John Thomas Compton

Surname: Compton
Other names: John Thomas
Other people in this story:
George Digby Compton
Jane Elizabeth Compton née Isgar
Mary Elizabeth Compton née West
Locations in this story:
Alvediston, Wiltshire
Berwick St. John, Wiltshire
Warminster, Wiltshire
Salonika, Greece
France & Flanders
Donhead St. Andrew, Wiltshire
Wokingham, Berkshire
Chichester, Sussex

Story:
John Thomas Compton was born in Alvediston, Wiltshire, on 30th May 1895 and baptised at Donhead St. Andrew, 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) and later transferred to the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry (Service No. 2090).  He served in both Salonika from Sep 1916 and France & Flanders from 11 Aug 1917.  He was wounded on at least three occasions and spent much time in various hospitals.  The last wound was a gunshot wound in the neck for which he was transferred to the Graylingwell Military Hospital, Chichester, Sussex, and later to the Military Convalescent Hospital in Wokingham, Berkshire, until 31st December 1918.  On discharge from hospital he was transferred to the Royal Scots Fusiliers (Service No. 33428).  He was demobilized shortly after on 26th February 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War medals.  He married Mary Elizabeth West at Berwick St. John, Wiltshire, on 18 May 1921 and the 1921 Census shows they set up home in Elcombe Lane, Alvediston. John was then described as a Smallholder. Mary and he went on to have at least five children.  By the 1939 Register he was living adjacent to Billingham House, Berwick St. John, Wiltshire, working as a Farm Labourer and Rabbit Catcher.  His death at the age of 90 years was registered in the Warminster, Wiltshire, district in 1986.

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Harry Broomfield

Surname: Broomfield
Other names: Harry
Other people in this story:
Harry Jasse Broomfield
Fanny Broomfield née Cook
Ernest Broomfield
Frederick John Robert Broomfield
Edward William Broomfield
Percy William Norman
Eva Theresa Rose Norman née Broomfield
Edith Broomfield née Cox
Arthur Broomfield
Walter James Broomfield
Locations in this story:
Ringwood, Hampshire
Grove Arms, Ludwell, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire
France & Flanders
Little Bytham, Lincolnshire
Southampton, Hampshire

Story:
Harry Broomfield was born in Ringwood, Hampshire, on 24th November 1891 the son of Harry Jesse Broomfield and Fanny Broomfield (nee Cook).  At the time of the outbreak of war he was living with his parents at The Grove Arms, Ludwell, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire, where his father was the licensee.  He enlisted in the 19th Squadron of the 2nd/1st Battalion of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry on 21st September 1914 (Service No 1157).  He served in France and Flanders and was discharged within a day or so of 1st January 1916.  He re-enlisted with the Army Service Corps (Motor Transport Section) on 6th January 1916 (Service No. M2/152395).  He was demobilized on 26th May 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War medals.  He had married Edith Cox on 3rd August 1915 at Little Bytham, Lincolnshire, and they went on to have one child.    The 1939 Register shows him living at 25 Cannon Street, Southampton, Hampshire, working as a Corporation Carter.   He died in the Southampton area in 1976. 

His brothers Frederick John Robert and Edward William served and were both killed in action whilst Ernest, Arthur, and Walter James who also served, survived.  His brother-in-law, Percy William Norman, (married to sister Eva Theresa Rose) also served and survived.

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Links to related web content / sources:
Frederick John Robert Broomfield
The National Archives
Arthur Broomfield
Ernest Broomfield
William Percy Norman
Edward William Broomfield
Walter James Broomfield
Donhead St. Andrew Church

Henry Jeffery

Surname: Jeffery
Other names: Henry
Other people in this story:
George Jeffery
Ellen Jeffery née Pardy
Dorothy Irene Jeffery née Glass
George Arthur Jeffery
Locations in this story:
Donhead St. Andrew, Wiltshire
France
Iraq
India
Salisbury, Wiltshire
Newport Street, Swindon, Wiltshire
Higher Berry Court Farm, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire
Shaftesbury Grammar School
Exeter, Devon

Story:
Henry Jeffery was born on 9th June 1896 at Donhead St. Andrew, Wiltshire, the son of George Jeffery and Ellen Jeffery (née Pardy). They lived at Higher Berry Court Farm, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire. His father died in 1904. Henry was recorded as a Boarder at Shaftesbury Grammar School in the 1911 Census. He left school in the summer of 1911 and on enlistment his occupation was given as 'Ironmonger's Apprentice'. He enlisted with the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry as a Private (Service No. 941) on 5th September 1914, later transferring to the Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry Section) (Service No. 52942).  He was attached to the 15th Squadron of the Tank Corps and achieved the rank of Acting Sergeant, serving in France from 3 Dec 1915 and later in Iraq and India. He was demobilized on 3rd January 1920 and was awarded the Victory and British War medals, the 1915 Star and the India General Service Medal (Afghanistan & N.W. Frontier Clasps) 1919. His mother had died in 1916 and the 1921 Census shows him as a visitor at 19 Mont le Grand, Exeter, Devon, described as an Ironmonger's Assistant in Salisbury, Wiltshire. He married Dorothy Irene Glass at St. Thomas Church, Salisbury, Wiltshire, on 1st September 1925 and they went on to have one child. His last known address was 3 Newport Street, Swindon, Wiltshire, (per the 1939 Register) where he had his own Ironmongery business. He died at Swindon in 1968.  Henry's brother, George Arthur Jeffery, was regrettably killed during the conflict whilst serving with the Australian Imperial Force. Source: Based on previous research by Ken Baxter. Printed Source: First List of Old Shastonians Serving in H.M. Forces, September 1915

Images:
  • Shaftesbury Grammar School 4
  • Shaftesbury Grammar School Old Boys 10
  • Shaftesbury Grammar School Old Boys 4
  • List of Old Shastonians 1
  • List of Old Shastonians 3

Links to related web content / sources:
The National Archives