Story:
Percy George Chown was born in Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset, during 1891 the son of Samuel Chown and Mary Ann (Annie) Chown (nee Rogers).  He lived most of his early life in Cann Common, Cann, and had enlisted on 2 Jan 1909 joining the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 8658) and by 1911 was based at Alma Barracks, Blackdown, Farnborough, Hampshire, with the 2nd Battalion.  He served in the Asiatic Theatre of War from 6 Nov 1914 and at some time was attached to the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment (Service No. 20101).  He was discharged as being medically unfit for further duty on 18 Dec 1916 and awarded the Silver War Badge No. 94472.  He was also awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1914/15 Star.  He returned to Cann to live but he died there in 1938 and was buried at St. Rumbold's Church, Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 3 Dec 1938.   His brother, John Chown, also served but regrettably died in France in 1914.

Story:
Edmund Arnold King was born on 12 Nov 1890 in Gillingham, Dorset, the son of Stephen King and Virtue King (nee Hanks).  Virtue King died in 1893 and Edmund's father re-married Emily Ann Chapple in 1895.  The family lived mainly in the Wyke, Gillingham, area until, by 1911, Edmund was boarding out in Brockenhurst, Hampshire, as the Manager of the International Stores branch.  By the time of his enlistment on 26 Jan 1916 he had become a Police Constable and was not embodied until 30 Apr 1918 and joined the 38th Training Battalion as a Private (Service No. 5/135581).  He transferred to the Machine Gun Corps on 14 Aug 1918 (Service No. 172961) but served in the UK only - at one time as an Acting Lance Corporal.  He was discharged on 13 Feb 1919 but there are no evidential medal records.   He married Sarah Elizabeth Howard (nee Bassford), the widow of Samuel Howard who had been killed serving in 1914.  The ceremony took place in Alton, Hampshire, in 1920.  By the time of the 1939 Register Edmund was living at 4 Aberdeen Terrace, New Road, Alton, Hampshire, described as a Police Constable (Retired).  He had moved at later date to Grayshott, Surrey, where he died during 1967.  His brother, Charlie Stephen King, (whose widow lived in Layton Lane, Shaftesbury, Dorset), had served but died of gun shot wounds and his half-brother, Arthur Stanley King, was killed in action during the conflict.    

Story:
Sidney Arthur Victor Wightman was born in Tarrant Gunville, Dorset, on 22 Mar 1887 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 23 May 1887 the son of James John Wightman and Agnes Emma Wightman (nee Johnson).  He lived his early life with his family successively in Southampton and Portsmouth, Hampshire, where his father was a Butcher.  Sidney followed in his father's footsteps and also became a Butcher.  At some time his parents moved to 39 High Street, Shaftesbury, from where Sidney enlisted on 6 Dec 1915 (though not embodied until 18 Jun 1918) and joined the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Private (Service No.42511).  He served in the UK only and was eventually discharged on 27 Feb 1919.  There are no evident medal records.  He married Nellie Meaden in Shaftesbury during 1920.  By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at 20/21 Market Place, Warminster, Wiltshire, and was the Manager of a Butchers Shop.  His death was recorded in Warminster during 1969.   His brother, Leslie Reginald Wightman, also served but was regrettably killed in action during the conflict.

Story:
Sidney Albert Weeks was born in Sixpenny Handley, Dorset, in 1879 and baptised there on 13 Jul 1879 the son of John Weeks and Charlotte Weeks (nee Brewer).  He lived his early life in Sixpenny Handley.  He married Eliza Jane Goad in the Poole, Dorset, Registry area during 1900 and they set up home in Lucas Road, Branksome, Dorset.  Regrettably his wife died in 1904.  He had enlisted with the Devonshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 13578).  He served in France and Flanders from 22 Sep 1915 until he was transferred to the Labour Corps (Service No. 190919).  He contracted malaria and also suffered from rheumatism attributable to the conditions of his earlier service for which he eventually received a pension.  He was formally discharged on 14 Feb 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1915 Star.  He remarried Victoria May White (nee Russ), a widow, in Yeovil, Somerset, during 1920.   His early death was recorded in Martock, Somerset, on 16 Jul 1936.   His brother, Fred Herbert Weeks, had also served but regrettably died during the conflict.