Lancers Archives - Shaftesbury Remembers the Great War

Arthur Daniel Padfield

1st May 2020/in 1914-1918 Hampshire Regiment, Lancers /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Padfield

Other names: Arthur Daniel

Locations in this story:
Stour Row, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset
India
Poole, Dorset
Christchurch, Hampshire

Story:
Arthur Daniel Padfield was born on 10 Jun 1894 in Stour Row, Shaftesbury, Dorset, the son of Harry Padfield and Flora Emily Padfield (née Tucker). He spent much of his life, apart from Military Service, in and around Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset. He enlisted with the 1st/7th Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 45318). He was at one time attached to the 1st Lancers and served on the North West Frontier of India. He was discharged on 3rd January 1920 and was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the India General Service Medal 1919 with Clasp Afghanistan (North West Frontier). The 1921 Census shows him living with his brother and parents at Foots Hill, Cann, Shaftesbury, described as a Smallholder at Gears Farm, Cann. He married Dorothy Rose Pike at St. Rumbold's Church, Cann, on 25th October 1921 and they had one daughter and by 1924 they were living at Gears Farm, Cann. Having moved to Poole, Dorset, by 1931 the 1939 Register gives his address as 17 Curtis Road, Poole, Dorset, working as a Landscape Gardener. His death was recorded at the Christchurch, Hampshire, Registry on 1 Dec 1961 following which he was buried at Poole Town Cemetery.

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Links to related web content / sources:
The National Archives

Alwin Thomas Gibbs

29th April 2020/in 1914-1918 Hussars, Lancers /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Gibbs

Other names: Alwin Thomas

Locations in this story:
Blynfield Farm, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Colchester, Essex
Todber, Dorset
Salisbury, Wiltshire
France & Flanders
St. James' Church, Shaftesbury
Edwards Farm, Foyle Hill, Shaftesbury
Tisbury, Wiltshire

Story:
Alwin Thomas Gibbs was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 15th August 1888 and baptised at St. James' Church on 9th September 1888. He was the son of Edwin George Gibbs and Mary Gibbs (née Matthews) who lived at Blynfield Farm near Shaftesbury. His siblings included Walter Matthews Gibbs, DCM, (b.1884) who served in the Dorset Yeomanry, Claude Ivor Bertie Gibbs (b.1897) who served in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and Lucius George Gibbs (b. 1882) who served with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on receiving a commission in 1915 whilst his sister, Ada Prudence Gibbs, served with the Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps in France. He lived all his early life in and around Shaftesbury until, by 1911, he had joined the 16th Lancers (The Queen's) (Service No. 5661) and was stationed in Colchester, Essex. At a later stage his Service No. was changed to L13212 and he was promoted to Sergeant. He was attached to the Corps of Hussars and served in France and Flanders from 17 May 1915. On his discharge on 22 May 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1915 Star. The 1921 Census shows he had returned to Blynfield Farm and was working for his father on the farm. He married Margaret Bertha Barnes at Todber, Dorset, on 5th December 1922 and they had four children. By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at Edwards Farm, Foyle Hill, Shaftesbury, Dorset, was and described as a Farmer. His death was recorded in Salisbury, Wiltshire, on 19th December 1975.

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Walter Matthews Gibbs
Claude Ivor Bertie Gibbs
Lucius George Gibbs

Montague Smith

21st October 2019/in 1914-1918 Lancers, Machine Gun Corps, Royal Tank Corps /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Smith

Other names: Montague

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Streatham, Surrey
Drayton Park, Willesden, Middlesex
Brent, Middlesex
France & Flanders
Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury
Mustons Lane, Shaftesbury
South Africa
Paddington, London

Story:
Montague Smith was born on 6th July 1889 in Shaftesbury, Dorset, and baptised on 28th July 1889 at Holy Trinity Church, the son of Harry and Mary Smith. He lived his early life at 7 Mustons Lane, Shaftesbury, one of eleven children in the family. He enlisted on 15th July 1907 and joined the 9th Lancers of Cavalry of the Line (Service No. 246) and later the 21st Lancers and served in South Africa. He was discharged to reserves on 14th July 1914 only to be almost immediately embodied on 15th August 1914 as a Shoeing Smith Corporal (Service No. 41347). He transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry) and joined the 2nd Machine Gun Squadron of the Royal Tank Corps on 27th June 1916 and served in France. He was discharged on 14 Jul 1919 having completed the terms of his engagement. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1914/15 Star. He had married Eva Annie Wooders at St. Anselem Church, Streatham, Surrey, on 9th August 1917. One child is recorded. By the 1921 Census he was living at 11 Tavistock Crescest, Paddington, London, working as a Store Labourer. But by the 1939 Register he had moved to 86a Drayton Park, Willesden, Middlesex, working as a Bus Conductor. He died on 21st November 1966 in the Brent, Middlesex, Registry area.

Montague's brother Harry Sidney (b.1869) also had a career in the army, with the Somerset Light Infantry.

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Links to related web content / sources:
The National Archives
Harry Sidney Smith

John Padfield

18th October 2019/in 1914-1918 Lancers /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Padfield

Other names: John

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
India
South Africa
France & Flanders
Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury

Story:
John Padfield was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 9th June 1878 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 30th June 1878 the son of John Padfield and Jane Padfield (née Moore). He lived his early life in Love Lane, Shaftesbury. He originally enlisted on 4th January 1898 and joined the 12th Lancers of the Corps of Lancers of the Line (Service No. 4356). He served in India and South Africa gaining the Queen's South African medal with three clasps and the King's South African medal with two clasps. Whilst serving in the Army he married Kate Mahony at Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury on 9th February 1903 and they set up home at 3 Laundry Lane, Shaftesbury. They went on to have two children. John was discharged to the reserves on 4th January 1905 having served five years with the colours. He was mobilized on 4th August 1914 again with the 12th Lancers (New Service No. 5156). He served in France from 19th October 1914 and whilst there transferred to the 16th Lancers (Service No. 13129). He had the rank of Private throughout his military service. He was demobilized on 29th January 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1914/15 Star. Both the 1921 Census and the 1939 Register indicate he was still at 3 Laundry Lane working as a General Builders Labourer. He died in Shaftesbury in 1941 and was buried in the Town Cemetery on 30 December 1940.

Images:

Links to related web content / sources:
The National Archives