Story:
Sidney Charles Gray was born in 1890 in Shaftesbury and baptised at St. James' Church, Shaftesbury, on 31st August, 1890. He was the son of John Gray, an agricultural labourer, and Linda Louisa Gray (nee Jenkins). His siblings included Harry, (b.1898), who also died in the war and Frank (b. 1895) who served in the Royal Navy until discharged in 1945. At the time of the 1911 Census he was single, working as a Mason's Labourer and living in Enmore Green. He had enlisted as a Territorial Private in the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 298) and was later called up for duty with the 1/4th Battalion (New Service No. 200156). He served in Mesopotamia and was awarded the Victory, British War and Territorial Forces War medals. He died on 28th September 1917 and his name appears on the Basra War Memorial, Iraq (Panel 22 & 63). He is remembered on the Park Walk, Enmore Green and St. James' war memorials in Shaftesbury. His name also appears on the Motcombe War Memorial, on the Roll of Honour inside St. James’ Church, on the Holy Trinity Memorial, now in St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury.  

Story:
Edwin George Mullins was born on 1st October, 1889 at Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire, and baptised at St Rumbolds Church, Cann, Shaftesbury on 3rd November, 1889. He was the son of George Richard Stephen Mullins, a Jobmaster, and Ellen Rosa Mullins (nee Gamlin). At the time of the 1911 Census Edwin was boarding at the Half Moon Inn, Cann, Shaftesbury working as a cab driver. He enlisted in Shaftesbury on 31 Aug 1914 and joined the 5th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 10354).  He remained the the UK until posted to the Balkans Region on 1 Jul 1915 and was involved in the Gallipoli campaign following which his unit was transferred to the Somme Region in France on 3 Jul 1916 by then Edwin held the rank of Lance Corporal.  He went missing and was presumed killed in action on 26th September 1916 his name appearing on the Theipval Memorial, Somme, France (Pier & Face 7 B).  He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1915 Star.  He is remembered on the Park Walk War Memorial and on the Holy Trinity Memorial, now in St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury.  Of his brothers, Frank Mullins also served but survived.  (There is correspondence on his military record that shows his brother, Harry Mullins, had received his medals unbeknown to his mother.  One wonders if the matter was resolved in the family!)

Story:
Harry Davis was born in 1880 in Motcombe, Shaftesbury. He was the son of Frederick Davis, an agricultural labourer, and Emily Davis (née Jenkins). His siblings included Charles, (b.1888) who also died in the war. Brothers Frank (b.1882) served in the Coldstream Guards, Edward Frederick (b. 1898) with the Inniskilling Fusiliers and William Robert (b.1886) served with the Dorsetshire Regiment. Before the war the family lived at a number of addresses in the area: Long Cross, Church Hill, Enmore Green, Nr Cherry Orchard Farm and in 1911 Foul Hill.

On 12th August 1898 Harry enlisted as a Private in the 39th & 54th Foot Battalions of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 3838 changed later to 5766). He was posted to India on 22nd December 1900 and received the Good Conduct badge on 3rd December 1907. On 29th October 1910 he was discharged from the army and by the 1911 Census was back in Shaftesbury working as a labourer and living with his parents. On 6th January 1914 Harry again enlisted, this time with the Territorial (4th) Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 2060). When the First World War broke out in August 1914 Harry was mobilized at once and sailed with the 1/4th Battalion for India. He was later posted to Mesopotamia, landing at Basra on 23rd February 1916. By the time of his death he held the rank of Sergeant. On 11th September 1916 he died of wounds received in action. He was buried at Basra War Cemetery, Iraq (grave id. VI.F.22), the same cemetery as his brother Charles. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals and is remembered on the Park Walk War Memorial, and on the Holy Trinity Memorial, now in St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury. His name was also included on the memorial in St. James' churchyard and on the roll of honour inside the church.  

Story:

William Richard Bastable was born in 1888 in Shaftesbury, Dorset, and baptised at St. James Church, Shaftesbury, on 19th September, 1890. He was the son of George William Edward Bastable, an agricultural labourer, and Fanny Ann Bastable (neé Davis). William's four siblings included Henry John (known as Harry), born in 1884, who also died in the war serving with the Canadian Forces. William's father died in 1898 and was buried on at St. James' Church on 9th June 1898. His widow Fanny worked as a laundress and later a charwoman to support the remaining two children living at home at 84 St. James Street, Shaftesbury.

In 1905 William enlisted in the 3rd Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 4993) and at the time of the 1911 Census was serving as a Private stationed at Wanowrie Line, Poona, India. Between July and September 1914.  William returned to England and married Alice Eliza Conway from Melbury Abbas, Shaftesbury, Dorset. It is not known if he had left the army and re-enlisted at the beginning of the war, but his Service Number changed to 7643 which suggests there was a break in his military career. During the war he served as a Private with the 1st Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment in France and Flanders and was awarded the Victory, British War Medals as well as the 1914/15 Star.  He was killed in action in Flanders on 3rd May 1915, five days before his brother Harry.  His wife had given birth to a daughter, Winifred Violet Alberta, on 29th April 1915. Going by the dates it is doubtful if William knew he had become a father. He was buried at Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension Nord, Nord pas de Calais, France (grave id. I.F.23) near the Belgian border along with 599 of his comrades. Alice, who had re-married in 1919, to Alfred Young in Shaftesbury, had received an initial pension of 17s. 6d. (87p.) per week. (Search Alfred Young story for more details). She went on to have four more children. William is remembered on the Park Walk and St. James' war memorials. His name also appears on the Roll of Honour in St. James' Church and on the Holy Trinity Memorial, now in St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury.    

Story:
William John Belbin was born in 1897 at Tarrant Gunville, Dorset and was baptised in Blandford, Dorset, on 19th December, 1897. He was known as Willie on all Census records. He was the son of Harry Belbin, a tin smith, and Elizabeth Belbin (nee Tucker), who died in 1900 and was buried in Holy Trinity churchyard, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 13 May 1900.  At the time of the 1911 Census, William was he was living in the family home at 11 St. James Street, Shaftesbury and was still a school boy. Willie enlisted as a Private in the 1st Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 15791). He served in France and Flanders and was awarded the Victory and British War medals. He was presumed killed in action on 26th May 1917 whilst serving with the 6th Battalion and his name appears on the Arras Memorial, Arras, Nord pas de Calais, France (Memorial Bay 6). He is remembered on the Park Walk and St. James’ war memorials. His name also appears on the Roll of Honour in St. James’ Church and on the Holy Trinity Memorial, now in St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury. Of his brothers', Charles Belbin also lost his life whereas Frederick Belbin and George Reginald Belbin both survived the conflict.  William's father initially received a pension of 2s. 6d. (12p.) per week covering both William and Charles which was substantially increased at a later date.