Royal Sussex Regiment Archives - Shaftesbury Remembers the Great War

John Henry Goddard

Surname: Goddard

Other names: John Henry

Locations in this story:
Frimley, Surrey
Hunsdon, Nr. Ware, Hertfordshire
Penn Hill, Bedchester, Shaftesbury, Dorset
France & Flanders
Stourpaine, Dorset
Romsey, Hampshire

Story:
John Henry Goddard was born at Frimley, Surrey, on 30th July 1892 and baptised there on 9th October 1892, the son of Henry Goddard and Emma Charlotte Goddard (née Davis). By 1901 he was living at Hunsdon, Nr. Ware, Hertfordshire and by 1911 he and the family had moved to 74 Penn Hill, Bedchester, Shaftesbury, Dorset. Shortly after this his father died in the same year. John enlisted and joined 7th Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment as a Private (Service No. G/2238). He served in France and Flanders from 24 Jul 1915 with the 8th Battalion and whilst there was awarded the Military Medal. He was eventually discharged on 2nd March 1919 and further awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1915 Star. He returned to live with his widowed mother in Bedchester and by the 1921 Census was working as a General Labourer at the Shaftesbury Golf Club. He married Laura Mary Barnett at Stourpaine, Dorset, on 26th July 1931. By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at 50 Duttons Road, Romsey, Hampshire, working as a Builder's Labourer. His death was recorded in Romsey in 1952.

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The National Archives

Thomas Rose

Surname: Rose

Other names: Thomas

Locations in this story:
West Orchard, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Upton Scudamore, Wiltshire
France & Flanders
Cambrin Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France
Warbleton, East Sussex

Story:
Thomas Rose was born in 1888 in West Orchard, Shaftesbury, Dorset, the son of John Rose and Teresa Emma Rose (née Clemas). His first few years of life were spent near Mansfield House, West Orchard, but his family moved later to Upton Scudamore, Wiltshire. He enlisted on 19th November 1906 and joined the Royal Sussex Regiment as a private (Service No L/8613). He saw a rapid rise in rank to the extent that he was finally promoted to Company Quartermaster Sergeant just days prior to his death from wounds. He was wounded in action in France & Flanders and died in the 33rd Field Ambulance on 15th May 1918. He was finally buried at the Cambrin Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France, (Grave Ref. N.49). He was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1914/15 Star (with clasps). He is remembered on the War Memorial at St. Mary the Virgin Church, Warbleton, East Sussex, near where his parents had moved.

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The National Archives
Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Frederick Tom Sharp

13th February 2020/in 1914-1918 Labour Corps, Royal Sussex Regiment, Territorial Force /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Sharp

Other names: Frederick Tom

Locations in this story:
Compton Abbas, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Farnham, Dorset
Sussex
Lewes, Sussex
France & Flanders
Egypt
East Chiltington, Sussex

Story:
Frederick Tom Sharp was born at Compton Abbas, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 28th May 1894, the son of Tom Sharp and Eliza Emmeline Sharp (née Hibbs). He lived most of his early life at Farnham, Dorset, until moving to Sussex with his family by 1911. His father died in 1914. He enlisted on 15th November 1915 and joined the 2nd/5th (Cinque Ports) Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment as a Private (Service No. 5/3492). He was posted to France on 22nd April 1916 and almost immediately caught rheumatic fever and had to be sent back to the UK on 24th June 1916 for treatment. Following his recovery he was attached to the 4th Battalion (T.F. Reserve) (Service No. 4/5281) and posted to Egypt on 1 Nov 1916. He was transferred to the 800th Agricultural Employment Company of the Labour Corps on 8th December 1917 (Service No. 361819). He was discharged with a small pension due to the earlier indisposition and also awarded the Victory and British War medals. The 1921 Census shows him living with his widowed mother at 'Rumara', Malling Street, Lewes, Sussex, working as an Agricultural Engineer. Frederick married Dorothy May Ware on 5 Feb 1924 at East Chiltington,Sussex, and they went on to have one known child. By the 1939 Register he was living at 26 St John Street, Lewes, Sussex, now described as a Fitter and Agricultural Engineer. He died in 1967.

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James Young

10th June 2017/in 1914-1918 Royal Sussex Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Young

Other names: James

Locations in this story:
Fontmell Magna, Dorset
France & Flanders
Thiepval Memorial, France
Kit Hill, Fontmell Magna, Dorset
Enmore Green, Shaftesbury
Motcombe, Dorset
Nod Cottage, Petersfield, Hampshire
St. James, Shaftesbury
Chichester, Sussex
Basingstoke, Hampshire

Story:
James Young was born in 1893 in Fontmell Magna and baptised there on 3rd September 1893. He was the son of Alfred Young, a carter on a farm, and Caroline Young (née Francis). At the time of the 1911 Census James was working as a Farm Labourer and living at 99 Kit Hill, Fontmell Magna. On 12th October 1914 he married Beatrice Ellen Brown in Basingstoke, Hampshire. At the time of his enlistment the family were living at Nod Cottage, Petersfield, Hampshire and he was working as an "Under Carter".

James enlisted in Chichester on 14th February 1916, and joined the 2nd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment as a Private (Service No. G/8752). He served in France & Flanders and was awarded the Victory, British and 15 Star medals. He died on 20th August 1916 and his name appears on the Thiepval Memorial in France (Pier and Face 7C). His widow Beatrice was awarded a pension of 15s (75p.) per week for herself and her son. By 1917 she had moved from Petersfield to 2, St James, Shaftesbury. In 1918 she married Frederick Toogood and they lived in Enmore Green. James is remembered on the war memorials at Motcombe and Enmore Green, Shaftesbury.

His brother, Alfred Young, also served but survived the conflict.

Printed Sources: "Fontmell Magna and the First World War", compiled by Chris Bellers, Fontmell Magna Village Archive Society, 2014.

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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Alfred Young

William Edwin Large

3rd February 2017/in 1914-1918 Royal Sussex Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Large

Other names: William Edwin

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury
France & Flanders
Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-L'Abbe, Somme, France
Bell Street, Shaftesbury
St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury
Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury

Story:
William Edwin Large was born in 1883 in Shaftesbury, Dorset, and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 20th May, 1883. (On all the Census records he is known in the family as Edwin, although the army records show his full name, William Edwin.) He was the son of Frederick William Large, a house painter, and Ellen Large (née Alner). At the time of the 1911 Census he was single, working as a house painter and living at 22 Bell Street, Shaftesbury. He enlisted as a Private in the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment (Service No. G/11252). He served in France and Flanders and was awarded the Victory and British War medals. He died on 10th September 1916 whilst being treated at the 88th Casualty Clearing Station for wounds received in battle on the Somme and was buried at Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-L'Abbe, Somme, France (grave id. IV.C.4). He is remembered on the Park Walk War Memorial and on the Holy Trinity Memorial, now in St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury. His mother received a pension as a result of his death paid until her death on 21 Dec 1925.

Images:

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