lived in Brickhill (now Church Hill), Enmore Green, Shaftesbury. Walter married Mary Ann Furnell on 1st March 1913 in Enmore Green, Shaftesbury.  It is not known if there were any children of the marriage. 

Walter enlisted on 7th June 1916 as a reservist with the 4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 4928). He was mobilized on 21st November 1916 and joined the Royal Engineers (Railway Troops), (Service No. 221243), but one day later transferred again to the RE (Road Construction Unit) with revised Service No. WR/25388.   He served in France and Flanders and was finally demobilized on 4th October 1919.  He was awarded the Victory and British War medals.  By this time he was living at 6 Enmore Green, Shaftesbury.   He and his wife sailed from Liverpool on 8th March 1920 on the SS Melita and travelled to St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, with the intention of permanently settling there.  No more information is available except there was at some time a memorial plate in St. John's Church, Enmore Green, stating he died on 21st February 1967 in Toronto, Canada. 

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Charles Lane
James Lane
Salisbury Street, Shaftesbury 1

William Frederick Imber

Surname: Imber
Other names: William Frederick
Other people in this story:
Samuel Imber
Sara Ann Imber née Elkins
Julia Elizabeth Imber née Forsey
Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Bourton, Dorset
Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury
Haimes Lane, Shaftesbury
Salisbury Street, Shaftesbury

Story:
William Frederick Imber was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 6th February 1871 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 1st March 1871, the son of Samuel Imber and Sarah Ann Imber (née Elkins).   He lived his early life at home with his family in Haimes Lane, Shaftesbury.   He married Julia Elizabeth Forsey at Bourton, Dorset, on 16th February 1897 and they went on to have four children.  Some time prior to the First World War William had joined the 4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment as a reservist (attending regular training camps).  He had achieved the rank of Sergeant (Service No. 1875).  At the outbreak of war he was embodied on 7th August 1914 but found to be medically unfit for duty and was thereby discharged on 12th September 1914.  He was then living at 8 Salisbury Street, Shaftesbury and working as a Postman.  He died on 24th June 1920.

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St. James Street junction with Tanyard Lane

James Hopkins

Surname: Hopkins
Other names: James
Other people in this story:
Edwin Hopkins
Charlotte Ann Hopkins née Sanger
Emily Louise Hopkins née Reynolds
Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Mount Atlas, Manchester, Jamaica
Mesopotamia
Pewsey, Wiltshire
Abbots Ann, Andover, Hampshire
France & Flanders
India

Story:
James Hopkins was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 13th March 1886 and baptised there at Holy Trinity Church on 4th April 1886, the son of Edwin Hopkins and Charlotte Ann Hopkins (née Sanger).  He lived his early life with his parents at 59 St. James Street, Shaftesbury.   He had previously joined the 2nd Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Reserves).  He formally enlisted on 20th February 1904 and joined the Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery (Service No. 33311).  He was quickly transferred to the Army Service Corps on 22nd August 1904 as a Private (Service No. S22334).   He served in Jamaica during which time began his rise through the ranks to finally become a Staff Sergeant.  Whilst in Jamaica he met and married Emily Louise Reynolds at St. Andrews Church, Mount Atlas, Manchester, Jamaica, on 2nd April 1911.   They went on to have four children.  He returned to the UK giving 71 St. James Street, Shaftesbury as his wife's address.    At the outbreak of war he was posted to France followed by more postings to Mesopotamia and India.  He was finally discharged on 14th December 1918 being no longer physically fit for duty and awarded a pension and the Silver War Badge No. B59520, having reverted to the rank of Sergeant.  He was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1914 Star.   By the 1939 Register he was living at598 Zouch Cottages, Pewsey, Wiltshire, and working as an Ordnance Clerk for the War Department.   He died in Abbots Ann, Andover, Hampshire, on 6th August 1967 aged 81 years.

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St. James, Shaftesbury 4

Frank Percy Hayter

Surname: Hayter
Other names: Frank Percy
Other people in this story:
William Hayter
Elizabeth Hayter née Padfield
Edith Frances Hayter née Parker
Robert John Hayter
Locations in this story:
St. James, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Mesopotamia
India
Overton Terrace, Wincanton, Somerset
Yeovil, Somerset
Bournemouth, Hampshire

Story:
Frank Percy Hayter was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 18th August 1895 and baptised at St. James' Church on 8th September 1895, the son of William Hayter and Elizabeth Hayter (née Padfield).  Frank spent his early life with his family at 30 St. James, Shaftesbury.  His mother passed away during 1912. He enlisted as a Private with the 7th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment on 13th November 1915 (Service No. 15793).  He also served with the 2nd and 9th Battalions and had postings to Mesopotamia from 14 June 1916 and later in India.   He was discharged on 4th August 1919 being physically unfit due to malaria.  He was awarded the Victory and British War medals.    He married Edith Frances Parker in Shaftesbury on 3rd May 1922 and they went on to have three children. The 1921 Census shows him boarding at 5 South View Terrace, Bournemouth, Hampshire, as a Painter (unemployed).  By the 1939 Register he had moved to 6 Overton Terrace, Wincanton, Somerset, working as a Road Sign and Highway Painter.  He passed away in 1991 in the Yeovil Registration District aged 96 years.

