Royal Horse Artillery Archives - Shaftesbury Remembers the Great War

Frederick Fanner

Surname: Fanner

Other names: Frederick

Locations in this story:
Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset,

Story:
Frederick Fanner was born in Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 28th October 1894 and baptised at St. Rumbold's, Church on 23rd June 1895, the son of James Fanner and Harriet Jane Fanner (née Stacey). His siblings include William, born 1897, who served in the Royal Army Service Corps. The family lived at 4 Melbury Road, Melbury Abbas for a time before moving to Butts Knap, Cann, Shaftesbury by 1901.

He had previous military experience with the 4th Territorial Unit of the Dorsetshire Regiment but when he re-enlisted on 25th May 1916 he was posted to the 7th Artillery Training School of the Royal Horse and Field Artillery with the rank of Driver (Service No. 139804). Unfortunately he was discharged on 28th July 1916 being medically unfit and unlikely to make an efficient soldier. Nothing else is recorded regarding his life after discharge.

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The National Archives
William Fanner

Arthur Haime Bugden

16th February 2020/in 1914-1918 Royal Horse Artillery, Wiltshire Regiment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Bugden

Other names: Arthur Haime

Locations in this story:
Hook Lane, Semley, Wiltshire
Herriard, Basingstoke, Hampshire
Winchester, Hampshire
France & Flanders
St. Leonard's Church, Semley, Wiltshire

Story:
Arthur Haime Bugden was born in Semley, Wiltshire on 3rd Aug 1887 and baptised at St. Leonard's Church on 6th August 1887, the son of Francis Henry Haime Bugden and Eliza Bugden (née Fisher). He spent his early life at Hook Lane, Semley, Wiltshire. He enlisted with the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment on 19th February 1909 as a Territorial (Service No. 855) and was discharged on 18th February 1913. He re-enlisted on 27th May 1917 but was not mobilized until 14th March 1918 as a Private (later Gunner) with the 6th Reserve Brigade of the Royal Horse & Field Artillery (Service No. 253850). He served in France & Flanders from 29 May 1918. He was transferred to the Labour Corps on 1 Jan 1919 (Service No. 448585) and was eventually discharged on 21st June 1919. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals. The 1921 Census shows him living at Manor Farm Cottage, Herriard< Basingstoke, Hampshire, employed in General Farm Work. He married Dorothy Alice Hurst in the Basingstoke District in 1923. There are no records of children of the marriage. By the 1939 Register Arthur had moved to Hinton, Winchester, Hampshire, and was working as a tractor driver. He died in 1963 in the Winchester area.

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St. James Street junction with Tanyard Lane

James Hopkins

27th September 2019/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment, Royal Army Service Corps, Royal Horse Artillery /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Hopkins

Other names: James

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Mount Atlas, Manchester, Jamaica
Mesopotamia
Pewsey, Wiltshire
Abbots Ann, Andover, Hampshire
France & Flanders
India

Story:
James Hopkins was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 13th March 1886 and baptised there at Holy Trinity Church on 4th April 1886, the son of Edwin Hopkins and Charlotte Ann Hopkins (née Sanger). He lived his early life with his parents at 59 St. James Street, Shaftesbury. He had previously joined the 2nd Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Reserves). He formally enlisted on 20th February 1904 and joined the Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery (Service No. 33311). He was quickly transferred to the Army Service Corps on 22nd August 1904 as a Private (Service No. S22334). He served in Jamaica during which time began his rise through the ranks to finally become a Staff Sergeant. Whilst in Jamaica he met and married Emily Louise Reynolds at St. Andrews Church, Mount Atlas, Manchester, Jamaica, on 2nd April 1911. They went on to have four children. He returned to the UK giving 71 St. James Street, Shaftesbury as his wife's address. At the outbreak of war he was posted to France followed by more postings to Mesopotamia and India. He was finally discharged on 14th December 1918 being no longer physically fit for duty and awarded a pension and the Silver War Badge No. B59520, having reverted to the rank of Sergeant. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1914 Star. By the 1939 Register he was living at598 Zouch Cottages, Pewsey, Wiltshire, and working as an Ordnance Clerk for the War Department. He died in Abbots Ann, Andover, Hampshire, on 6th August 1967 aged 81 years.

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The National Archives

Arthur Edward Miles

3rd August 2019/in 1914-1918 Royal Horse Artillery /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Miles

Other names: Arthur Edward

Locations in this story:
Melbury Abbas, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Amesbury, Wiltshire
France
North Street, Fontmell Magna, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Ansford, Castle Cary, Somerset

Story:
Arthur Edward Miles was born on 22nd July 1890 at Melbury Abbas, Shaftesbury, Dorset, the son of Ernest Edward Miles and Harriet Rebecca Miles (née Nottle). His last local address was Dairy House, North Street, Fontmell Magna, Dorset. He enlisted as a Driver with the Royal Horse Artillery on 24th August 1914 (Service No. 87682). He served with the British Expeditionary Force in France and was finally discharged as unfit on 4th January 1919 suffering from ulcers aggravated by his service. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals and the 1915 Star along with Silver Badge No. B77275. He married Dora Lane in 1921 and they went on to have two children. By the 1939 Register he was working as a Registered Poultry Farmer at Amesbury, Wiltshire. He later moved to Ansford, Castle Cary, Somerset, where he died in 1977.

