Stories Archive - Page 113 of 162 - Shaftesbury Remembers the Great War

Austin Henry Young

29th October 2019/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, Royal Army Service Corps, Somerset Light Infantry /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Young

Other names: Austin Henry

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
France & Flanders
Sturminster, Dorset
India

Story:
Austin Henry Young was born on 3rd June 1885 in Shaftesbury, Dorset, the son of Henry Young and Martha Young (née Critchell). The family lived continuously at 26 Salisbury Street, Shaftesbury. Austin's younger brother Philip James (b.1889) was killed on 28th October 1918 while serving with the Devonshire Regiment in France. Austin enlisted on 7th September 1914 and joined the 4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Territorial Force) as a Private (Service No. 2544). He served in India until he was discharged on 27th April 1915. Austin re-enlisted on 11th December 1915 and was allotted to the Somerset Light Infantry as a Private (Service No. 22184). His mother regrettably died in 1915. However he was not embodied until 29th February 1916 when he was instructed to join the 7th Battalion of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (Service No. 27558). He served with them in France form 14 Jan 1917 and whilst on duty received a severe injury to his foot on 23rd April 1917. He was eventually transferred to the Royal Army Service Corps on 10th July 1918 and joined the General Headquarters Mechanical Transport Company (Service No. T/419350). He was demobilized on 23rd August 1920 and was awarded the Victory and British War medals. On the day of his discharge he applied for the position of Gardener's Labourer at a War Graves Commission site in France but there is no indication that he was successful. The 1921 Census show him living at 26 Salisbury Street with his widowed father described as a House Painter (out of work) and by the 1939 Register he was still living in Salisbury Street, Shaftesbury, now described as Incapacitated. His death was recorded at the Sturminster, Dorset, District Registry in 1955 and he was buried in the Town Cemetery, Shaftesbury, on 24 Feb 1955.

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Philip James Young
The National Archives

Reginald Harry White

28th October 2019/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: White

Other names: Reginald Harry

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
France & Flanders
Charlton, Ludwell, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire
Mere, Wiltshire
St. James Street, Shaftesbury

Story:
Reginald Harry White was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 28th June 1897, the son of Charles Henry White and Thirza White (née Mayo). He spent his early years with the family at 68 St. James Street, Shaftesbury. His father died in 1911. Reginald enlisted on 13th November 1915 and joined the 5th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 15792). He served in France from 24 Feb 1916 variously with the 3rd, 7th and 6th Battalions and in October 1917 received severe Gas Burns following which he was transferred back to the UK for treatment. It is also noted he also frequently suffered from Trench Foot. He returned to France on 16th July 1918 but was eventually discharged on 1st March 1919. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals.

His brother Frank (b.1885) died on 4th October 1917 while serving with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in Flanders. The 1921 Census shows Reginald living with his widowed mother at 53 St. James Street, Shaftesbury, working as a Painter. Reginald married Emma Elizabeth Stone in the Tisbury, Wiltshire, Registration area in 1924 and they went on to have one son. By the 1939 Register he is shown living at 5 Council Houses, Ludwell, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire, now described as a Builder's Painter. He died in the Mere, Wiltshire, Registration District in 1970 and buried at Charlton, Ludwell, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire.

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Frank White

John White

28th October 2019/in 1914-1918 Royal Engineers /by Chris Stupples

Surname: White

Other names: John

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
France & Flanders
Stendal, Germany
Sturminster Newton, Dorset
St. James Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Layton Lane, St. James, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Bavilliers, Northern France.

