Northumberland Fusiliers Archives - Shaftesbury Remembers the Great War

Victor William Davidge

Surname: Davidge

Other names: Victor William

Locations in this story:
Noad Street, Ashmore, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Sturminster, Dorset

Story:
Victor William Davidge was born at Ashmore, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 26th December 1897 (registered as William Victor Davidge but mainly always referred to as Victor) and baptised there on 3rd April 1898, the son of David Davidge and Matilda Davidge (née Chapman). He lived all his life, apart from Military Service, in the Noad Street, Ashmore, area. He enlisted and joined the 4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 2472) later transferring to the 2nd Garrison Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers (Service No. 205820). It is not know in which theatre of war he served but on his discharge he was awarded the Victory and British War medals. The 1921 Census shows him living with his parents at 1 Noad Street, Ashmore, working as a Farm Labourer and he was still there at the time of the 1939 Register now described as a General Labourer and ARP Warden. His death was recorded at the Sturminster, Dorset, Registry on 9th February 1956 and he was buried at Ashmore on 14th February 1956. He remained single all his life. Neither of his two surviving brothers at the outbreak of war served in the conflict.

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The National Archives

Arthur Thomas Hardy

17th May 2020/in 1914-1918 North Lancashire Regiment, Northumberland Fusiliers /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Hardy

Other names: Arthur Thomas

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
France & Flanders
Germany

Story:
Arthur Thomas Hardy was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 30th May 1898 the son of Walter Hardy and Elizabeth Hardy (née Strange). He lived most of his life in the Shaftesbury area apart from Military Service. By 1911 he was living with the family at 28 Bell Street, Shaftesbury. He enlisted and joined the 1st/5th Battalion of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 36757) and later transferred to the 23rd Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers (Service No. 41115). He served in France and Flanders and was taken as a Prisoner of War to Germany. On his release and discharge he was awarded the Victory and British War medals. By the 1921 Census he was living at 42 Bell Street, Shaftesbury, with his parents and working as a Plasterer and by the 1939 Register was shown to be living at The Anchorage, Bell Street, Shaftesbury, with his widowed mother and described as a Golf Club Steward and a Special Constable for the Dorset Constabulary. He died locally in 1978 having remained single throughout his life.

Arthur's brother Henry (b.1888) also served in the war, with the Yorkshire and Lancashire Regiment and the North Staffordshire Regiment.

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Henry Walter Hardy

Percy Gray

11th April 2020/in 1914-1918 Northumberland Fusiliers /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Gray

Other names: Percy

Locations in this story:
Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Burton, Christchurch, Hampshire
France & Flanders
Somme, France
St. Mary's Church, Avington, Winchester, Hampshire

Story:
Percy Gray was born in Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, Dorset, in 1892, the son of John Gray and Kate Linda Gray (née Brickell), themselves native to the area. Percy lived his early life in and around Enmore Green until, by 1911, the family had moved to work at Waters Farm, Burton, Christchurch, Hampshire. Percy enlisted and joined the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers Battalion of the Household Cavalry and Cavalry of the Line as a Trooper (Service No. 35275). He died of his wounds in France & Flanders on 30th August 1918 and was buried at Daours Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France, (Grave Ref:VII.B.56). He was awarded the Victory and British War medals and is remembered on the Avington Memorial Cross at St. Mary's Church, Avington, Winchester, Hampshire.

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Arthur Eldred Woolfries

6th December 2019/in 1914-1918 Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, Labour Corps, Northumberland Fusiliers, Somerset Light Infantry, Worcestershire Regiment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Woolfries

Other names: Arthur Eldred

Locations in this story:
Farnham, Dorset
Stroud Farm, Sturminster, Dorset

Story:
Arthur Eldred Woolfries was born in Farnham, Dorset, on 9th October 1892 and baptised there on 20th November 1892, the son of Francis Woolfries and Elizabeth Annie Woolfries (née Jeans). He spent much of his early life in and around Farnham. He enlisted on 9th December 1915 but was not mobilized until 8th February 1916 when he joined the 1st Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 33851). He was transferred to the 3rd Battalion of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry on 9th September 1916 (Service No. 21227) then on three other occasions to 10th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry (14th November 1916) (Service No. 33065), the Northumberland Fusiliers (14th July 1917) (Service No. 55155) and finally the 683rd Agricultural Company of the Labour Corps (20th February 1918) (Service No. 528523). Throughout his military service he was apparently based in the UK. He was finally discharged on 3rd April 1919 and went back to his parents home in Farnham. No medal records have been found in this case. The 1921 Census shows him living with his sister at Sutton Steeple, Arne, Dorset, working as a Farm Labourer. By the 1939 Register he had moved to Stroud Farm, Sturminster, Dorset, and described as a Farmer. He apparently had moved to Meadow Farm, Trinity, Jersey, and was held on the Island following the German Invasion on 10 Jan 1941. He survived this experience but remained single throughout his life and eventually died 13 Mar 1961 back in Farnham, Dorset, being buried there at St. Lawrence Church on 16th March 1961. Of his brothers Edwin Woolfries served but regrettably died at Gallipoli whilst Harry Woolfries and Charles Woolfries both served and survived.

