Territorial Force Archives - Shaftesbury Remembers the Great War

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.

Images:

Links to related web content / sources:
The National Archives

Harry Walter Stainer

22nd October 2019/in 1914-1918 Labour Corps, Territorial Force /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Stainer

Other names: Harry Walter

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Gold Hill, Shaftesbury

Story:
Harry Walter Stainer was born on 22nd September 1898 in Shaftesbury, Dorset, the son of Albert George Stainer and Martha Rosina Stainer (née Warren). The family home was at 9 Gold Hill, Shaftesbury and Harry lived there throughout his life. He enlisted on 21st September 1916 but was not mobilized until 20th August 1917 when he joined the 34th Territorial Battalion as a Private (Service No. 8/20524). He transferred to the 303rd Reserve Labour Company of the Labour Corps on 7th October 1917 and later, on the 17th November 1917, to the 649th Agricultural Company (Service No. 432205) as a Lance Corporal. He was discharged as being physically unfit, by virtue of deformed feet, on 13th March 1919. Whilst no medal record has been found there is an imprint on his Service Records which simply says 'MEDAL' and nothing else. It is assumed he may have received the Victory and British War medals but the index cards are missing. The 1921 Census and 1939 Register show he was still living at 9 Gold Hill, Shaftesbury, with his sister. He was single and working as a Builders Labourer. He died locally in 1962 and was buried in the Town Cemetery, Shaftesbury on 20 Jun 1962.

Images:

Links to related web content / sources:
The National Archives

Charles Padfield

17th October 2019/in 1914-1918 Territorial Force /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Padfield

Other names: Charles

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
St. James, Shaftesbury
Salisbury Street, Shaftesbury
Coppice Street, Shaftesbury
Tanyard Lane, Shaftesbury

Story:
Charles Padfield was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 1st May 1884 and baptised at St. James Church on 15 Jun 1884 the son of John Charles Padfield and Mary Elizabeth Padfield (née Maidment). He lived all his early years in and around St. James, Shaftesbury. He married Florence Ethel Galpin in Shaftesbury in 1908. They went on to have three children.

Charles enlisted in February 1911 with the 4th (86th Provisional) Battalion (Territorial Force) as a Private (Service No. 4892). He was embodied at the outbreak of war (Service No. 1362) and was eventually discharged on 27th February 1916 having completed the five year term of his engagement. He re-enlisted 19th August 1916 and served with the 5th (Service) Battalion (Service No. 202498) and was finally demobilized on 20th March 1919. There is no indication from the limited records available that he served anywhere other than the UK. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals. On discharge he gave 5 Salisbury Street, Shaftesbury, as his address though by the 1921 Census this had changed to 7 Salisbury Street from where he was working as a Painter and Paperhanger. By 1939 he had moved to 89 Coppice Street, Shaftesbury, now described as a House Painter. When he died on 2nd February 1963 he had been living at 10 Tanyard Lane, Shaftesbury.

Two of Charles' brothers served in the war with the Dorsetshire Regiment: Alfred George (b.1888) and Edwin (b.1891).

Images:

Links to related web content / sources:
The National Archives

Charles Alfred Crew

3rd February 2017/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment, Territorial Force /by Ann Symons

Surname: Crew

Other names: Charles Alfred

Locations in this story:
Mesopotamia
Basra War Cemetery, Iraq
Melplash, Netherbury, Dorset
St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury
Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury
Dorchester

Story:
Charles Alfred Crew was born in 1892 in Melplash, Dorset, and baptised at Melplash Church on 14th August, 1892. He was the son of Charles William Crew, a blacksmith, and Bessie Crew (née Lane). The family lived in Netherbury, Melplash. At the time of the 1911 Census Charles was single, working as an Elementary School Teacher and living at Netherbury. After this he may have moved to Shaftesbury, as his name appears on the Park Walk memorial. He enlisted in Dorchester in the 1st/4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 2223) and served in Mesopotamia. At the time of his death from cholera on 11th July 1917 he held the rank Corporal. He was buried at Basra War Cemetery, Iraq (grave id. VI.L.11). He is remembered on the Park Walk War Memorial and on the Holy Trinity Memorial, now in St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury. His name also appears on the Melplash War Memorial. Charles was awarded the Victory and British War medals. He was also awarded the Territorial Force War Medal, which suggests that he joined the Army as a Territorial prior to 1914. Following his death his father was in receipt of his financial effects as well as a dependent's pension.

Images:

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