Story:
John White, sometimes known as Jack, was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 23rd January 1890, the son of William White and Lydia White (née Hillier). The family lived at 8 St. James Street, Shaftesbury, for many years. His mother, Lydia, died in 1915 and shortly after Jack, who had worked as a Carpenter and Joiner, enlisted on 14th November 1915 and joined the Royal Engineers as a Sapper (Service No. 143211). He served in France and Flanders from 15 Jun 1916 with the 281st Army Transport Company and was reported missing on 30th March 1918 at Bavilliers, Northern France, with a subsequent report on 1st April 1918 that he had become a Prisoner of War, eventually ending up at a camp and Military Hospital in Stendal, Germany. Following his repatriation on 2 Dec 1918 he was attached to the 'G' Depot Company RE and was diagnosed with rheumatism caused by conditions in the POW Camp and finally discharged on 16th April 1919. He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals. He went back to live at 8 St. James Street, as confirmed in the 1921 Census, living with his widower father and working as a Carpenter. He married Minnie Elizabeth Davis in Shaftesbury during 1930 and set up home at 20 Gold Hill, Shaftesbury. By the 1939 Register he was living at Winterton, Layton Lane, Shaftesbury, still working as a Carpenter. His death at the early age of 50 years was registered at Sturminster, Dorset, in 1940 and he was buried in the Shaftesbury Town Cemetery on 24 Jul 1940.

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Arthur Thomas White

Harold Cecil Weldon

28th October 2019/in 1914-1918 Coldstream Guards, Royal Garrison Artillery /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Weldon

Other names: Harold Cecil

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
France & Flanders
Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury
Bimport, Shaftesbury
Alcester House, Shaftesbury

Story:
Harold Cecil Weldon was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 9th February 1884 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 9th March 1884, the son of William Weldon and Frances Mary Weldon (née Cass). The family lived in and around the Bimport area for many years. Harold enlisted on 11th December 1915 and joined the Coldstream Guards as a Private (Service No. 20489). He was transferred at a later date to the Royal Garrison Artillery (Service No. 225765). He served in France and was eventually discharged as being physically unfit for further duty on 3rd June 1919 and received the Silver War Badge No. B222466 plus he was awarded a short-term pension due to his disability. He was also awarded the Victory and British War medals. The 1921 Census shows him working as a Fish Dealer and living in Brickhill (now Church Hill), Enmore Green, Shaftesbury. By the 1939 Register he was shown as 'Cecil' Weldon and residing in Alcester House, Shaftesbury and described as a General Labourer. He remained single according to the Register. He died in Shaftesbury in 1948 and was buried in St. James Churchyard on 6th September 1948.

Harold Cecil's brother Frederick (b.1877) also served in the war, with the Royal Army Medical Corps and the Royal Army Service Corps.

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Frederick Weldon
The National Archives

Frederick Weldon

28th October 2019/in 1914-1918 Royal Army Medical Corps, Royal Army Service Corps /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Weldon

Other names: Frederick

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Kempton Park, Surrey
Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury
Bimport, Shaftesbury
Magdalen Lane, Shaftesbury
St. James Street, Shaftesbury
Salisbury, Wiltshire

Story:
Frederick Weldon was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 14th February 1877 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 4th March 1877, the son of William Weldon and Frances Mary Weldon (née Cass). The family lived in and around the Bimport area of Shaftesbury for many years. Frederick, who was working as a Dealer, enlisted on 3rd March 1916 but was not embodied until 18th June 1917 when he joined the Royal Army Medical Corps as a Private (Service No. 120913) and was posted to the 6th Company. On 8th January 1918 he was transferred to the Western Command Labour Company, then part of the Army Service Corps (Service No. 506097). He was again transferred to the Royal Army Service Corps (Motor Transport Division) on 20 Feb 1918 (Service No. M/376837). His final transfer was to the VR Depot at Kempton Park (Horse Transport Company) (Service No. T/406598). Throughout his service he was posted within the UK only. His only medical problem appeared to be a case of vertigo which was reported on 16th August 1918. He was discharged on 4th March 1919 and went to live at 13 Magdalen Lane (or No. 3 per the 1921 Census), Shaftesbury, working as a Fish Hawker. There are no medal records in this case. By the 1939 Register he is shown living at 17 St. James Street, Shaftesbury, employed as a General Labourer. He remained single all of his life and died in the Salisbury, Wiltshire, Registration District in 1951.

