Royal Scots Fusiliers Archives - Shaftesbury Remembers the Great War

Surname: Compton

Other names: John Thomas

Locations in this story:
Crown Inn, Alvediston, Wiltshire
Berwick St. John, Wiltshire
Warminster, Wiltshire
Salonika, Greece
France & Flanders
Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire
Wokingham, Berkshire

Story:
John Thomas Compton was born in Alvediston, Wiltshire, on 30th May 1895 and baptised at Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire, on 7th July 1895, the son of George Digby Compton and Jane Elizabeth Compton (née Isgar). He lived most of his life in and around Alvediston where his father was licensee of The Crown Inn. He enlisted on 1st October 1915 and joined the 3rd Battalion of the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment as a Private (Service No. 32075). He transferred to the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry (Service No. 2090). He served in both Salonika and France & Flanders. He was wounded on at least three occasions and spent much time in hospital. The last wound was a gunshot wound in the neck for which he was transferred to the military hospital in Wokingham until 31st December 1918. On discharge he was transferred to the Royal Scots Fusiliers (Service No. 33428). He was discharged shortly after on 26th February 1919. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals. He married Mary E. West in 1921 and they went on to have at least five children. By the 1939 Register he was living at Billingham House, Berwick St. John, Wiltshire, working as a Farm Labourer and Rabbit Catcher. He passed away at the age of 90 years in the Warminster, Wiltshire, Registration District in 1986.

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Surname: Proudley

Other names: John

Locations in this story:
Enmore Green, Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Poole, Dorset
Old Wareham Road, Newton, Parkstone, Dorset
Salisbury, Wiltshire
Tout Hill, Shaftesbury

Story:
John Proudley was born in Enmore Green, Motcombe, Shaftesbury, in 1877, the son of Joseph Proudley and Mary Jane Proudley (née Bown). He lived his early life on Tout Hill, Shaftesbury, until the family had moved to Poole, Dorset, by 1901. He married Maud Phillips on 19th May 1902 and they went on to have five children. John enlisted on 11th December 1915 and was placed on reserve. He was embodied on 14th June 1916 and joined the 1st Garrison Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 18228). He transferred to the 1st Garrison Battalion of the Cameron Highlanders on 29th January 1917 (Service No. 28048). He was transferred then to the Royal Defence Corps (20th Protection Company) on 27th November 1917 (Service No. 48485). On the 28th June 1918 he was yet again transferred to the 13th Battalion of the Royal Scots Fusiliers (Service No. 61567). Finally, on the 4th October 1918 he ended up with the 609th Agricultural Company of the Labour Corps (Final Service No. 670018). Having served his whole time in the UK he was demobilized on 19th March 1919 and went to live at Old Wareham Road, Newton, Parkstone, Dorset. No Medal records have been found though his Active Service form is clearly stamped 'Medal' which indicates he was entitled. He died in 1938 in the Salisbury Registration District, Wiltshire.

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The National Archives