Stories Archive - Page 155 of 162 - Shaftesbury Remembers the Great War

Alfred Parsons

Surname: Parsons

Other names: Alfred

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury
Long Cross, Enmore Green
St. James' Church, Shaftesbury
St. James Street, Shaftesbury
Dorchester
Portland, Dorset
Kempston, Bedfordshire

Story:
Alfred Parsons was born on 29 Aug 1873 in Shaftesbury, Dorset, and baptised at St. James Church, Shaftesbury, on 19th October, 1873. He was the son of George Pmarsons, a railway carman, and Emily Parsons (née Wright). His siblings included Charles, born in 1882, and Sidney George, born in 1890, both of whom died in the war. The family lived at Long Cross, Enmore Green, Shaftesbury. On 26th March, 1894 he married Emily Kate Gray. They had five children: three sons and two daughters. At the time of the 1911 Census, he was working as a coal carter and living at 78 St. James Street, Shaftesbury. He enlisted in Dorchester on 24th August, 1914, as a Private in the 2nd Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 3/7475) he later transferred to the 1st HS Garrison Battalion of the Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Royal Berkshire) Regiment (Service No. 34574). He served on home duties in view of his age at Portland, Dorset. On 5th April, 1917 he had a heart attack whilst on guard duty and went through a process of assessment for future military duty. He was assessed as unfit for further duty on 25th April, 1917 and eventually discharged on 22nd June 1917. He was awarded the Victory and British War medals. (No record of the Silver War Badge was found). He regrettably died in early September 1917, and was buried in St. James' Churchyard on 14 Sep 1917, but this is not recorded as a war grave by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. He is remembered on the Park Walk and St. James’ War Memorials and on the Roll of Honour in St. James’ Church, Shaftesbury. His widow was awarded initially a pension of 27s. 6d. (£1.37p.) per week and, by 1920, was living in Kempston, Bedfordshire, and died there in 1940. His widow was awarded a pension initially of 27s. 6d (£1.37p.) per week.

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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Charles Parsons
Sidney George Parsons

Charles Parsons

Surname: Parsons

Other names: Charles

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury
France & Flanders
Arras Memorial, Arras, Pas de Calais, France
Long Cross, Enmore Green, Shaftesbury
St. James' Church, Shaftesbury
St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury
Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury

Story:
Charles Parsons was born in 1882 in Shaftesbury, Dorset, and baptised at St. James Church, Shaftesbury, on 4th June 1882. He was the son of George Parsons, a railway carman, and Emily Parsons (nee Wright). His siblings included Alfred, born in 1873, and Sidney George, born in 1890, both of whom died in the war. His parents lived at Long Cross, Enmore Green, Shaftesbury in 1911. He enlisted as a Private with the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 16888) but later transferred to the 1st Battalion of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (New Service No. 31773). He served in France and Flanders where he was killed in action on 23rd April, 1917 and he has no known grave. He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals. His name appears on the Arras Memorial, Arras, Pas de Calais, France (Bay 6). He is remembered on the Park Walk and St. James’ War Memorials. He also appears 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 in receipt of a pension which covered both Charles and Sidney George.

Images:

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Alfred Parsons
Sidney George Parsons

Sidney George Parsons

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

Surname: Parsons

Other names: Sidney George

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury
France & Flanders
R. E. Farm Cemetery, Ypres, West Flanders, Belgium
Long Cross, Enmore Green, Shaftesbury
St. James' Church, Shaftesbury
Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury
St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury
Gillingham, Dorset

Story:
Sidney George Parsons was born in 1890 in Shaftesbury, Dorset, and baptised at St. James Church, Shaftesbury, on 7th December, 1890. He was the son of George Parsons, a railway carman, and Emily Parsons (née Wright). His siblings included Alfred, born in 1873, and Charles, born in 1882, both of whom died in the war. No record has been found of Sidney in the 1911 Census but the family lived at Long Cross, Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, at the time. He enlisted in Gillingham, Dorset, as a Private in the 1st Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 3/6588). He served in France and Flanders where he was killed in action in Belgium. He was killed in action on 3rd December 1914 and was buried at R. E. Farm Cemetery, Ypres, West Flanders, Belgium (grave id. III.C.6). He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1914 Star. He is remembered on the Park Walk and St. James’ War Memorials. His name also appears on the Roll of Honour inside St. James’ Church and on the Holy Trinity Memorial, now in St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury. His mother was granted a pension which covered both Sidney George and Charles Parsons.

