Stories Archive - Page 119 of 162 - Shaftesbury Remembers the Great War

Frank Gray

Surname: Gray

Other names: Frank

Locations in this story:
Brickhill, Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Jutland
Shaftesbury, Dorset
St. James' Church, Shaftesbury
St. James, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Blaenau, Gwent, Wales

Story:
Frank Gray was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 4th September 1895 and baptised at St. James' Church on 29th September 1895, the son of John Thomas Gray and Linda Louisa Gray (nee Jenkins). The family lived at Brickhill, Enmore Green, Shaftesbury (now called Church Hill). Frank enlisted in the Royal Navy on 4th September 1913 to serve for a period of 12 years (Service No. J17472). He served on a number of ships but memorably on HMS Colussus at the Battle of Jutland. The battleship was the only ship of the Dreadnought Class to be damaged in the battle but nevertheless managed to remain on station throughout. Frank had by then become a leading seaman. He married Fanny Orlinda Ellen Pike on 21st December 1918 in Shaftesbury and they went on to have two children. Frank continued in the Navy until his first discharge on 18th May 1927. He had been awarded the Victory and British War medals, the 1914/15 Star and the RN Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. Frank had immediately signed on for a further period of service and went on into WW2 until his final discharge on pension on 22 Aug 1945. At the time of the 1939 Register his wife had been living with her parents at 67 St, James, Shaftesbury, Dorset. Frank's death was recorded at the Blaenau, Gwent, Wales, Registry in Apr 1975. His brothers, Sidney Charles Gray and Harry Gray, both served in the Army but regrettably both lost their lives in the conflict.

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William Charles George Ginn

Surname: Ginn

Other names: William Charles George

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Sea Road, Pokesdown, Hampshire
Christchurch, Hampshire
Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury
Livingstone Road, Pokesdown, Hampshire
Bournemouith, Hampshire

Story:
William Charles George Ginn was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 9th October 1884 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 4th December 1884, the son of William Ginn and Jane Ginn (née Stroud). William Charles lived with his family in Shaftesbury until 1891 when they moved from the area. William married Emma Yandell on 21st September 1910 at Christchurch, Hampshire, and they had at least one child. They lived by then at 53 Sea Road, Pokesdown, Hampshire, where William was working as a milkman.

He enlisted on 8th December 1915 and was placed on reserve with the Worcestershire Regiment (Service No. 30350). He was mobilized on 2nd June 1916 when he joined the 17th Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 381018). He was again transferred to the Army Service Corps on 28th December 1918 as a Driver (Service No. T/446804). He was demobilized on 27th September 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War medals. Both the 1921 Census and 1939 Register show he was living at 13 Livingstone Road, Pokesdown, Hampshire, latterly working in a Royal Navy Cordite Factory. He died on the 1st November 1959 in Christchurch Hospital.

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Walter Matthews Gibbs

24th September 2019/in 1914-1918 Dorset Yeomanry /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Gibbs

Other names: Walter Matthews

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Gallipoli, Turkey
Egypt
Wootton Fitzpaine, Dorset
Bath, Somerset
Blynfield Farm, Shaftesbury
St. James' Church, Shaftesbury
Tisbury, Wiltshire
East Orchard, Shaftesbury, Dorset

