Wiltshire Regiment Archives - Page 7 of 7 - Shaftesbury Remembers the Great War

William George Edward Scammell

Surname: Scammell

Other names: William George Edward

Locations in this story:
Broad Chalke, Wiltshire
France & Flanders
Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium
Alvediston, Wiltshire
Devizes, Wiltshire

Story:
William George Edward Scammell was born in 1894 in Broad Chalke Wiltshire, and was baptised there on 30th December, 1894. He was the son of James Scammell and Elizabeth Scammell (née Bridle). At the time of the 1901 Census he was single and living at Broad Chalke. There is no entry for him in the 1911 Census but his family were then living in Alvediston, Wiltshire. He enlisted in Devizes on 19 Mar 1913 as a Private in the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment (Service No. 9000). He joined the 2nd Battalion and served in France & Flanders from 7 Oct 1914. He went missing on 24th October 1914 and was presumed to have been killed in action. His name appears on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres, Belguim (Panel 53) and he is also remembered on the Alvediston War Memorial. He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1914/15 Star. Of his brothers, Sidney John Scammell served and survived whilst Edward John Scammell enlisted on two occasions as he appeared keen to take part in the conflict but was quickly discharged on each occasion due to his physical disability of having a toe amputated years before. There is no record of his mother being awarded a dependent's pension. (NB. William's birth was registered as Scamall but hereafter he was known as Scammell. The baptism record shows him as William George Edgar but again Edward has been used thereafter consistently.)

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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Bertram William James Moxham

Surname: Moxham

Other names: Bertram William James

Locations in this story:
Trow, Alvediston, Wiltshire
France & Flanders
Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinghe, West Flanders, Belgium
Upper Woodford, Wiltshire
Devizes, Wiltshire
Ypres, Belgium

Story:
Bertram William James Moxham was born in 1889 in Alvediston, Wiltshire and was baptised there on 13th October 1889. He was the son of Frank and Elizabeth Clara Moxham (née Frances). At the time of the 1911 Census he was then single, working as a Carter on a Farm and living at Trow, Alvediston. On 26th December 1914 he married Amy Davenport and they lived together in Alvediston. Their son, Bertram R.E.Moxham, was born in 1915. Bertram enlisted in Devizes, Wiltshire, as a Private in the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment as a Private (Service No. 18889). He joined the 1st Battalion and served in France & Flanders from 6 Jul 1915. He died of wounds near Ypres, Belgium, on 31st July 1915 a mere 26 days after his arrival and was buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinghe, West Flanders, Belgium. (Grave ref. 1. D. 17). He is remembered on the Alvediston War Memorial. Records show that Amy, his wife, was living at "Scotland", Upper Woodford, Wiltshire, when she was awarded a widow's pension of 18s. 6d. per week (91p). She went on to re-marry Henry J. Phillips during 1920. Her son Bertram died in 1946, aged 31 years Bertram's brother, Samuel George Moxham, also served but survived the conflict.

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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Walter Charles Compton

30th March 2017/in 1914-1918 Wiltshire Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Compton

Other names: Walter Charles

Locations in this story:
Alvediston, Wiltshire
Salford, Lancashire
St. Mary's Church, Michelmersh, Hampshire
Chalkpit, Broadchalke, Wiltshire
Trowbridge, Wiltshire

Story:
Walter Charles Compton was born in 1889 in Alvediston and baptised there on 6th October, 1889. He was the son of Edgar Compton, a Farm Labourer, and Sarah Ann Compton (née Coombes). . At the time of the 1911 Census he was working as shepherd and living at Chalkpit, Broadchalke, Wiltshire. He married Ida Isabell Mabey on 7 June, 1913 at St Mary's Church, Michelmersh, Hampshire. They had two sons, Leonard (born 1914) and Ronald (born 1915).

Walter enlisted in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, as a Private in the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment (Service No. 201621) and was posted to the U.K. Depot. There is no indication that he had served abroad during his service. After spending time in a military hospital on 19th March 1919 in Salford, Lancashire and was buried in St. Mary's churchyard, Michelmersh, near Romsey, Hampshire. He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals.

His widow was awarded a pension but in 1924 Ida married William E. Yeates and they had one daughter, Christine. Sadly her son Leonard died in 1925, aged 11, and her second husband died in 1929, aged 58. Her other son, Ronald, died in 1939, aged 23. Thus by the time of the 1939 Register, Ida was left living with her only daughter in Michelmersh.

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Holy Trinity Memorial in St. Peter's Church 2

Ernest Brickell

13th February 2017/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment, Wiltshire Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Brickell

Other names: Walter Ernest

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury
France & Flanders
Wancourt British Cemetery
Coppice Street, Shaftesbury
St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury
Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury
Odstock, Wiltshire
Brickhill, Enmore Green
Gillingham, Dorset
Crown Inn, High Street, Shaftesbury

Story:
Walter (known always as Ernest) Brickell was born in 1881 in Shaftesbury and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 25th September 1881. He was the son of Edward Brickell and Ellen Brickell (née Wareham), a Charwoman. The parents had had a previous child, Ernest, born in 1879 and who died in 1880. Most of Ernest's childhood was spent in Odstock, Wiltshire, but his family moved back to Shaftesbury and were living on Brickhill (now Church Hill), in Enmore Green by 1901. By this time Ernest was boarding in Gillingham and working as a Domestic Groom. His father died in 1906. By the time of the 1911 Census Ernest had moved back to Shaftesbury and was boarding at the Crown Inn, 40 High Street and was boarding as an Ostler.