Images:

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Charles Parsons
Alfred Parsons

Joseph Henry Powell

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

Surname: Powell

Other names: Joseph Henry

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Egypt
Gaza War Cemetery
High Street, Shaftesbury
St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury
Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury
London
Shaftesbury Grammar School, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Palmerston Road, Bournemouth
Chesterfield Gardens, Harringay, Tottenham, Middlesex

Story:
Joseph Henry Powell was born in 1879 in Shaftesbury and baptised at Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury on 9th September, 1879. He was the son of Francis Powell, a draper, and Rosa Powell (née Whitby) living at 28 High Street, Shaftesbury. He attended Shaftesbury Grammar School from April 1888 to August 1896. After leaving school he entered a firm of Chartered Accountants as a clerk and by 1901 boarded out at 30 Palmerston Road, Bournemouth. Both Joseph's parents died in 1909. By the 1911 Census he had moved to live with his brother, Ralph, at 75 Chesterfield Gardens, Harringay, Tottenham, Middlesex, still working as an Accountant's Clerk. Both of his parents had died in 1909 and were both buried in Holy Trinity Churchyard.

Joseph enlisted in Harringay in 1915 and joined the 11th (County of London) Battalion, Finsbury Rifles (Service No 4074). This Unit was renamed the London Regiment (Finsbury Rifles) and he was given a new Service Number 451613. He served in the Egyptian Theatre and was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal. He was killed in action at Gaza whilst with the 1st/11th Battalion of his Unit on 2nd November 1917. He was buried at Gaza War Cemetery (grave id. XIV.A.15). He was awarded the Victory, British War and 15 Star medals and is remembered on the Park Walk War Memorial and on the Holy Trinity Memorial, now in St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury. His name also appears on the Shaftesbury Grammar School memorial in Shaftesbury School. Joseph's brother Hugh Eric Powell served in the war and survived.

Frederick's name was included on a hand written list of Shaftesbury Grammar School old boys serving during the war. An asterix can be seen next to Joseph's name, indicating that he had died. The board is now at Gold Hill Museum.

Printed Sources:
Shaftesbury Grammar School Magazine, March 1918

Images:

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Shastonian

David Herbert (Bertram) Robins

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

Surname: Robins

Other names: David Herbert (Bertram))

Locations in this story:
Swallowcliffe, Wiltshire
Chocolate Hill, Near Suvla Bay, Gallipoli
Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey
Sunny Bank, Shillingstone
Dorchester
Hindon Road, East Tisbury, Wiltshire
Holy Rood Church, Shillingstone

Story:
David Herbert (Bertram) Robins was born in 1894 in Swallowcliffe, Wiltshire. He was the son of Rev. Samuel Robins, a Minister of the Gospel (Unitarian), and Eliza Frances Robins (nee Waters). At the time of the 1911 Census he was single, working as a grocer's assistant and living at Hindon Road, East Tisbury, Wiltshire, where his father was now described as a 'cycle repairer'. The family later moved to Sunny Bank, Shillingstone. He enlisted on 5th September, 1914 in Dorchester and joined the 5th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 10585) and at the time of his death held the rank of Lance Corporal. He served in Gallipoli and was awarded the Victory, British War and 15 Star medals. He was presumed killed in action on 21st August 1915 whilst with No. 8 Platoon on Chocolate Hill near Suvla Bay and his name appears on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey (Panel 137-140). He is remembered as "Bertram Robins" on the Park Walk War Memorial and on the Holy Trinity Memorial, now in St. Peter's Church,, Shaftesbury. At some time he worked for the firm of Stratton, Son & Mead in Shaftesbury and is remembered on their Roll of Honour as well as on the War Memorial in the churchyard of Holy Rood Church, Shillingstone. His father was in receipt of his effects whilst his mother received a pension of 5s. (25p.) per week.