Story:
Walter Matthews Gibbs was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset in 1884 and baptised at St. James' Church on 17th August 1884. He was the son of Edwin George Gibbs and Mary Gibbs (née Matthews). His siblings. Alwin Thomas Gibbs (b.1888) served in the 16th Lancers, Claude Ivor Bertie Gibbs (b.1897) served with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and Lucius George Gibbs (b. 1882) served with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment from the time of being awarded a commission in 1915. Walter's sister, Ada Prudence Gibbs, served as a nurse with the Red Cross VAD at Tisbury, Wiltshire. The family home was at Blynfield Farm, Shaftesbury, where Walter's father was the Farmer. Walter had enlisted with the Dorsetshire Yeomanry (Reserve Militia) on 7th February 1902 and attended annual training regularly, achieving the rank of Sergeant (Service No. 691). He was eventually embodied on 5th August 1914, joining the 1st Battalion (Service No. 231) and serving at Gallipoli and in Egypt from 7th April 1915 until 29th April 1916. It was announced in the London Gazette on 3rd June 1916 that he had been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) after he had already been discharged, having completed his term of service, on 8th May 1916. At a very later date a certificate was issued on 7th May 1921 to the effect that he had also been Mentioned in Despatches. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1914/1915 Star. He married Mildred Mary Dare at Wootton Fitzpaine, Dorset, on 18th November 1919. They went on to have three children. The 1921 Census shows he was living at Swainscombe Farm, East Orchard, Shaftesbury, Dorset, working as a Farmer. Walter regrettably died at the Royal United Hospital, Bath, Somerset, on 30 May 1931 aged only 46 years.

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Alwin Thomas Gibbs
Claude Ivor Bertie Gibbs
Lucius George Gibbs

Walter Stewart Genge

24th September 2019/in 1914-1918 Dorset Yeomanry, Hussars, Machine Gun Corps /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Genge

Other names: Walter Stewart

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Hawkesdene Lane, Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Waverley Road, Bournemouth, Hampshire
France
Broadstone, Dorset
Branksome, Poole, Dorset

Story:
Walter Stewart Genge was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 1st September 1889, the son of Walter Genge and Mary Genge (née Antell). He lived his early life with the family in Hawkesdene Lane, Cann, Shaftesbury. He had had previous military service with the Dorset Yeomanry which was time expired. He re-enlisted on 2nd September 1914 and joined the 9th Battalion of The Hussars Reserve Cavalry later joining the 3rd Battalion as a Private (Service No. 18335). On the 28th February 1916 he was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry) and served with the 4th Squadron M.G. (Service No 41749). He served in France from 25 May 1915 and was eventually demobilized on 10th March 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War medals plus the 1915 Star. He married Elsie Sims on 11th October 1926 at Broadstone, Dorset. It is not known if there were any children of the marriage. By 1928 the family were living at 152 Holdenhurst Road, Branksome, Poole, Dorset but by the 1939 Register Walter and Elsie had moved to 21 Waverley Road, Bournemouth, Hampshire where he was working for the Bournemouth Corporation in the Entertainments Department. He died in Bournemouth in 1969.

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Thomas William Gatehouse

24th September 2019/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment, Somerset Light Infantry /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Gatehouse

Other names: Thomas William

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset
France
Zeals, Wiltshire
Walnut Farm, Sandfords, Somerset
Weston Super Mare, Somerset
Winscombe, Axbridge, Somerset

Story:
Thomas William Gatehouse was born on 30th April 1880 in Shaftesbury, Dorset, and baptised at Cann Parish Church on 12th June 1881, the son of James Howe Gatehouse and Mary Gatehouse (née Farmer). He spent his childhood with his family at Ivy Cross, Shaftesbury. He married Evangeline Mary Read at St. Martin's Church, Zeals, Wiltshire, on 5th March 1912. They went on to have five children. Thomas had had 12 years previous service with the Dorsetshire Regiment and had served in Malta, India and South Africa and was the holder of the Queen's South African Medal with Clasps and had been discharged to the reserves. He was embodied on 26th November 1914 and joined the Somerset Light Infantry as a Private (Service No. 12547). He served in France from 31 Dec 1916 and later received a serious gun shot wound to the head and lesser ones to the right hand. He was eventually discharged on 17th March 1919 and was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as a Life pension. The 1921 Census shows he was living at Slow Pit Cottages, Winscombe, Axbridge, Somerst, working as a Quarryman. By the time of the 1939 Register he had moved to Walnut Farm, Sandfords, Somerset, still working as a quarryman. He died in the Weston Super Mare Registration area in 1965. His brothers, Ernest Edward, Sidney Herbert, Percy George and Charles Howe, also served in the conflict and survived whilst his nephew, Victor Stokes, was killed during the war in an accident. His remaining brother, Walter John, was purported to have served in the war but no reliable military record can be found.