Ernest enlisted in Dorchester as a Private with Dorset Regiment (Service No. 18729). At the time of enlistment was single, working as a bricklayer's labourer and living at 7 Coppice Street, Shaftesbury. At a later date he transferred to the Wiltshire Regiment (Service No. 26743) and served in France & Flanders. He was killed in action on 9th April 1917 and was buried in the Wancourt British Cemetery (grave id. VI.G.29). He was awarded the Victory and British War medals and is remembered on the Holy Trinity War Memorial, now in St. PeterÍs Church, Shaftesbury.

Images:

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Charles King

13th February 2017/in 1914-1918 Wiltshire Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: King

Other names: Charles

Locations in this story:
Lacock, Chippenham, Wiltshire
France & Flanders
St. Souplet British Cemetery complex, Nord, France
Higher Coombe, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire
Ludwell, Wiltshire
Salisbury, Wiltshire

Story:
Charles King was born in 1888 in Lacock, Chippenham, Wiltshire. He was the son of Jesse King, a gamekeeper, and Harriet King (née Holley). At the time of the 1911 Census he was single, was working as a cabinet maker and living with his parents at Higher Coombe, Donhead St. Mary, Shaftesbury. He enlisted in Salisbury as a Private in the 2nd Battalion of the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment (Service No. 23746). He served in France & Flanders and was awarded the Victory and British War medals. He died of wounds on 1st April 1918 and his name appears on the St. Quentin German Cemetery Memorial 10, which is part of the wider St. Souplet British Cemetery complex at St. Souplet, Nord, France. He is also remembered on the Cann War Memorial, Shaftesbury and the memorial at Ludwell in Wiltshire. His mother was in receipt of a dependent's pension until her death in 1925 when it transferred to his father until he passed away in 1928.

Images:

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives

Reggie Butt

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

Surname: Butt

Other names: Reggie

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
France & Flanders
Roisin Communal Cemetery, Roisin, Hainut, Belgium
St. James Street, Shaftesbury
St. James' Church, Shaftesbury
St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury
Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury
Salisbury
Mons, Belgium

Story:
Reggie Butt was born on 18 Apr 1899 in Shaftesbury, Dorset, and baptised there at Holy Trinity Church on 28th May, 1899. He was the son of Henry Butt, a gardener, and Emma Jane Butt (née Lydford). His siblings included Henry (Harry) Charles, born in 1892 and Frederick Arthur, born in 1894, who both died in the war whilst Albert Edward Butt (b.1896) served and survived. At the time of the 1911 Census he was still at school and living in the family home at 82 St James Street, Shaftesbury. He enlisted in Salisbury, Wiltshire, as a Private in the 2nd Battalion of the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment (Service No. 36123). He served in France and Flanders and was awarded the Victory and British War Medals. He was killed in action in the Mons area of Belgium on 6th November 1918 and buried in the Roisin Communal Cemetery, Roisin, Hainaut, Belgium (grave id. A.2). He is remembered on the Park Walk and St. James' War Memorials in Shaftesbury. His name can also be seen on the Roll of Honour in St. James' Church and on the Holy Trinity Memorial, now in St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury. His mother was awarded a dependent's pension covering all the deceased sons.

Images:

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Henry Charles Butt
Albert Edward Butt
Frederick Arthur Butt

John Chown

8th November 2016/in 1914-1918 Wiltshire Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Chown

Other names: John

Locations in this story:
Cann Common, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Shaftesbury, Dorset
France & Flanders
Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Motcombe, Dorset
Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Devizes, Wiltshire
Le Touret Memorial, Le Touret, Pas de Calais, France

Story:
John Chown was born in 1888 in Shaftesbury, Dorset. He was the son of Samuel Chown, a carpenter, and Mary Ann (Annie) Chown (née Rogers). At the time of the 1911 Census the family were living at Cann Common, Shaftesbury, though John was not recorded. He married Lucy Hayward in Enmore Green, Shaftesbury on 28 May 1914 giving his current address as Tredegar, Monmouthshire, South Wales, described as a Collier. He enlisted in Devizes as a Private in the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment (Service No. 7612). He joined the 1st Battalion and served in France and Flanders from 14 Aug 1914. He was presumed killed in action on 31st October 1914 and his name appears on Le Touret Memorial, Le Touret, Pas de Calais, France (Panel 33 & 34). At the time his wife Lucy was living in Enmore Green and their son, John William, was born there on 7th May 1915 never knowing his father. After some initial problems Lucy received a widow's pension of £1. 8s. 7d. (£1. 42 1/2p.) per week. Lucy did not remarry and at the time of the 1939 Register she was living with her son at Hill Crescent, Enmore Green, Shaftesbury. John Chown was awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1914 Star with clasp. He is remembered on the War Memorials at Motcombe, Enmore Green and Cann, Shaftesbury. John's brother, Percy George Chown, also served but survived the conflict albeit he had been discharged early due to being medically unfit.

Images:

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