Images:

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives

Harry Robins

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

Surname: Robins

Other names: Harry Vaughan

Locations in this story:
East Ham, Essex
France & Flanders
Etaples Military Cemetery, Etaples, Pas de Calais, France
Salisbury Street, Shaftesbury
St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury
Bournemouth
Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury
Shaftesbury Grammar School, Shaftesbury, Dorset

Story:
Harry Robins was born in 1894 in East Ham, Essex. He was the son of James Robins, a police constable, and Emma Jane Robins (née Cooke). He attended Shaftesbury Grammar School from September 1905 to April 1912. At the time of the 1911 Census he was single, a Scholar and living at 21 Salisbury Street, Shaftesbury. After leaving school he entered a wholesale drapery firm in Bournemouth. He enlisted in the 4th Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment (Service No. 28656) and at the time of his death held the rank of Lance Corporal. He served in France and Flanders and was awarded the Victory and British War medals. He died of wounds in a military hospital in France on 29th August 1917 and was buried at Etaples Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France (grave id. XXII.R.12A). He is remembered on the Park Walk War Memorial and on the Holy Trinity Memorial, now in St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury. Harry's mother had died in 1914 and was buried in the Holy Trinity Churchyard. Following Harry's death the following inscription was added to the kerb surrounding her grave: Also of our brother, Harry, who died from wounds in France, Aug: 29th.1917, aged 22. Later his father received his personal effects and was also granted a pension of 5s. (25p.) per week. As a former pupil his name was also included on the Shaftesbury Grammar School memorial, now in Shaftesbury School. During the war a hand written list was compiled of Shaftesbury Grammar School old boys serving in the armed forces. An asterix can be seen next to Harry's name, indicating that he had died. The board is now at Gold Hill Museum. Harry's brother, Stephen Robins, also served with the Royal Air Force and survived until his early death in 1937. Printed Sources: Shaftesbury Grammar School Magazine, November 1917

Images:

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Shastonian

Alfred Stainer

3rd February 2017/in 1914-1918 Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers /by Ann Symons

Surname: Stainer

Other names: Alfred

Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury
France & Flanders
Tyne Cot Memorial
St. James, Shaftesbury
St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury
Dorchester
Ypres
Bristol

Story:
Alfred Stainer was born in 1881 in Shaftesbury. He was the son of George Stainer, a mason, and Sarah Ann Stainer (nee Hanham). At the time of the 1911 Census he was single, working as a cabinet maker and living at 80 St. James, Shaftesbury though he shortly after married Dorothy Mary Dunn at St. Simon's Church, Bristol, on 5 Jun 1911. He enlisted in Dorchester as a Private in the 8th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (Service No. 41708). He served in France and Flanders and was awarded the Victory and British War medals (though the record shows the medals were returned and never claimed). He was presumed killed in action on 16th June 1916 and his name appears on the Tyne Cot Memorial (Panel 70 to 72). He is remembered on the Park Walk War Memorial and on the Holy Trinity Memorial, now in St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury. He is also remembered on a cross/kerb (B77) in St. James's Churchyard with the words "Gave his life that we might live. Died at Ypres". His widow, then living at 23 Albany Road, Sussex Place, Bristol, was granted a pension of 13s. 9d. (about 67p.) per week which was eventually paid to her in Australia where she had moved to. There were no children of the marriage.

Images:

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives

William John Stainer

3rd February 2017/in 1914-1918 Royal Engineers /by Ann Symons

Surname: Stainer

Other names: William John

Locations in this story:
Bimport, Shaftesbury, Dorset
France & Flanders
Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Popperinge, West Flanders, Belgium
Enmore Green, Shaftesbury
West Knoyle, Wiltshire
South Africa
Dorchester
St. James, Shaftesbury

Story:
William John Stainer was born in 1880 in Shaftesbury, Dorset, and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 28th November, 1880. He was the son of Thomas Stainer and Mary Ann Stainer (née Woolridge). He lived his early life with his parents at 22 Bimport, Shaftesbury. In 1903 he married Georgina Trew from West Knoyle, Wiltshire. His father, Thomas, died in 1905 and his mother, Mary Ann, in early 1911. At the time of the 1911 Census, William was working as a farm implement fitter and living in Enmore Green, Shaftesbury.