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Rivers Harrison Francis

24th September 2019/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Francis

Other names: Rivers Harrison

Locations in this story:
Motcombe, Dorset
Andover, Hampshire
Fernhill Road, New Milton, Nr. Lymington, Hampshire
Southampton
Burley, Hampshire

Story:
Rivers Harrison Francis was born on 31st March 1883 in Motcombe, Dorset, the son of Edwin Francis and Harriet Fanny Francis (née Lambert). He lived with his parents in The Street, Motcombe, during his childhood until moving to Andover, Hampshire, where he met and married Edith Lydia E. Rawlins on 19th December 1907. They went on to have three children. Rivers had previous military reserve service with the Dorsetshire Regiment and, when embodied, joined the 30th Distribution Battalion Training Reserves with his previous rank of Sergeant (Service No. TR/8/27351). He was transferred to the 1st Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment on 6th July 1918 (Service No. 45974). He is known to have served for a time in Ireland. He was discharged on 29th November 1919. Medal records cannot be found. The 1921 Census shows he was living at @brightwell', Bestone Road, Burley, Hampshire, working as a Carpenter for the Forestry Commission. By the 1939 Register he had moved to 'Danebury', Fernhill Road, New Milton, Nr. Lymington, Hampshire. He died on 3rd March 1969 in the Southampton Registry area.

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Stanley Charles Foote

24th September 2019/in 1914-1918 Royal Engineers /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Foote

Other names: Stanley Charles

Locations in this story:
St. James, Shaftesbury, Dorset
France
Newark, Nottinghamshire
Hampstead, London
Paddington, London

Story:
Stanley Charles Foote was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, in 1893 but not baptised until 14th March 1895 at St. James Church, the son of Absolem and Matilda Foote. By 1911 the family were living at 42 St. James, Shaftesbury, Dorset. Stanley enlisted on 8th September 1914 and joined the Royal Engineers eventually rising to the rank of 2/Corporal (Service No. 48668). Whilst serving in France from 27 Jul 1915 with the 2nd Company of the 24th Battalion he received serious gun shot wounds to the left thigh and was in the Field Hospital on 2nd July 1916. He was transferred to the 20th General Hospital, Newark, Nottinghamshire, on 9th July 1916. He eventually returned to his unit on 5th September 1916. He was reported in dispatches on the 1st July 1916 for gallantry and good conduct in the field plus devotion to duty. Regrettably nothing appeared to come out of this and even on his medal roll there is a query "why no award?". On his return to England he was employed as a Printing Office Clerk until his demobilization on 1st March 1919. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals and the 1915 Star. The 1921 Census shows he was living at 116 Fernhead Road, Paddington, London, working as a Printer and Compositor. He married Ethel Walsh on 9th June 1923 in Hampstead, London, and they went on to have two children. Regrettably Stanley died in 1928 aged only 34 years and was buried in Hendon Cemetery on 3 Oct 1928.

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Frank Francis

24th September 2019/in 1914-1918 Labour Corps, Rifle Brigade, Royal Surrey Regiment, Royal Warwickshire Regiment /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Francis

Other names: Frank

Locations in this story:
East Orchard, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Hailsham, Sussex
France
Sackville Gardens, East Grinstead, Sussex