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Harry Woolfries
Edwin Woolfries

Sidney Hawkins

26th September 2019/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment, Northumberland Fusiliers /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Hawkins

Other names: Sidney

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury,Dorset
Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, Dorset

Story:
Sidney Hawkins was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 3rd February 1887 and baptised there on 18th February 1887, the son of William Edward and Georgina Hawkins. Sidney enlisted in the Territorial Volunteer Reserve of the 4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment on 1st April 1908 (Service No. 5236) and attended annual training camps. He married Mabel Rose Gray at St. John's Church, Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, on 26th June 1913. They went on to have two children. Sidney was called from the reserve and embodied on 4th August 1914 as a Private. He served in the UK until he was discharged on 31st March 1916 having completed the terms of his engagement. It is evident that he re-joined at some later time as there are records showing him with the 2nd Garrison Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers (Service No. 53455) and being discharged on 18th November 1919 due to being unfit by virtue of suffering from malaria. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals. Both the 1921 Census and 1939 Register show him living at 35 Bimport, Shaftesbury, working as a Carpenter. He died in the Westminster Memorial Hospital, Shaftesbury, on 8 Jul 1959 and was buried in the Town Cemetery, Shaftesbury, on 11 Jul 1969.

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William Thomas Brown

7th September 2019/in 1914-1918 Durham Light Infantry, Hussars, Labour Corps, Northumberland Fusiliers, Yorkshire & Lancashire Regiment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Brown

Other names: William Thomas

Locations in this story:
Higher Blandford Road, Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset
India
France
Railway Terrace, Gillingham, Dorset
Wavering Terrace, Gillingham, Dorset

Story:
William Thomas Brown was born in Cann, Shaftesbury, on 7th March 1888 the son of Samuel Brown and Clara Brown (née Moore). William lived with his family in Higher Blandford Road, Cann, Shaftesbury, until enlisting in the 11th Hussars on 19th March 1906 (Service No. 5872). He was transferred shortly after to the 13th Hussars (Service No. 1177). He qualified as a Private (Shoeing Smith) and served in India. In March 1913 he was placed on Reserve during which time he became a Postman in the Shaftesbury area and married Constance Kate Gray in Gillingham, Dorset, on 10th December 1913. They went on to have four children. At the outbreak of war he was embodied on 5th August 1914 and re-joined his Regiment. On 17th June 1915 he was transferred to the 3rd Battalion of the Yorkshire & Lancashire Regiment (Service No. 3/20836) and posted to France. On the 16th September 1916 he was again transferred to the Northumberland Fusiliers (Service No. 1073) and again to the Durham Light Infantry on 12th December 1916 (Service No. 25835). He spent his final few months of service from 30th June 1917 until his discharge (due to being unfit for further duty) on 19th November 1917 in the 378th Home Service Company of the Labour Corps (Service No. 165859) and awarded the Silver War Badge No. B156031 and a limited pension. He was also awarded the Victory and British War medals along with the 1914/15 Star. On discharge he went to live at Railway Terrace, Gillingham, Dorset. where, in the 1921 Census, was described as a Blacksmith. By the 1939 Register William and family were living at 10 Wavering Terrace, Gillingham, Dorset, with the same occupation. He died in Gillingham in 1961 and was buried there on 8th July 1961.

Two of William's brothers died in the war: Bertram George (b.1895) died on 4th April 1915 while a prisoner of war in Germany; Obery Archibald (b.1891) was killed in France on 19th March 1917 while serving with the East Kent Regiment. Two more brothers served in the war: Cyril (b.1894) in the Royal Navy and Harry (b.1885) with the Royal Army Service Corps.

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Cyril Brown
Harry Brown
Obery Archibald Brown
Bertram George Brown

Claude Miles Hall

4th April 2017/in 1914-1918 King's Royal Irish Hussars, Northumberland Fusiliers /by Ann Symons

Surname: Hall

Other names: Claude Miles

Locations in this story:
Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire
France & Flanders
Bray Military Cemetery, Bray-sur-Somme, France
Hillside Farm, Shaftesbury
Ludwell, Wiltshire
Shaftesbury Grammar School, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Dublin, Ireland

Story:
Claude Miles Hall was born in 1893 in Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire. (Registry Office entry shows him as 'Claud'). He was the son of William Hall, a farmer, and Annie Elizabeth Hall (née Miles). He attended Shaftesbury Grammar School from September 1905 to December 1907. When he left school he became a farmer and at the time of the 1911 Census he was single and living at Hillside Farm, Shaftesbury.