He enlisted in Dorchester as a Sapper in the Royal Engineers (Service No. O/2904). He had a brief spell with the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 20113) but reverted back to the Royal Engineers (Final Service No. 508484). He served in France and Flanders and was awarded the Victory and British War medals. He died of wounds on 2nd November 1917 whilst serving with the 502nd Field Company, Royal Engineers, and was buried at Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Popperinge, West Flanders, Belgium (grave id. XI.B.17). He is remembered on the Park Walk and St. James’ War Memorials. He also appears on the Roll of Honour inside St. James’ Church and on the Holy Trinity memorial, now in St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury. His wife remained a widow for the rest of her life living at 44 St. James, Shaftesbury per the 1939 Register.

(NB. This person is not to be confused with William John Stainer (1876 - 1917) also from Shaftesbury. Please see separate entry with details of his service in the Canadian Forces.)

Images:

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The National Archives

Frederick Matthew Taylor

3rd February 2017/in 1914-1918 Royal West Kent Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Taylor

Other names: Frederick Matthew

Locations in this story:
Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset
France & Flanders
Tyne Cot Memorial
Love Lane, Shaftesbury
Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury
St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury
French Mill Lane, Shaftesbury

Story:
Frederick Matthew Taylor was born in 1898 in Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset. He was the son of Henry Taylor, a labourer, and Emily Sarah Taylor (née Frost). At the time of the 1911 Census he was still at School and living at 1 French Mill Lane, Shaftesbury. He enlisted on 23rd May, 1916, and joined the 7th Battalion of the Queen's Own (Royal West Kent) Regiment as a Private (Service Nos. 5804 & 242253). He served in France and Flanders and was awarded the Victory and British War Medals. He was presumed killed in action on 12th October 1917 and his name appears on the Tyne Cot Memorial (Panel 106 to 108). His service record in 1916 shows that he was single and that his home address had become 4 Love Lane, Shaftesbury. He is remembered on the Park Walk War Memorial and on the Holy Trinity Memorial, now in St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury. His father was eventually in receipt of his monies due and his mother apparently received a pension.

Images:

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Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives

Walter Charles Thorne

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

Surname: Thorne

Other names: Walter Charles

Locations in this story:
Midsomer Norton, Somerset
Suvla Bay, Gallipoli
Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey
Layton Lane, Shaftesbury,
St. James' Church, Shaftesbury
St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury
Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury

Story:
Walter Charles Thorne was born in 1895 in Midsomer Norton, Somerset, and baptised there on 8th December, 1895. He was the son of Charles Stephen Thorne, a grocer's carter, and Agnes Charlotte Thorne (nee Stevens). (NB Up until the 1911 Census the family name was spelt 'Thorn' the 'e' was added for all purposes thereafter.) At the time of the 1911 Census he was single, working as a Caker's Lad and living at Layton Lane, Shaftesbury. He enlisted in the 5th Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment (Service No. 1035) and at the time of his death he held the rank of Lance Corporal. He served at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli and was awarded the Victory, British War and 1915 Star medals. He was presumed killed in action on 16th August 1915 and his name appears on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey (Panel 55). He is remembered on the Park Walk and St. James’ War Memorials. He also appears on the Roll of Honour inside St. James’ Church and on the Holy Trinity Memorial, now in St. Peter's Church, Shaftesbury. His name also appears on the Irish Roll of Honour. His father received a pension and his financial effects in due course. Walter's brothers Wilfred Henry Thorne and Cecil Bernard Longman Thorne, also served in the war and survived the conflict.

Images:

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The National Archives
Wilfred Henry Thorne