Frank's brother Robert John (b.1887) also served in the war, with the Devonshire Light Infantry and the Labour Corps.

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Robert John Hayter
3E3D52FE-B70A-4D5C-8153-4FE3C725A90E

Sidney Hawkins

Surname: Hawkins
Other names: Sidney
Other people in this story:
William Edward Hawkins
Georgina Hawkins
Mabel Rose Hawkins née Gray
Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury,Dorset
Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, Dorset

Story:
Sidney Hawkins was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 3rd February 1887 and baptised there on 18th February 1887, the son of William Edward and Georgina Hawkins.   Sidney enlisted in the Territorial Volunteer Reserve of the 4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment on 1st April 1908 (Service No. 5236) and attended annual training camps.   He married Mabel Rose Gray at St. John's Church, Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, on 26th June 1913.  They went on to have two children.  Sidney was called from the reserve and embodied on 4th August 1914 as a Private. He served in the UK until he was discharged on 31st March 1916 having completed the terms of his engagement.   It is evident that he re-joined at some later time as there are records showing him with the 2nd Garrison Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers (Service No. 53455) and being discharged on 18th November 1919 due to being unfit by virtue of suffering from malaria.  He was awarded the Victory and British War medals.  Both the 1921 Census and 1939 Register show him living at 35 Bimport, Shaftesbury, working as a Carpenter.  He died in the Westminster Memorial Hospital, Shaftesbury, on 8 Jul 1959 and was buried in the Town Cemetery, Shaftesbury, on 11 Jul 1969.

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Cyril Bernard Hardy

Surname: Hardy
Other names: Cyril Bernard
Other people in this story:
Leonard Randolph Hardy
Evangeline Hardy née Knapton
Beatrice E. Hardy née Toogood
Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
France & Flanders
Ypres, Belgium
Fort Pitt Military Hospital, Chatham, Kent
Rust Hall Hospital, Tunbridge Wells, Kent

Story:
Cyril Bernard Hardy (sometimes using the names in reverse and known in the family as 'Bernard') was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 20th May 1894 and baptised there on 15th Juy 1894, the son of Leonard Randolph Hardy and Evangeline Hardy (née Knapton).  His father was a baker and Cyril followed in that trade.  He enlisted on 7th February 1916 and was mobilized on 5th April 1916 by joining the 7th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. TR/8/8191).  He later transferred to the 35th Training Battalion on 1st Sep 1916.  He served in France and Flanders with the Dorsetshire Regiment and, from 16th December 1916, the 1st Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment (Service No. 49017).  He received gunshot wounds in the leg, arm and left hand on 4th October 1917 whilst in the field near Ypres, Belgium.  He was treated initially at the 41st Casualty Clearing Station until 16th October 1916 when he was repatriated back to England and admitted to the Fort Pitt Military Hospital, Chatham, Kent.  He was later sent to Rust Hall Hospital, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, for rehabilitation at which time he was fitted with a surgical boot due to a pronounced limp.  He was eventually discharged due to his disability on a permanent pension on 20th March 1918.  He was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the Silver War Badge No.369095 in addition he had a life pension. The 1921 Census shows him living with his parents at 34 Bell Street, Shaftesbury.   He married Beatrice E. Toogood in Shaftesbury during 1925.  There are no known children of the marriage.  By the 1939 Register he was still living at 34 Bell Street, Shaftesbury, and working as a confectioner and cake salesman - he was also a Special Constable.  He died locally on 30 Oct 1986 aged 92 years.    

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Bell Street, Shaftesbury

Harold George Harding

Surname: Harding
Other names: Harold George
Other people in this story:
Rudolph James Harding
Mary Harding nee Down
Edith Mary Harding née Watts
Percival James Harding
Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset

Story:
Harold George Harding was born on 12th December 1878 in Shaftesbury, Dorset, and baptised was at St. Rumbold's Church, Cann, on 17th January 1879. He was the son of Rudolph James Harding and Mary Harding (nee Down). The family lived in Bleke Street, Shaftesbury.   Harold married Edith Mary Watts on 7th February 1909 and they set up home at 35 Bell Street, Shaftesbury, where, by 1911, Harold was working as a plumber.  There were five children of the marriage.  He had previously joined the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment on 3rd April 1908 and, as a reservist, had attended many annual training camps (Service No. 296).  He was embodied on 4th August 1914 and held the rank of Colour Sergeant.  He was temporarily demobilized on 19th July 1915 until his formal discharge on 2nd April 1916 - his term of engagement having been completed.  He had served in the UK only and there are no records of any medals being awarded.  The 1921 census shows him living at 35 Bell Street, Shaftesbury, working as a Plumber and Decorator (Manager). He died in Shaftesbury in 1928 and was buried at the Town Cemetery, Shaftesbury, on 7 Nov 1928.

Harold's brother Percival James (b.1890) also served in the war, with the Dorset Yeomanry.

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Percival James Harding