Labour Corps Archives - Page 5 of 5 - Shaftesbury Remembers the Great War

Robert John Hayter

Surname: Hayter

Other names: Robert John

Locations in this story:
St. James, Shaftesbury, Dorset
France
Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Shaftesbury, Dorset

Story:
Robert John Hayter was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset on 23rd July 1887 and baptised at St. James Church on 4th September 1887, the son of William Hayter and Elizabeth Hayter (née Padfield). In 1911 the family lived at 30 St. James Street, Shaftesbury and Robert was employed as a Coach Painter. He married Florence Elizabeth Gamlin on 13th Mar 1913 and they went on to have at least two children. He enlisted on 10th December 1915 and was mobilized on 29th March 1916, joining the Devonshire Light Infantry as a Private (Service No. 23840) with whom he served in France from 15 Jun 1917. He was later transferred to the Labour Corps (Service No. 144607) and served with the 640th and 182nd Companies. He was demobilized on 9th June 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War medals. The 1921 Census shows him living at 5 Victoria Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset, still working as a Coach painter. and by the 1939 Register, Robert and family had moved to 310 Higher Blandford Road, Shaftesbury, now employed as a Postman. He died in September 1957 and was buried in St. Rumbold's Churchyard, Cann, Shaftesbury, on 7th September 1957.

Robert's brother Frank Percy (b.1895) also served in the war, with the Dorsetshire Regiment.

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Links to related web content / sources:
The National Archives
Frank Percy Hayter

Sidney Whitmarsh

15th August 2019/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment, Labour Corps, Royal Garrison Artillery /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Whitmarsh

Other names: Sidney

Locations in this story:
White Pit Lane, Melbury Abbas, Dorset
France
Frederick Street, Aldershot, Hampshire
Burton Street, Marnull, Dorset

Story:
Sidney Whitmarsh was born at Melbury Abbas, Dorset in 1871, the son of Ambrose John Whitmarsh and Maria Whitmarsh (nee Lane). The family lived for a time at White Pit Lane, Melbury Abbas. He had enlisted with the Royal Garrison Artillery in 1897. He married Kate Lane at Melbury Abbas on 11th July 1898. He had been discharged from the army and according to the 1911 Census, when they were living at Burton Street, Marnull, Dorset, there was at least one child of the marriage. He re-enlisted as a Private with the Dorsetshire Regiment on 17th August 1914 (Service No. 7373). He was transferred as a Gunner to the Royal Garrison Artillery on 1st January 1915 (Service No. 6720) and served with them in France. On 5th May 1917, having returned to the UK, he was transferred to the Labour Corps as a Private (Service No. 435341) and joined the 644th Agricultural Company. He was demobilized on 31st March 1920 and awarded the Victory and British War medals. He was obviously in some financial difficulty in 1923, when living at 1 Frederick Street, Aldershot, Hampshire, as he was trying to obtain copies of his military record in order to prove his need to the authorities. He died in Aldershot in 1936. His brother, Charles Whitmarsh, also served but was discharged on 2 Apr 1918 being physically unfit due to gun shot wounds and died in 1920. Source: Based on previous research by Ken Baxter.

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The National Archives
Charles Whitmarsh

William John Roberts

9th August 2019/in 1914-1918 Labour Corps, Royal Army Service Corps /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Roberts

Other names: William John

Locations in this story:
Water Street, Berwick St. John, Wiltshire
Broadoak, Semley, Wiltshire
Donhead St. Andrew, Wiltshire
Roebuck Inn, Handley, Wiltshire

Story:
William John Roberts was born at Donhead St. Andrew, Wiltshire, on 31st December 1883 and baptised there on 10th February 1884, the son of John Roberts and Louisa Roberts (nee Paskell). Just prior the the war William was living and working as a Farm Bailiff at Broad Oak, Semley, Wiltshire, his parents having moved to the Roebuck Inn, Handley, Wiltshire. William enlisted as a Private in the Army Service Corps (Motor Transport) on 25th September 1916 (Service No. DM2/224463). He was transferred to the Labour Corps (699th Agricultural Company) on 24th June 1918 (Service No. LC508850) and then back to the Army Service Corps on 2nd April 1919. During his service he had qualified as a Heavy Goods Lorry Driver and was based solely in the UK. He had married Kate Jenkins at Berwick St. John on 19th February 1917 and she set up home at Water Street, Berwick St. John. William was demobilized on 15th December 1919. Despite exhaustive searches, no medal record can be found. He was still living with Kate at Water Street by the time of the 1939 Register and was working as a Gardener. He died in 1968. His brother, Arthur George Roberts, also served in the conflict. Source: Based on previous research by Ken Baxter.

