Story:
Stanley Martin was born in Stour Provost, Dorset, on 14th November 1879 and baptised there on 5th December 1879.  The birth was registered at Shaftesbury, Dorset.  He was the son of George Martin and Charlotte Martin (née Barnes).   He lived most of his early life at 7 Stour Lane, Stour Provost, until by 1901 he had moved to Dorchester, Dorset, where he was employed as a fitter and turner. He enlisted for 12 years and joined the Royal Navy initially as a Acting Electician (Service No. 345056).   He married Alice Julia Matilda Tilley at Portsmouth, Hampshire, Register Office on 29th November 1902. 

He was due for discharge after his 12 years but was, by then holding the rank of Chief Electrical Artificer Class 2, posted to the Dreadnought Battleship HMS Bulwark in early 1914 thus remaining in the service.  He had shortly after been awarded a bonus for inventing a combination lamp holder that would be used thereafter in the Royal Navy.  On the 26th November, 1914, whilst moored up off Sheerness, Kent,  there was an explosion in the vessel's boiler room and the ship sunk with all but 12 hands lost.  Various estimates of those lost vary from 733 men to 741 men.  The body of Stanley was not recovered and he is now remembered on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Portsmouth, Hampshire (Panel 5) and also on the local War Memorial at Gillingham, Kent.  His name is also mentioned on plaques inside St. Michaels Church, Stour Provost, and the All Saints Church war memorial, now in the Stour Row Village Hall. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1914 Star.  His wife went on to re-marry Charles Nithsdale on 3rd June 1915.

Source: Photographs of the Portsmouth Naval Memorial taken by Richard Lunn.

Story:
William Henry Gray was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 20th June 1896 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 12th July 1896, the son of James Chasey Gray and Susanna Kensell Gray (née Norris).  He lived his early life with the family at 8 Gold Hill, Shaftesbury and later on in Enmore Green, Shaftesbury. He enlisted with the Royal Navy on 31st January 1912 as a Boy Class II later becoming an Able Seaman (Service No. J15923). He served throughout the war in various ships and shore establishments being regarded as a 'sharpshooter'.  He eventually bought himself out of the service subject to him agreeing to remain on the Reserves on 30th June 1923.  He was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1914/15 Star.  He had married Edith Annie Fry (who came from Ashmore, Shaftesbury, Dorset) in 1917 and his address given on the Absent Voters List for 1918 was Noad Road, Ashmore.  The 1921 Census shows that he was based on HMS Iron Duke then assigned to Beicos, Malta,  whilst his wife lived at 19 Bell Street, Shaftesbury.  By the time of the 1939 Register he had settled at Watery Lane, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire, and was working as a Roadman for the Dorset County Council as well as being the local Civil Defence Decontamination Volunteer.  He died in the Weymouth, Dorset, Registry District in 1988 and was buried at Chetnole, Dorset, on 13th April 1988. His brother, Gordon James Gray, also served during the conflict.