Dorsetshire Regiment Archives - Page 18 of 23 - Shaftesbury Remembers the Great War

John Eli Philip Day

Surname: Day

Other names: John Eli Philip

Locations in this story:
Manston, Dorset
France & Flanders
Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West Flanders, Belgium
Museum Hotel, Farnham, Dorset
St. Lawrence's Church, Farnham
Shillingstone, Dorset

Story:
John Eli Phillip Day was born on 24th May, 1881, in Manston, Dorset and baptised there on 19th June, 1881. He was the son of inn keeper Eli Day, who ran the Museum Hotel, Farnham, Dorset, and Mary Churchill Day (née Jeans). His father, Eli, died in 1901 shortly followed by his mother, Mary, on 1902. On 14th November 1905 John married Ellen (known as Nellie) Courage at Shillingstone, Dorset. There was one son of the marriage, born in 1912. At the time of the 1911 Census, John was, like his father beforehand, running the Museum Hotel, Farnham, Dorset.

He enlisted at Farnham and joined the 6th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 27178) and at the time of his death held the rank of Corporal. He served in France & Flanders and was awarded the Victory and British War medals. He died of wounds on 13th November 1917 and was buried at Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West Flanders, Belgium (grave id. XIII.F.1). He is remembered on the Farnham War Memorial in St. Lawrence's Church.

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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Francis George Harris

Surname: Harris

Other names: Francis George

Locations in this story:
Farnham, Dorset
France & Flanders
Sailly-au-Bois Military Cemetery, Near Arras, France
Blandford, Dorset

Story:
Francis George Harris was born in 1897 in Farnham, Dorset and baptised there on 7th February, 1897. He was the son of Charles Harris, a Farm Labourer, and Edith Emily Harris (née Hiscock). His siblings included Walter James, (b. 1898) who also died in the war and Reginald Henry Charles Harris (b. 1895) who served and survived. At the time of the 1911 Census Francis was single, working as a Farm Carter and living at Farnham, Blandford, Dorset. He enlisted at Blandford as a Private and joined the 6th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 11339). He served in France & Flanders and was awarded the Victory and British War medals. He died of wounds on 21st August 1916 and was buried at Sailly-au-Bois Military Cemetery, Near Arras, France (grave id. II.C.13). He is remembered on the Farnham War Memorial in St. Lawrence's Church. His death and that of his brother Walter are also commemorated in the churchyard on the headstone of grandparents Francis Rogers Hiscock and Emily Hiscock.

Images:

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Walter James Harris
My Family's Story by Mark Wareham

Ernest Victor Hayter

21st June 2017/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Hayter

Other names: Ernest Victor

Locations in this story:
Berwick St. John, Wiltshire
Taranto, Italy
Taranto Town Military Extension, Taranto, Puglia, Italy
Farnham, Blandford, Dorset

Story:
Ernest Victor Hayter was born in 1897 in Berwick St. John, Wiltshire. He was the son of Charles Hayter, a Domestic Gardener, and Martha Hayter (née Harris). At the time of the 1911 Census he was single and living at Farnham, Blandford, Dorset. He enlisted as a Private in the 2nd Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 16807). He served in Italy and was awarded the Victory and British War medals. He died on 1st February 1919 and was buried at Taranto Town Military Extension, Taranto, Puglia, Italy (grave id. I.G.3). (Taranto was a base camp and there were military hospitals in the vicinity which remained until 1919 when Ernest was there.) He is remembered on the Farnham War Memorial in St. Lawrence's Church. His brother, Albert Henry Hayter, also served but survived the conflict.