Frederick's brother, Harold Cecil Weldon (b.1884) also served in the war, with the Coldstream Guards and the Royal Garrison Artillery.

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Harold Cecil Weldon

Cecil George Pickford Wareham

27th October 2019/in 1914-1918 Royal Army Service Corps, Training Battalion /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Wareham

Other names: Cecil George Pickford

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Salonica, Greece
Hambledon, Surrey
Church Lane, Shaftesbury
Victoria Street, Shaftesbury
High Street, Shaftesbury
Chard, Somerset

Story:
Cecil George Pickford Wareham was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 31st December 1892 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 5th February 1893, the son of George Wareham and Anna Wareham (née Pickford). The family home throughout Cecil's early life was 8 Church Lane, Shaftesbury. He enlisted on 16th August 1915 with the 3rd/1st Wessex Divisional Training Battalion as a Reserve Private (Service No. T1889). He was embodied on the 15th April 1916 with the Army Service Corps as a Driver (Service No. T4/185635). He was posted to Salonica, Greece, on 9 Aug 1916 and whilst there he had an accident in March 1918 resulting in the loss of his right middle finger. He was discharged on 8th July 1919 with an eventual gratuity in lieu of pension for his disability in addition he was also awarded the Victory and British War Medals.

The 1921 Census shows him boarding in East Street, Chard, Somerset, where he was working as a Grocery Assistant. He married Gertrude Amy Pocock at Hambledon, Surrey, in 1932 and there is evidence of at least two children. By the 1939 Register he was living at 'Quinton', Victoria Street, Shaftesbury, and described as a Wool and Draper Shopkeeper. The Kelly's Directory for that year lists his business as a "wool shop" at 37a High Street. He died in Shaftesbury on 15th April 1975.

Cecil's brother John Thomas (b.1886) also served in the war, with the Dorsetshire Regiment.

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The National Archives
John Thomas Wareham

Albert James Tuffin

27th October 2019/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Tuffin

Other names: Albert James

Locations in this story:
Fontmell Magna, Shaftesbury, Dorset
South Africa
India
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury
St. James, Shaftesbury

Story:
Albert James Tuffin was born in Fontmell Magna, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 13th September 1872 and baptised there on 19th October 1872, the son of Albert Philip Tuffin and Susannah Tuffin (née Still). He spent his early years in Fontmell Magna. He had enlisted in 1890 with the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 3084). He served in South Africa and India and was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal (5 Clasps), the King's South Africa Medal (2 Clasps) and the India Medal (2 Clasps). His discharge date from this period of service is currently not known. He married Bertha Mary Lawrence in Fontmell Magna on 23 Nov 1898. They went on to have four children before Bertha died in 1910. He had re-enlisted with the 4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Territorial on 2nd April 1908 attending annual training camps but employed in civilian life as a Postman. He was embodied on 4th August 1914 and served in the UK only (Service No. 5632). He married Florence Mabel King at Holy Trinity, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 19th November 1914. There was one child of the marriage. Albert was finally discharged on 31st March 1916 having completed the terms of his engagement. There is no record of any further medals being awarded. The 1921 Census and the 1939 Register show him living at 22 St. James Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset, and, by 1939, was described as a retired postman. He died in Shaftesbury on 7th October 1947 and was buried at St. James Church on 11 Oct 1947.

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Sidney Wilfred Tucker

27th October 2019/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Tucker

Other names: Sidney Wilfred

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
India
Oxley Wood Road, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire
St. James, Shaftesbury
Layton Lane, St. James, Shaftesbury