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The National Archives

George Henry Maskell

3rd August 2019/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, Labour Corps /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Maskell

Other names: George Henry

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Camden Town, London
South Afrrica
France & Flanders
Egypt
India
St. Pancras, London
Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury

Story:
George Henry Maskell was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 10th January 1871 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 22nd March 1871, the son of Charles Maskell and Eliza Maskell (neé Hoskins). He enlisted as a Private with the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 2614) on 31st January 1888 and served in Egypt, India and South Africa where he was awarded the Queen's South African Medal and two clasps.

He was discharged on 29th January 1901 having completed 13 years service and went to work for the railways in Camden Town, London, where he met and married Rose Woodford on 12 May 1904 at St, Thomas Church, Camden Town. They went on to have six children.

He was living at 46 Warden Road, St. Pancras, London, when he was called back to the Colours and embodied on 2nd September 1914 and joined his old Regiment (Service No. 7859) as a Private. He was transferred on 1st April 1915 to the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (Service No. 20041) and served with the 1st Battalion in France. On the 15th October 1917 he was declared medically unfit for further field duty and was transferred to the Labour Corps (Service No. 413896) serving successively with the 900 and 903 Area Employment Company.

He was demobilized on 4th February 1919 and awarded the Victory and British Medals as well as the 1914-1915 Star. His address then was given as Brickhill, (Enmore Green), Shaftesbury. The 1939 Register shows him living at 2 St. Georges Road, Shaftesbury, and he is described as a Railway Hydraulic Fitter (Retired). He died at 2 St. Georges Road, Shaftesbury, on 27th July 1946.

Source: Based on previous research by Ken Baxter and on private family papers lodged in the paper files at Gold Hill Museum.

Images:

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The National Archives

Percy Charles Hayter

16th July 2019/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment, Labour Corps, Somerset Light Infantry, Worcestershire Regiment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Hayter

Other names: Percy Charles

Locations in this story:
St. James, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Cats Ash, Shepton Mallet, Somerset

Story:
Percy Charles Hayter was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset in December 1881, the son of Charles Hayter and Susan Jane Edwards Hayter (née Upjohn). He married Harriett Minden Bendell on 20th July 1903 in Shaftesbury, Dorset and set up home at 7 St. James, Shaftesbury. There were at least four children of the marriage. By the 1911 Census he had moved to Shepton Mallet, Somerset for work as a Gardener. From here, having had previous military experience with the 2nd Battalion of the Dorset Regiment, he re-enlisted on 15th March 1913 as a Private in the Territorial Unit of the Somerset Light Infantry (Service No. 69115). He was embodied on 4th August 1914 and served throughout the war in the United Kingdom. He was transferred to the Labour Corps in 1918 (Service No. 200248) and then to the 16th Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment with the rank of Corporal (Service No. 204670). He was discharged on 23rd April 1919 having contracted a lung disease for which he received a War Pension. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals. His last known address was 4 Cats Ash, Shepton Mallet, Somerset. Unfortunately he died in July 1926 at Shepton Mallett. His brothers, Ernest George Hayter and Harry John Hayter, also served in the conflict. Source: Based on previous research by Ken Baxter.

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The National Archives

Henry William Lucas

1st August 2017/in 1914-1918 Devonshire Regiment, Labour Corps, Royal Berkshire Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Lucas

Other names: Henry William

Locations in this story:
Andover, Hampsire
France & Flanders
St. Mary's Churchyard, Sixpenny Handley, Dorset
Sixpenny Handley, Dorset
Bagthorpe Military Hospital, Nottingham
No.1 Australian General Hospital, Rouen, France

Story:
Henry William Lucas was born in 1887 in Sixpenny Handley and baptised there on 18th February 1887. He was the son of William Lucas, a Road Contractor, and Matilda Ellen Lucas (née Long). At the time of the 1911 Census he was single, working as a Road Labourer and living at Sixpenny Handley, Dorset.

He enlisted in Andover, Hampshire, as a Private in the Devonshire Regiment (Service No.17448). He later transferred to the 194th Company of the Labour Corps with a change of Service No. to 116170. His medal record also shows that he possibly served with the Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Royal Berkshire) Regiment (Service No. 29052). He served in France & Flanders.

Henry was wounded in action and initially admitted to the No.1 Australian General Hospital, Rouen, France. He was after transferred to the Bagthorpe Military Hospital, Nottingham, where he died on 15th November 1917. He was buried in the north west part of St. Mary's Churchyard, Sixpenny Handley, on 19th November 1917. He is remembered on the Sixpenny Handley War Memorial.

Images:

Links to related web content / sources:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives