Montague George Teck Durston
Surname: Derston
Other names: Montague George Teck
Locations in this story: Stalbridge, DorsetMesopotamiaBasra War Cemetery, Basra, IraqAshley Avenue, Weston Bath, Bath, SomersetSt. Peter's Church, ShaftesburyHoly Trinity Church, ShaftesburyShaftesbury, DorsetDagshai, IndiaDorchesterSturminster, Dorset
Story: Montague George Teck Durston was born in 1893 in Stalbridge, Dorset, and baptised there on 6th August, 1893. He was the son of Henry (Harry) Meredith Durston, one time station master at Sturminster, Dorset, and Elizabeth Annie Durston (nee Tite). The spelling of the surname varies between "Derston" and "Durston" in official documents. At the time of the 1911 Census he was single, working as a bank clerk and living at 8 Ashley Avenue, Weston Bath, Bath, Somerset. He enlisted in Dorchester as a Private in the 1st/4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 2382). He gave 15 Salisbury Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset, as his residence on enlistment. He served in India (during which time he joined the Freemasons in Dagshai, India, on 2 Jun 1915) and was then posted on to Mesopotamia where he died of dysentry on 23rd May 1916 and was buried in the Basra War Cemetery, Basra, Iraq (grave id. IV.R.2). He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals. He is remembered on the Park Walk War Memorial and on the Holy Trinity Memorial, now in St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury. His brother was in receipt of his effects and was also his executor of his will. He was also remembered in an article in the Weston Gazette published on 17th June 1916.








