Story:
George William Clarke was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 29 May 1900 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church on 1 Sep 1901 the son of Thomas William Clarke (Grocer) and Lilian Mary Clarke (nee Figgins).  He lived nearly all his life in Shaftesbury not least at the family Grocer's shop at 56 High Street.  He received some of his education at Shaftesbury Grammar School, Shaftesbury, on leaving which he enlisted with the Royal Flying Corps as a Boy on 29 Nov 1917 (Service No. 158027).  On achieving the age of 18 he was made a Private Class 2 in the, by now, Royal Air Force on 29 May 1918.  He was promoted to Sergeant and posted to Hillingdon, Uxbridge, Middlesex, Cadet Wing for instruction in aviation on 14 Sep 1918.  He was discharged on 17 Apr 1919 and resumed his employment in his father's business as evidenced in the 1921 Census.  He married Winifred Ware Piper in Cann, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 29 May 1937 and by the time of the 1939 Register he was living at 7 Grosvenor Road, Shaftesbury, Dorset, described as a Grocer and also a Volunteer ARP Warden.  His death was recorded in Southampton, Hampshire, on 13 May 1968.

Story:
Edward George Heard Maidman was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 1 Jan 1900 the son of Edward Charles Henry Maidman and Alice Elizabeth Maidman (nee Heard).  He received some of his education at Shaftesbury Grammar School, Shaftesbury, Dorset, and the School records indicate that he served as a 2nd Lieutenant with the 7th Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment.  No other military records have been found. 

The 1921 Census shows him visiting relations at 'Westkirk' Chapel Road, Poole, Dorset, but he appears on a list of Old Boys living in London or suburbs in the February 1922 edition of the Shaftesbury Grammar School magazine. He married Marjorie Evelyn Mercer in Poole, Dorset, on 22 Feb 1922.  By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at 'St. Christopher', Sandy Lane, Wareham, Dorset, working as a Laboratory Assistant.  His death was recorded in Bledlow Ridge, High Wycombe, Bucks, on 26 Jun 1963.

Story:
John Massey Fuller was born in Bournemouth, Hampshire, on 22 Jan 1900 and baptised there on 7 Apr 1900 the son of William James Fuller, an Analytical Chemist, and Valerie Fuller (née Thompson).  He lived his early life in the Bournemouth area except for a period of education from 1913 to 1917 at Shaftesbury Grammar School. "Jack" represented the school at football and at the Inter School sports, becoming the school's "Champion Athlete" in 1917. As a member of the school's cadet force he rose to the rank of Quarter-Master Sergeant and in 1917 won the school Shooting Cup.

In July 1917 he passed the Civil Service examination for entry into the Royal Marines and on 1st Sep received his first commission as a 2nd Lieutenant. He remained in the Royal Marines, gradually being promoted to his final rank of Colonel just prior to his discharge due to ill health on 4 Jan 1946.  He had received the Victory and British War Medals as well as WW2 General Service Medals.  In 1925 he was seconded to the Royal Air Force and he gained his 'wings' following which he flew off of aircraft carriers for a time. He achieved the nickname of 'Crash' which might have described his exploits in the air.  There is no indication that he married but he died in Exmouth, Devon, on 24 Aug 1966.

Printed Sources:
Shaftesbury Grammar School Magazine, February 1917
Shaftesbury Grammar School Magazine, June 1917
Shaftesbury Grammar School Magazine, November 1917

Story:
Oswald Pledger was born in Wembley, Middlesex, on 23 Dec 1885 and baptised there on 9 May 1886 the son of Thomas Arthur Pledger and Mary Ann Pledger (nee Westcott).  He lived his early life in Wembley and later in Hampstead, London.  The family did become associated with Shaftesbury, Dorset, because Oswald's younger brother was born there about 1903 and Oswald had attended Shaftesbury Grammar School.  He had emigrated to Canada landing in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 27 Jan 1912.  He moved on to live in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he met and married May Somers Booth on 24 Jun 1913.  He had enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary Force on 19 Jun 1916 joining the 76th Depot Battery of the Field Artillery Brigade as a Gunner (Service No. 1250057).  He was sent to France and joined the 1st Brigade and was in action at Loos, France, on 17 Aug 1917 where he was gassed and suffered from shell shock.  He was repatriated back to the UK where he spent many months at the Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Monks Horton, Kent.  In time he was sent back to Canada on 7 Dec 1918 and eventually discharged on 17 Jan 1919 being medically unfit for further duty.  He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals. By 1921 he was still living in the Manitoba area and he and his wife had seven children.  Of his children, two served in WW2 and both were killed in action. Kenneth Mervyn Pledger was killed in the 6 Jun 1944 (D-Day) whilst serving with the Canadian Parachute Brigade and shortly after, on 13 Jun 1944, his brother, Thomas Oswald Pledger, was killed serving with the RCAF (Bomber Command Contingent) over France for which he received the posthumous award of the Distinguished Flying Cross. Oswald himself passed away on 14 Dec 1951.