Frederick Edward Gillett

Surname: Gillett
Other names: Frederick Edward
Other people in this story:
Edwin John Gillett
Emily Mary Gillett née Gould
Ada May Gillett née Shute
Locations in this story:
Hazelbury Bryan, Dorset
Ditcheat, Shepton Mallet, Somerset
Egypt
Hartgrove Farm, Fontmell Magna, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Marnull, Dorset
Moorcourt Farm, Moorside, Sturminster, Dorset
Weymouth, Dorset
Todber, Sturminster, Dorset
Sharpham, Somerset

Story:
Frederick Edward Gillett was born in Hazelbury Bryan, Dorset, on 7th June 1897 and baptised there on 15th August 1897, the son of Edwin John Gillett and Emily Mary Gillett (née Gould).  He spent his early life in Hazelbury Bryan and later in Ditcheat, Shepton Mallet, Somerset.  He enlisted with the Dorset (Queen's Own) Yeomanry (Service No. 1407) as a Private. he was posted to Egypt on 15 Nov 1916 and whilst there transferred to the Corps of Hussars (Imperial Camel Corps) Machine Gun Section with a new Service No. 50076. On his discharge on 27 Mar 1919 he was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1915 Star.  It is not known when his family moved but by 1920 he was living with his parents at Hartgrove Farm, Fontmell Magna, Shaftesbury, Dorset.   He married Ada May Shute at the Parish Church in Marnull, Dorset, on 18th May 1920.  The 1921 Census shows him now living at Sharpham Park, Sharpham, Somerset, working as a Dairyman.  By the time of the 1939 Register he had again moved to Moorcourt Farm, Moorside, Sturminster, Dorset, and was described as a Dairy Farmer.  His death was registered in the Weymouth, Dorset, Registry on 26 Apr 1983 and, as he had been living in Todber, Dorset, he was later buried at nearby St. Gregory's Church, Marnull, Dorset, on 4th May 1983.  His name appears on the Fontmell Magna Roll of Honour.

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Victoria Street

Percival Stewart Morgan

Surname: Morgan
Other names: Percival Stewart
Other people in this story:
George Morgan
Emily Morgan née Brockway
Jessie Mary Morgan née Brockway
Sidney Charles Morgan
Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Ambala, Punjab, India
Frizinghall, Yorkshire
Finchley, London, N3
Hendon, Middlesex
Bradford, Yorkshire

Story:
Percival Stewart Morgan was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 10th November 1887 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 4th December 1887, the son of George Morgan and Emily Morgan (née Brockway).  He lived most of his early life at the family home at 7 Victoria Street, Shaftesbury.  (NB. Victoria Street was formerly called Malthouse Lane (see 1881 Census).  By the time of the 1911 Census, Percival had enlisted with the 1st Dragoon Guards (The Kings) as a Shoeing Smith (Service No. D/902).  He was based at Ambala, Punjab, India.  He was eventually discharged on 16th December 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1914 Star (his medal record shows he was not eligible for the 1915 Clasp).  He married Jessie Mary Brockway at St. Margarets Church, Frizinghall, Yorkshire, on 26th March 1921 and by the Census of that year they were boarding at 41 Alexandria Street, Bradford, Yorkshire, where Percival was working as a Blacksmith.  The 1939 Electoral  Register shows him living at 192 Regents Park Road, Finchley, London, N.3. yet his entry in the 1939 Register is still officially closed.  His death was registered at the Hendon, Middlesex, Registry on 8th November 1954 and his funeral carried out on 13 Nov 1954. Percival's brother Sidney Charles (b.1885) also served in the war, with the Dorsetshire Regiment and the Royal Engineers.

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  • Victoria Street

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Sidney Charles Morgan
Motcombe Methodist Chapel and the Royal Oak Inn

William James Arnold

Surname: Arnold
Other names: William James
Other people in this story:
Thomas Arnold
Thirza Arnold née Case
Christina Arnold née Haddock
Mary Arnold née Vokins née Gill
Robert Vokins
Locations in this story:
The Street, Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset
France & Flanders
Canterbury, Kent
India
York, Yorkshire
Birmingham, Warwickshire
Brighton, Sussex

Story:
William James Arnold was born in Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset, in 1876 and baptised in Motcombe on 3rd September 1876, the son of Thomas Arnold and Thirza Arnold (née Case).  He lived with his parents in The Street, (adjacent to the old Royal Oak Inn), Motcombe, until by 1901 he had joined the 1st Battalion of the Royal Dragoon Guards (Service No. 4464).   By 1901 he was stationed in Canterbury, Kent, from where he did service in India.  He married Christina Haddock in York, Yorkshire, on 18th November 1903 and, by 1911, he was on Reserve and living at 9 Ped Buildings, Ped Street, Birmingham, Warwickshire, working as a Railway Carman.  His wife died on 18th July 1915 (leaving three children) shortly after he had enlisted on 5th May 1915 and joined the Royal Field Artillery, 64th Brigade, No. 4 Depot, as a Shoeing Smith (Service No. 98883).  He served in France from 3 Jun 1915 and promoted to Corporal Shoeing Smith and whilst there, on 10th August 1918, he was diagnosed with a tumour on his chest.  He was repatriated to the UK on 15th August 1918 and admitted to the 18th General Hospital, Brighton, Sussex.  On the 12th October 1918 he re-married Mary Vokins (née Gill) (widow of Robert Vokins) at Holy Trinity, Micklegate, York.  He was eventually discharged on 14th March 1919 and was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1915 Star though it is recorded the medals were returned to the issuing office.   The 1921 Census shows him living at 106 Charlotte Street, Birmingham, working as a Porter for the LNWR following this he moved in 1923 to 1 The Avenue, Ellen Street, Spring Hill, Birmingham, and died there during 1938 aged 61 years.

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Melbury Abbas and Zig Zag Hill

William Frank Tapper

Surname: Tapper
Other names: William Frank
Other people in this story:
James Thorne Tapper
Emma Tapper née Merrifield
Annie May Andrews Tapper née Hansford
Locations in this story:
Melbury Abbas, Dorset
New Borough, Wimborne, Dorset
Poole, Dorset
Long Burton, Dorset
France
South Africa

Story:
William Frank Tapper was born on 8th January 1883 at Melbury Abbas, Dorset, the son of James Thorne Tapper and Emma Tapper (née Merrifield). By 1891 the family had moved to Long Burton, Dorset. William enlisted with the Hampshire Regiment as a Private on 10th January 1902, later transferring to the Dragoons of the Line (Service No. 5911) and during this time he spent time in South Africa from 1902 to 1908. He was discharged to the reserves on 9th January 1914 and took up employment as a Baker. He had married Annie May Andrews Hansford at the Parish Church at Wimborne Minster, Dorset, on 2nd April 1911. They went on to have two children. He was re-embodied on 5th September 1914 and joined the Dragoon Guards (2nd Queen's Bays) as a Private. (Service Nos. GS7970 and DR13349). After serving in France from 24 Apr 1917 he was eventually demobilized on 1st May 1919 but not before a spell in hospital with influenza. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals. By the 1939 Register he was living at 25 New Borough, Wimborne, Dorset, and working as an Assurance Agent. He died on 12th July 1959 (Registered at Poole, Dorset).

Source: Based on previous research by Ken Baxter.

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