Images:

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Oakley John Whitmarsh

21st June 2017/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Whitmarsh

Other names: Oakley John

Locations in this story:
Farnham, Dorset
Gallipoli, Turkey
Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey
Dardanelles
Bere Regis, Dorset

Story:
Oakley John Whitmarsh was born on 17 Jul 1891 in Farnham, Dorset. He was the son of William George Coombes Whitmarsh, a Farmer, and Emily Jane Whitmarsh (nee Conway). At the time of the 1911 Census he was single, he was working as a Farm Labourer and boarding out at Bere Regis, Dorset. His family remained in Farnham, Dorset. He enlisted on 1st September, 1914 as a Private with the 5th Service Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 10576). He was posted to join the Middle East Expeditionary Force in the Dardanelles on 1 Jul 1915 where he was recorded as wounded at Gallipoli on 25 Aug 1915 and finally officially missing on 12 Dec 1915. His presumed date of death was finally given as 21st August, 1915. He was awarded the Victory, British War and 1915 Star medals. His name appears on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey (Panel 136 to 139) as well as the Farnham War Memorial.

Images:

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The National Archives

Edwin Woolfries

21st June 2017/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Woolfries

Other names: Edwin

Locations in this story:
Farnham, Dorset
Gallipoli, Turkey
Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey
Blandford
Stourpaine, Dorset

Story:
Edwin Woolfries was born in 1898 in Farnham, Dorset, and baptised at Stourpaine, Dorset, on 30th May, 1898. He was the son of Francis Woolfries, a Blacksmith, and Elizabeth Ann Cole Woolfries (née Jeans). At the time of the 1911 Census he was single, a scholar and living in the family home at Farnham, Blandford, Dorset. He enlisted in Blandford as a Private with the 5th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 11095). He served at Gallipoli and was awarded the Victory, British War and 1915 Star medals. He died on 21st August 1915 and his name appears on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey (Panel 136 to 139). He is remembered on the Farnham War Memorial. Edwin had three brothers who also served in the war, but survived: Harry (b.1891) with the Royal Field Artillery, Arthur Eldred (b.1892) who served with a number of different regiments and Charles (b.1885) who served with the Dorset (Queen's Own) Yeomanry.

Images:

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Arthur Eldred Woolfries
Harry Woolfries

Frederick George Haskett

21st June 2017/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Haskett

Other names: Frederick George

Locations in this story:
Weymouth, Dorset
France & Flanders
Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders
Penn Hill, Bedchester, Dorset
Fontmell Magna, Dorset
Dardanelles
Dorchester

Story:
Frederick George Haskett was born in 1896 in Weymouth, Dorset. He was the son of Alfred Haskett, a carpenter on an estate, and Harriet Haskett (née Lawrence). His siblings included Harry Charles, born in 1894, who also died in the war. At the time of the 1911 Census Frederick was single, working as a Telegram Messenger and living at 75 Penn Hill, Bedchester. He enlisted in Dorchester on 14th December, 1914, as a Private and joined the 5th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 12617). Whilst serving in the Dardanelles he was wounded in the left leg and left side. He recovered and eventually embarked for France with his Battalion on 3rd July, 1916, arriving on 9th July, 1916. For his service in France & Flanders and the Dardanelles he was awarded the Victory, British War and 1915 Star medals. He was reported killed in action on 13th June 1917 and his name appears on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres in Flanders (Panel 37). He is remembered on the Fontmell Magna War Memorial, Shaftesbury. His father died in 1922 just before the memorial had been set up.

Further reading: "Fontmell Magna and the First World War", compiled by Chris Bellers, Fontmell Magna Village Archive Society, 2014.

Images:

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Harry Charles Haskett

William Charles Pike

10th June 2017/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Pike

Other names: William Charles

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury
France & Flanders
Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun, France
Motcombe, Dorset

Story:
William Charles Pike was born on 18th March 1898 in Motcombe, Dorset, and baptised there on 15th May, 1898. He was the son of William George Pike, a cattleman on a farm, and Fanny Pike (née Stacey). At the time of the 1911 Census he was single, a Scholar and living at The Firs, Motcombe, Dorset. He enlisted in Shaftesbury as a Private in the 6th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service Nos. 18976 and 18833). He served in France & Flanders and was awarded the Victory and British War medals. He died on 20th April 1917 and was buried at Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun in France (grave id. IV.A.4). He is remembered on the Motcombe War Memorial, Dorset.