On a list of old boys who have recently joined up, the June 1917 edition of the Shaftesbury Grammar School Magazine shows that Claude had enlisted in Dublin, Ireland, and joined the 8th (King’s Royal Irish) Hussars (Service No. H/35308). In March 1918 it is noted that he visited the school while home on leave. He served in France & Flanders and was awarded the Victory and British War medals. At the time of his death he was attached to the 1st Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers and held the rank of Private. He was killed in France on 22nd August 1918 and was re-interred buried in the Bray Military Cemetery, Bray-sur-Somme, France (grave id. II.J.21), having been moved from a nearby temporary battlefield burial. He is remembered on the war memorial at Ludwell and on the memorial at Shaftesbury School. Claude's brother, Alfred John Reginald (aka Reginald) Hall, also served in the conflict, but survived.

His name was also included on a hand written list of Shaftesbury Grammar School old boys serving during the war. An asterix can be seen next to Claude's name, indicating that he had died. The board is now at Gold Hill Museum.

Printed Sources:
Shaftesbury Grammar School Magazine, June 1917
Shaftesbury Grammar School Magazine, March 1918
Shaftesbury Grammar School Magazine, November 1918

Images:

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Shastonian

John Francis Joiner (Frank) Thompson

13th February 2017/in 1914-1918 Northumberland Fusiliers /by Ann Symons

Surname: Thompson

Other names: John Francis Joiner (Frank)

Locations in this story:
St. Augustine's Church, Paddington, London
France & Flanders
Wandsworth Cemetery, Earlsfield, London
Melbury Street, Melbury Abbas, Shaftesbury
Hendon, Middlesex
Thomas Road, Islington, London
Hill View, Cann Common, Shaftesbury

Story:
John Francis Joiner Thompson (known by all as 'Frank') was born in 1887 in Hendon, Middlesex, and baptised on 27th November, 1887 at St. Augustine's Church, Paddington, London. He was the son of John and Jane Mary Thompson. His father had died prior to 1894 and his mother was remarried in that year to Samson Trowbridge. At the time of the 1911 Census he was single, a labourer and living at 66 Thomas Road, Islington, London whilst his mother lived at 4 Melbury Street, Melbury Abbas, Shaftesbury, later moving to Hill View, Cann Common, Shaftesbury.

He enlisted in London as a Private in the 1st Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers (Service No. 1188). He served in France & Flanders and was awarded the Victory, British War and 1914 Star medals. He died on 24th September 1915 having previously been wounded in battle and repatriated home. He was buried at Wandsworth Cemetery, Earlsfield, London. This cemetery was used by the 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth. His name appears on the cemetery memorial (Screen Wall F.B.18.131) and he is remembered on the Cann War Memorial, Shaftesbury.

Images:

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives

Leslie Reginald Wightman

3rd February 2017/in 1914-1918 Northumberland Fusiliers /by Ann Symons

Surname: Wightman

Other names: Leslie Reginald

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
France & Flanders
Sains-les-Marquion British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France
Derby Road, North End, Portsmouth, Hants
St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury
Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury
Portsmouth, Hampshire
Sunderland
St. Jude's Church, Portsea, Portsmouth

Story:
Leslie Reginald Wightman was born 0n 3rd August, 1890 in Shaftesbury, Dorset, and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 5th October, 1890. He was the son of James John Wightman, a commercial traveller, and Agnes Emma Wightman (nee Johnson) - Agnes was from Shaftesbury. At the time of the 1911 Census, he was working as a clerk salesman and living at 52 Derby Road, North End, Portsmouth, Hampshire. Leslie appeared before a Military Tribunal claiming exemption from Military Service but this was refused in February, 1916. On 25th April, 1916 he married Winifred Mary Cripps by licence at St. Jude's Church, Portsea, Portsmouth. He is described in the Register as a "Commercial Traveller, now Sapper, R.E." Up until this time he had been employed by Carr & Co, Biscuit Manufacturer of Sunderland. Leslie's father died in 1916 in Portsmouth. Leslie had enlisted in Portsmouth as a Sapper in the Royal Engineers (Service No. 2798). He transferred firstly to the 25th Battalion and later to the 8th Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers (Service No. 47062) and is shown on all records as a Lance Corporal except on the WGC records. He served in France and Flanders and was awarded the Victory and British War medals. He was killed in action in France on 27th September 1918 whilst serving with the 25th Company of the 8th Battalion and was buried at Sains-les-Marquion British War Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France (grave id. I.C.23). He is remembered on the Park Walk War Memorial and on the Holy Trinity Memorial, now in St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury. His wife was in receipt of his financial effects in due course and his mother, Agnes, was granted a pension. His wife went on to remarry a Henry Cleeve in Fareham, Hampshire, in 1920. There were no children of either marriage.

Images:

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives