Wiltshire Regiment Archives - Shaftesbury Remembers the Great War

Albert Edward Butt

Surname: Butt

Other names: Albert Edward

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
France & Flanders
Wimbourne Road, Bournemouth, Dorset
St. James Street, Shaftesbury

Story:
Albert Edward Butt was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 29th October 1896 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 29th November 1896, the son of Henry Butt and Emma Jane Butt (née Lydford). He lived most of his early life at the family home at 82 St. James Street, Shaftesbury. He enlisted and joined the 1st/4th Battalion of the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment as a Private (Service No. 201800). He served in France and Flanders and on his discharge was awarded the Victory and British War medals. It is known he married an Ivy R. (maiden name unknown) but no records can be found other than on the 1939 Register. He is shown as married and living at 441A Wimbourne Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, working as a Builders General Labourer. His death was recorded in Bournemouth in 1967. Albert's brothers, Henry (Harry) Charles Butt, Frederick Arthur Butt and Reggie Butt all served in the conflict but were all killed or died as a result.

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Frederick Arthur Butt
Reggie Butt
Henry Charles Butt

George Brown

Surname: Brown

Other names: George

Locations in this story:
Glyn Arms, Melbury Abbas, Shaftesbury, Dorset
South Stoneham, Hampshire
Eastleigh, Hampshire
France & Flanders
Ypres, West Flanders, Belgium

Story:
George Brown was born at Melbury Abbas, Shaftesbury, Dorset, in 1877 and baptised there on 14th October 1877, the son of John Stanford Brown and Emily Harriet Brown. George's father was licensee of the Glyn Arms, Melbury Abbas. George spent all his early years in Melbury Abbas until he married Annie Louise Fanny Gear in Stoneham, Hampshire, in 1902. There was one daughter of the marriage. George set up home in Eastleigh, Hampshire, where he was employed at the railway works by the LSWR as a Coach Finisher. He enlisted with the 2nd Battalion of the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment as a Private (Service No. 31609). He served in France & Flanders and was presumed killed on 31st July 1917. He is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ypres, West Flanders, Belgium. (Ref: Panel 53). He was awarded the Victory and British War medals.

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission

James Phillips

14th April 2020/in 1914-1918 Wiltshire Regiment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Phillips

Other names: James

Locations in this story:
The Barton, Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Tisbury, Wiltshire
France & Flanders
Le Touret, Pas de Calais, France
Arundell Arms, Tisbury

Story:
James Phillips was born in Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, Dorset, in 1886 and baptised at St. John's Church, Enmore Green, on 29th August 1886, the son of Edward Phillips and Edith Phillips (née White), a local family. James spent his early years in The Barton, Enmore Green, until, by 1901, the family had move to Tisbury, Wiltshire. In 1911 James was working as a Servant (Boots) in the Arundell Arms, Tisbury. He enlisted and joined the 1st Battalion of the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment as a Private (Service No. 6403). He served in the very early weeks of the conflict in France and Flanders and was killed in action on 21st October 1914. He is remembered on the Le Touret Memorial, Le Touret, Pas de Calais, France, (Panel 33 & 34.) and also on the Tisbury War Memorial. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1914 Star.

Three of James' brothers served in the First World War: Albert Charles (b.1877) with the Dorsetshire Regiment and South Wales Borderers; Frank (b.1885) with the Wiltshire Regiment and the Royal Field Artillery; Frederick William (b.1875) with the Dorsetshire Regiment.

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Albert Charles Phillips
Frank Phillips
Frederick William Phillips

Harold Francis Cosser

14th April 2020/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment, Wiltshire Regiment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Cosser

Other names: Harold Francis

Locations in this story:
Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Mesopotamia
Basra, Iraq
Trowbridge, Wiltshire

Story:
Harold Francis Cosser was born in Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire, on 30th November 1894 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 24th January 1895, the son of George Cosser and Anna Louisa Cosser (née Hopkins), a local family. Harold spent his early years in Donhead St. Mary until, by 1911, he was boarding in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, and working as an apprentice ironmonger. He enlisted with the 1st/4th Battalion of the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment as a Private (Service No. 1191). He was later attached to the 2nd Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 200122). He served in Mesopotamia and died in Turkish hands whilst a prisoner on 22nd May 1917 and is remembered on the Basra Memorial, Basra, Iraq, (Panel 22 & 63). He was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1915 Star.

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Frederick James Staples

14th April 2020/in 1914-1918 Wiltshire Regiment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Staples

Other names: Frederick James

Locations in this story:
Tollard Royal, Wiltshire
France & Flanders
Hainaut, Belgium

Story:
Frederick James Staples was born in Tollard Royal, Wiltshire, in 1897, the son of Bennett George Staples and Annie Kate Staples (née Horlock), a local family. Frederick lived all his life in and around Tollard Royal. He enlisted and joined the 1st Battalion of the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment as a Private (Service No. 202416). He served in France & Flanders where he died on 12th April 1918. He is remembered on the Ploegsteert Memorial, Hainaut, Belgium, (Ref: Panel 8.). He is also remembered in the church at Tollard Royal with an inscription 'died in France, youngest son of Bennett George'. He does not appear on the village War Memorial. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals.

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Hugh Davey Labrum

10th April 2020/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment, Wiltshire Regiment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Labrum

Other names: Hugh Davey

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Warminster, Wiltshire
Mesopotamia
Basra Memorial, Basra, Iraq

Story:
Hugh Davey Labrum was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, in 1895 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 8th May 1895, the son of Richard Newman Labrum and Frances Mary Labrum (née Davey). Hugh lived his very early childhood in Shaftesbury before the family moved to Warminster, Wiltshire. Hugh enlisted with the 1st/4th (Territorial Force) Battalion of the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment as a Private (Service Nos. 1550 and 200220). He served in Mesopotamia attached to the 2nd Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment where he was captured and eventually died as a Prisoner of War on the presumed date of 24th May 1917. He is remembered on the Basra Memorial, Basra, Iraq and on the Warminster War Memorial, Wiltshire. He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1915 Star.