Story:
Frank Francis was born at East Orchard, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 21st September 1888, the son of Frederick Francis and Elizabeth Jane Francis (née Moore). He spent all of his early life in and around East Orchard. He married Ada Chorley at East Orchard on 13th April 1914 and they went on to have two children. Frank enlisted on 11th December 1915 but was not embodied until 29th May 1916 when he joined the Royal Warwickshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 5805). He was transferred to the 25th (Reserve) Battalion of the Rifle Brigade (Service No. 2134) on 26th August 1916 and again to the Royal Surrey Regiment on 5th March 1917 and, finally, to the 443rd Agricultural (134th Labour Company) of the Labour Corps (Service No. 79957). He had served in France from 26 Aug 1916 and was demobilized on 22nd February 1919. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals. By the 1939 Register he and his family had moved to 24 Sackville Gardens, East Grinstead, Sussex, where he worked as a Corn Merchant's Labourer. He died in the Hailsham, Sussex, Registry area in 1963 and was eventually buried at East Orchard, Dorset, on 8 Jan 1963 .

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Douglas Harold Brine

11th September 2019/in 1914-1918 Royal Navy /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Brine

Other names: Douglas Harold

Locations in this story:
Sherborne Causeway, Motcombe, Dorset
Hillview, East Stour, Dorset
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Salisbury, Wiltshire

Story:
Douglas Harold Brine was born at Sherborne Causeway, Motcombe, Dorset, on 13th December 1895. He was the son of John Brine and Louisa Brine (née Prior) and brother of Albert (b.1887) and Frank (b.1889), both of whom died in the Great War and Percival who served and survived. He lived most of his childhood with his family at Sherborne Causeway.

He enlisted in the Royal Navy on 21st August 1913 (Service No. K19991). During his time he served on a number of ships, the last one being HMS Centurion - a King George V-class Dreadnought battleship - as a Stoker (1st Class). He was discharged on 18th April 1922 following completion of his engagement. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1914/15 Star. He married Katherine Sarah Francis in 1931 in the Shaftesbury, Dorset, Registration District. They went on to have four children. By the time of the 1939 Register he and his family were living at Hillview, East Stour, Dorset, and he was working as a Roadman for the Dorset County Council. He died on 24th November 1940 in Salisbury General Hospital, Wiltshire.

Douglas' cousin Reginald Brine also served in the Royal Navy but sadly died on board HMS Lion in 1918.

Source:
Photograph of the Brine family home on Sherborne Causeway provided by Nigel Garrett.

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Albert Brine
Frank Brine
Reginald Henry Brine
Percival Brine

William Henry Fletcher

11th September 2019/in 1914-1918 Devonshire Regiment, Machine Gun Corps, Somerset Light Infantry /by Chris Stupples

Surname: Fletcher

Other names: William Henry

Locations in this story:
Higher Coombe, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire
France
Egypt
Salonika, Greece
Willinghdon Road, Wood Green, Middlesex
Haringey, Greater London
Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset

Story:
William Henry Fletcher was born at Higher Coombe, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire, on 30th October 1894 and baptised at Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 6th January 1895. He was the son of William Fletcher and Charlotte Ann Fletcher (née Watts) and brother of Sidney Frank (b.1892) who was killed during the Great War. During his childhood William lived with his family at Higher Coombe. He enlisted on 10th September 1914 with the Somerset Light Infantry (Service No. 14253) but was immediately placed on reserve. He rejoined on 22nd September 1914 and was transferred to the 10th (Service) Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment on 30th September 1914 (Service No. 13507). He embarked for France on 22nd September 1915 and on 31st October 1915 re-embarked for Egypt. He then served in Salonika during which time he transferred to the Machine Gun Corps on 14th August 1917 (Service No. 74545) and was attached to the 79th Company (Tank Corps). He suffered during his time in the Near East with malaria and had various spells in hospital. Nevertheless on the 22nd December 1918 he was promoted to Sergeant. He embarked for England on 11th April 1919 and was eventually demobilized on 25th May 1919. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals as well as the 1914/15 Star. By the 1939 Register he is shown living at 157 Willingdon Road, Wood Green, Middlesex, working as a hotel valet. He remained single and died in the Haringey, Greater London, Registry District in 1981. Two other brothers, Percy Edwin John Fletcher and Victor Reginald Fletcher, also served and survived.

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Sidney Frank Fletcher