Source: Based on previous research by Ken Baxter.

Images:

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The National Archives

William Green

15th July 2019/in 1914-1918 Royal Horse Artillery, Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment) /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Green

Other names: William

Locations in this story:
Alvediston, Wiltshire
Marylebone, London
Denman Street, Radford, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Egypt
Palestine

Story:
William Green was born in Alvediston, Wiltshire during 1879 the son of Augustus Philip Green and Jane Green (née Courtney). By the 1881 Census the family had moved to 81 York Street, Marylebone, London. William married Bertha Maud Osborne in Nottingham during 1906. There were four children of the marriage. He had enlisted in the Notts & Derby (Sherwood Foresters) Regiment on 12th June 1910 (Service No. 612062) and served in Egypt and Palestine during the First World War. He was promoted in due time to Wheeler Sergeant. He was later attached to the Royal Horse Artillery (283rd Notts. Battery) on 20th December 1918. Discharge came on the 29th January 1920 when he received a 30% Disability Pension for 'general debility' caused by his service. He was awarded the Victory, British War and Territorial Force Medals as well as the 1914/15 Star. His last known address was 268 Denman Street, Radford, Nottingham, where he died in 1937.

Source: Based on previous research by Ken Baxter.

Images:

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The National Archives

Frank Brine

10th June 2017/in 1914-1918 Royal Horse Artillery /by Ann Symons

Surname: Brine

Other names: Frank

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury
France & Flanders
Bailleui Communal Cemetery Extension, Bailleui, Nord, France
Sherborne Causeway, Enmore Green
Gillingham, Dorset
Motcombe

Story:
Frank Brine was born in 1889 in Shaftesbury. He was the son of John Brine, a contractor/haulier, and Louisa Brine (née Prior). His siblings included Albert, born in 1887, who also died in the war and other brothers, Douglas Harold (b.1895) served in the Navy before and during the war, and Percival who also survived. At the time of the 1911 Census Frank was single and living on Sherborne Causeway, Enmore Green. He enlisted in Gillingham, Dorset, on 5th January 1915 and joined the 15th Reserve Battery of the Royal Horse Artillery (Service No. 58979). He was posted to the British Expeditionary Force in France on 24th May 1915 and was promoted to the rank of Bombardier on 8th February 1916. He served in France & Flanders and was awarded the Victory, British War and 15 Star medals. He died on 31st July 1917 whilst serving with 'C' Battery, 123rd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery and was buried at Bailleui Communal Cemetery Extension, Bailleui, Nord, France, (near the Belgian border) (grave id. III.D.299). He is remembered on the war memorials at Motcombe and Enmore Green, Shaftesbury.

Frank's cousin Reginald Henry Brine served in the Royal Navy during the war but sadly died in 1918 on board HMS Lion.

Source:
Photographs of Frank Brine and the Brine family home on Sherborne Causeway provided by Nigel Garrett.

Images:

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Douglas Harold Brine
Albert Brine
Reginald Henry Brine

Richard Eustace Grosvenor

10th June 2017/in 1914-1918 Royal Horse Artillery /by Ann Symons

Surname: Grosvenor

Other names: Richard Eustace

Locations in this story:
Christchurch, Hampshire
France
Vermelles British Cemetery, Vermelles, Pas de Calais, France
Motcombe, Dorset
Haileybury, School, Ashwell, Herts.
Nowshera, North West Frontier, India
Royal Military Academy, Woolwich Common

Story:
Richard Eustace Grosvenor was born on 27th January, 1883, in Christchurch, Hampshire. He was the son of Richard de Aquila Grosvenor, 1st Baron Stalbridge, and his second wife, Eleanor Beatrice Grosvenor (née Hamilton-Stubber). Richard attended at Haileybury School, Ashwell, Herts, and by 1901 had become a 'Gent Cadet' at The Royal Military Academy, Woolwich Common. At the time of the 1911 Census he was single and a Regular Soldier serving with the Royal Field Artillery at Nowshera, North West Frontier, India. He was commissioned in the Royal Horse Artillery and at the time of his death held the rank of Captain. His mother died in 1911 and his father in 1912. The eldest son, Hugh, became the new Baron Stalbridge.

Richard was posted to France on 6th November, 1914. He was awarded the Military Cross, Victory, British War and 14 Star medals as well as being Mentioned in Despatches. He died on 13th October 1915 and was buried at Vermelles British Cemetery, Vermelles, Pas de Calais, France (grave id. I.H.14). He is remembered on the Motcombe War Memorial, Dorset, on the Roll of Honour at Haileybury School and the Royal Artillery Commemoration Roll.

Images:

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