Story:
Sidney Wilfred Tucker was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 12th February 1894 and baptised at St. James' Church on 11th March 1894, the son of Gideon Tucker and Mary Elizabeth Tucker (née Foot). He lived with his parents at 25 St. James Street, Shaftesbury, throughout his early life and trained as a Tailor. He had enlisted with the 2/4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment on 28th February 1911 as a Territorial (Reserve) Soldier (Service No. 1363) and attended annual training camps. He was embodied on 4th August 1914 and joined his regiment in India. On 23rd May 1916 he was discharged having completed the term of his engagement. He then went back to 25 St. James Street, Shaftesbury. On 1st August 1916 he re-enlisted with the 4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 4562). He was again posted to India, being transferred to the 29th Reserve Battalion as a Corporal (Service No. 202490). He was eventually discharged on 3rd January 1920 and went to live at 6 Layton Lane, Shaftesbury, where he was recorded in th e 1921 Census living with his parents and working as a Tailor for Messrs Pryce & Barribal, Sporting Tailors of Shaftesbury. He had been awarded the British War Medal. He later applied for the Territorial Force War Medal in 1926 but the result of this application is not known. He married Florence Amelia Thompson in Shaftesbury in 1930 and they appear to have had one child. By the 1939 Register he had moved to 178 Oxley Wood Road, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, where he is described as a Tailor (Journeyman). He died in Wolverhampton in 1977. Three of Sidney's brothers served in the war: Victor Douglas (b.1888) with the Machine Gun Corps, George Farley Tucker, who was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal while serving with the Somerset Light Infantry and Howard (b. 1886) with the Army Service Corps.

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George Farley Tucker
Victor Douglas Tucker

Albert James Tucker

27th October 2019/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Tucker

Other names: Albert James

Locations in this story:
Stour Row, Shaftesbury, Dorset
France & Flanders
Salisbury, Wiltshire
High Duncliffe Farm, Stour Row
Stour Provost, Dorset
Ireland

Story:
Albert James Tucker was born at Stour Row, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 1st March 1897 and baptised at Stour Provost, Dorset, on 20th June 1897, the son of Sidney William Tucker and Rosanna Tucker (née Davidge). He lived most of his life around the Stour Row area and for a number of early years at Higher Duncliffe Farm, Stour Row. He enlisted on 11th February 1916 but was not mobilized until 24th May 1918 as a Private in the 3rd Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 40983). He served in France and Flanders and whilst there received both shell and gunshot wounds. The latter occurred on 12th October 1918 and it was followed by repatriation to the UK on 14th October 1918 for treatment and recovery. He also served for period in Ireland until he was discharged on 11th October 1919 and was awarded the Victory and British War medals. The 1921 Census and the 1939 Register show him living at The Stores, Stour Row, Shaftesbury, Dorset, and described as a shopkeeper. He remained single all his life and eventually died in 1966 in the Salisbury, Wiltshire, Registration District.

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Walter Edwin Stainer

22nd October 2019/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment, Labour Corps /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Stainer

Other names: Walter Edwin

Locations in this story:
Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Jesty's Avenue, Broadwey, Melcombe Regis, Dorset
Weymouth, Dorset
Ireland
Dorchester, Dorset

Story:
Walter Edwin Stainer was born in Cann, Shaftesbury, on 15th January 1879, the son of Edwin Stainer and Martha Stainer (née Foot). He lived his early childhhood in Cann, Shaftesbury, until the family had, by 1891, moved away from Shaftesbury. Walter married Laura Clare on 31st March 1902 at St.Mary's Church, Melcombe Regis, Dorset, and they went on to have two children. He enlisted on 3rd September 1914 and joined the 4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 2407). He was later transferred to the 4th (Reserve) Battalion (Service No. 200743) and again, on 30th June 1917, to the 512th Home Service Company and the 628th Company of the Labour Corps (Service No. 285747). He served with the latter unit in Enniskillen and Londonderry, Ireland. He was discharged on 29th March 1919. No medal records can be found under any of the above Service Nos. The 1921 Census shows him living at 5 Louise Road, Dorchester, Dorset, working as a House Decorator. By the 1939 Register he had moved to 3 Jesty's Avenue, Broadwey, Melcombe Regis, Dorset, still working as a House Decorator. He died in Broadway on 21 Jan 1951.

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The National Archives