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Alfred John Toogood

17th February 2020/in 1914-1918 Devonshire Regiment, Labour Corps, Royal Army Service Corps, Wiltshire Regiment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Toogood

Other names: Alfred John

Locations in this story:
Gutch Common, Semley, Wiltshire
Reading, Berkshire

Story:
Alfred John Toogood was born on 16th May 1884 in Semley, Wiltshire, and baptised there on 13th July 1884, the son of George Levi Toogood and Mary Toogood (née Haines). He lived all his early life at Gutch Common, Semley, Wiltshire. He enlisted on 7th April 1916 and joined the Devonshire Regiment (Service No. 21463) as a Private. On 30th March 1917 he transferred to the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment, Agricultural Company, (Service No. 34284) and again on the 30th June 1917 to the 442nd Agricultural Company of the Labour Corps (Service No. 263189). He was transferred yet again to the Motor Transport Section of the Royal Army Service Corps on 1st December 1918 (Service No. M/410835). Throughout this period he served solely in the UK. He was discharged on 17th February 1919. There are no evident medal records. He married Harriet Sarah Kate Trowbridge in Semley in 1929 and they went on to have one child. By the 1939 Register he was living at 16 Valentine Court, Reading, Berkshire, working as a Road Labourer. He died in Reading on 19th December 1964.

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Jack Parsons

16th February 2020/in 1914-1918 Labour Corps, Wiltshire Regiment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Parsons

Other names: Jack

Locations in this story:
Semley, Wiltshire
Wardour, Semley, Wiltshire
Duck Street, Tisbury, Wiltshire
Mere, Wiltshire
France & Flanders

Story:
Jack Parsons was born on 21st August 1896 in Semley, Wiltshire, and baptised on 20th September 1896, the son of Fred Parsons and Emma Maria Parsons (née Gray). He lived his early life in the Semley and Wardour, Wiltshire, area. He enlisted on 15th February 1916 as a Private with the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment (Service No. 23671). He served with both the 3rd and 1st Battalions in France & Flanders. At a medical examination on 29th July 1917 he was found to have defective vision and was shortly after transferred to the 447th Agricultural Company of the Labour Corps (Service No. 496005). He was discharged on 26th April 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War medals. He married Elizabeth Laura Parham in the Tisbury, Wiltshire, area in 1921 and they went on to have two children. By the 1939 Register he was living at 125 Duck Street, Tisbury, Wiltshire, and was working as a Roadman for the Wiltshire County Council. He died in the Mere, Wiltshire, Registration District on 19th October 1959.

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Frederick John Marchant

16th February 2020/in 1914-1918 Cameron Highlanders, Dorsetshire Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, Wiltshire Regiment, Worcestershire Regiment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Marchant

Other names: Frederick John

Locations in this story:
St. Leonard's Church, Semley, Wiltshire
Holt, Wimborne, Dorset
Cranbourne, Dorset
Poole, Dorset
Egypt
The Glebe, Semley

Story:
Frederick John Marchant was born in Semley, Wiltshire, on 3rd November 1881 and baptised at St. Leonard's Church on 6th January 1882, the son of Henry Thomas Marchant and Elizabeth Marchant (née Burt). His early life was spent with his family at the The Glebe, Semley, Wiltshire. He married Edith King on 9th April 1913 in Holt, Wimborne, Dorset and they went on to have one child.

Frederick enlisted on 27th June 1916 with the 1st Garrison Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 18657). He then was attached to the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment (Service No. 27863) serving in Egypt then returning to the Dorsetshire Regiment. On 19th April 1917 he was attached to the 1st Garrison Battalion of the Cameron Highlanders, then on 28th July 1917 to the Worcestershire Regiment (Service No. 48995) and then again on 17th October 1917 to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment (Service No. 37618). He was assessed with poor eye sight and finally transferred, on 12th March 1918, to the 36th Field Ambulance of the Royal Army Medical Corps (Service No. 145481). He was discharged on 4th March 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War medals. By the 1939 Register he was living at The Stores, Cranbourne, Dorset, and was described as a Master Grocer as well as being an ARP Warden. He died in 1961 in the Poole, Dorset, Registration District.

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Arthur Haime Bugden

16th February 2020/in 1914-1918 Royal Horse Artillery, Wiltshire Regiment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Bugden

Other names: Arthur Haime

Locations in this story:
Hook Lane, Semley, Wiltshire
Basingstoke, Hampshire
Winchester, Hampshire
France & Flanders
St. Leonard's Church, Semley, Wiltshire

Story:
Arthur Haime Bugden was born in Semley, Wiltshire on 6th March 1887 and baptised at St. Leonard's Church on 6th August 1887, the son of Francis Henry Haime Bugden and Eliza Bugden (née Fisher). He spent his early life at Hook Lane, Semley, Wiltshire. He enlisted with the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment on 19th February 1909 as a Territorial (Service No. 855) and was discharged on 18th February 1913. He re-enlisted on 27th May 1917 but was not mobilized until 14th March 1918 as a Private with the 6th Reserve Brigade of the Royal Horse & Field Artillery (Service No. 253850). He served in France & Flanders and was eventually discharged on 21st June 1919. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals. He married Dorothy A. Hurst in the Basingstoke District in 1923. There are no records of children of the marriage. By the 1939 Register Arthur was living in Winchester, Hampshire, and was working as a tractor driver. He died in 1963 in the Winchester area.

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