Images:

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives

Albert Arthur Butt

10th June 2017/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Butt

Other names: Albert Arthur

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury
Egypt
Ramleh War Cemetery, near Tel Aviv, Israel
Brickhill, Enmore Green
Motcombe, Dorset
South Africa
Dorchester
Palestine

Story:
Albert Arthur Butt was born in 1898 in Shaftesbury. He was the son of Albert Charles Butt, described as a "soldier in Africa" and Martha Savina Butt (née Hoare). Albert's father served with the Dorsetshire Regiment during the Boer War and was killed in action on 26th September 1901. His mother re-married a Thomas Parsons in 1911. At the time of the 1911 Census Albert was single, a scholar and living at Brickhill, Enmore Green. He enlisted in Dorchester as a Private in the 2nd Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 15579). He served in Egypt and was awarded the Victory and British War medals. He died on 20th September 1918 and was buried at Ramleh War Cemetery, near Tel Aviv, in Palestine (grave id. U.30). He is remembered on the war memorials at Motcombe and Enmore Green, Shaftesbury.

Images:

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives

Frederick Percival Gray

10th June 2017/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Gray

Other names: Frederick Percival

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury
Gallipoli, Turkey
Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey
Poor Yard, St. James Street, Shaftesbury
Enmore Green, Shaftesbury
St. James's Church, Shaftesbury

Story:
Frederick Percival Gray was born in 1896 in Shaftesbury and was baptised at St. James's Church on 17th May 1896. He was the son of Robert Gray, a stone quarryman, and Alice Louisa Gray (née Brickell). At the time of the 1911 Census he was single, working as an Errand Boy and living at Poor Yard, 60 St. James Street, Shaftesbury. He enlisted in Shaftesbury as a Private and joined the 5th (Service) Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 10970). He served at Gallipoli and was awarded the Victory, British War and 15 Star medals. He died at Gallipoli on 21st August 1915 and his name appears on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey (Panel 136 to 139). He is remembered on the war memorials at Motcombe and Enmore Green, Shaftesbury. Frederick's father, Robert, also served in the War with, initially, the Somerset Light Infantry and later with the Worcestershire Regiment from 6th September 1918 to 24th January 1919.

Images:

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Robert Gray

Walter Inkpen

10th June 2017/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Inkpen

Other names: Walter

Locations in this story:
Gallipoli, Turkey
Helles Memorial, Turkey
Behind Town, Shillingstone, Dorset
Motcombe, Dorset
Shaftesbury
Exeter

Story:
Walter Inkpen was born on 1st July 1887, in Shillingstone, Dorset, and was baptised there on 11th September, 1887. He was the son of John Reece Bradford Inkpen, a Postman, and Martha Inkpen (née Newman). His siblings included Ernest John, (b. 1895) and Bertram (b. 1898) both of whom died in the war. At the time of the 1911 Census he was single, working as a clerk and living at Behind Town, Shillingstone, Dorset.

He enlisted at Shaftesbury on 8th September, 1914 and joined the 5th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 11001) as a Private but rapidly rose through the ranks to Sergeant by 1st April 1915. He served at Gallipoli and was awarded the Victory, British War and 14/15 Star medals. He was killed in action at Gallipoli and his name appears on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey (Panel 136 to 139). He is remembered on the Motcombe War Memorial, Dorset, and on the War Memorial at the Church of the Holy Rood, Shillingstone, Dorset. Whilst his brother, Ernest, also appears on the Motcombe memorial there is no mention of Bertram. When the 1914/15 Star was sent to his family in 1920, his mother had to remind the authorities that he was a Sergeant not a Private as inscribed on the medal. This was put right by the Records Office in Exeter and a new medal issued in August, 1921.

Images:

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Ernest John Inkpen