Story:
Ernest Cole was born in Fontmell Magna, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 7 Jun 1884 and baptised there on 3 Aug 1884 the son of James Cole and Maria Cole (nee Hann).   He lived his early life with his family in West Street, Fontmell Magna.   By 1911 he had moved to 8 Mount Row, Hanover Square, London, as a boarder and working as a Chauffeur.   He enlisted on 24 Jul 1916 and joined the Royal Navy becoming an Air Mechanic Class 1 with the Naval Air Service (Service No. F18612).   He was transferred to the Royal Air Force on 1 Apr 1918 with a similar rank (Service No. 218612).  He was discharged on 25 Feb 1919 having served all his time in the UK and was awarded the British War Medal only.   The 1921 Census shows him living in with his business partner and family at 17 Porchester Mews, Bayswater, Paddington, London, described as a Chauffeur and Mechanic. By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at 79 Stanford Street, Brighton, Sussex, described as a Garage Proprietor.  The is no reliable date of death.

Story:
Henry James Wagner was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 18 May 1865 and baptised at St. Peter's Church on 12 Jun 1865 the son of Henry Robert E. Wagner and Elizabeth Hampton Wagner (nee Ford) - herself born and raised in Shaftesbury.   Within a short space of time the family moved for business reason to the London area where, by 1881, they had set up home in Westminster, London.   By 1911 Henry was living on his own at 109 Mallison Road, Battersea, London, SW, working as a Builders Clerk.  He had during the intervening years been serving as a Volunteer with annual training camps with the 15th Battalion of The Queen's Regiment for which he did 15 years of service.  He enlisted in WW1 on 17 Sep 1914 and joined the 9th Battalion of the East Surrey Regiment as a Private (Service No. 4293).  However he was deemed not likely to make an efficient soldier and discharged on 10 Oct 1914.   He married Gerda Mary Noel at St. Mary's Church, Putney. London, on 27 Sep 1919 and on the marriage certificate it stated Henry was an Army Pay Clerk.  This presumes he was probably working in a civilian capacity for the military having been previous rejected.   The 1921 Census shows he was living at 178 Engadine Street, Wandsworth, London, working as a Builder's Cost and general Clerk. By the time of the 1939 Register he had moved to 57 (Ground) Buckingham Place, Brighton, Sussex, described as a Builders Clerk (Retired).  He died in Brighton during 1947

Story:
Tom Gray was born in Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 24 Nov 1873 and baptised there on 25 Dec 1873 the son of Tom Gray and Martha Mary Gray (nee Wright).  Tom's father died very shortly after his death in 1878 and Tom (Junior) lived all his early life in and around Shaftesbury, Dorset, with his widowed mother.  He married Ellen Andrews in Shaftesbury on 30 Jun 1903 and they went on to have one son.  By 1911 the family was living at Layton Cottages, St. James Street, Shaftesbury.  Tom had enlisted on 18 Apr 1918 and was placed on Reserve with the Army Service Corps (Service No. 6261).  He was mobilized on 12 Oct 1918 and joined the 666th Horse Transport Company as a Driver (Service No. T/440861).  He served in the UK only and on his discharge on 11 Feb 1919 was not entitled to any medals.  Both the 1921 Census and the 1939 Register show he was living at 3 Layton Villas, Layton Lane, Shaftesbury, Dorset, working as a Gardener.   He died in Shaftesbury in early 1944.

Story:
William John Arnold was born in Farnham, Dorset, on 4 May 1889 the son of Edward J. Arnold and Louisa Arnold.  His early years were spent at Bussey Stool Lodge, Farnham, Dorset, until by 1901 the family had moved to Childe Okeford, Dorset.  William became a Watch, Clock and Jewellery Jobber, and boarded out in Bournemouth, Hampshire.   He married Florence May Palmer at St. Andrews Church, Farnham, Surrey, on 19 Sep 1915.  He had previously joined the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Volunteer Reservist but was mobilized on 29 May 1916 and joined the Royal Garrison Artillery as a Gunner (Service No. 88622).   He served in India where he became an Acting Corporal and was finally discharged on 27 Jan 1920 and awarded the British War Medal only.  The 1921 Census shows he was living at Abbotswood, Romsey, Hampshire, still in the watch making and repair occupation. By the time of the 1939 Register he had moved to 3 Broadway, Knaps Hill, Woking, Surrey, described as a General Store Proprietor.  He died in 1961 and was buried at Bognor Regis, West Sussex, on 31 Jul 1961.