Story:
William George Sartin was born in Holnest, Sherborne, Dorset, on 15 Feb 1891 and baptised there on 29 Mar 1891 the son of Thomas Biles Sartin and Mary Ann Sartin (nee Shiner).  He lived in Holnest during his early years until he married Emily Jane Hillier at the Shaftesbury Registry Office on 24 May 1914 where they set up home in Brickhill, Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, Dorset.  He had enlisted on 18 Nov 1915 with the Royal Engineers and placed on reserve as a Pioneer (Service No. WR25003).  On the 28 Dec 1916 he was became a Class W reservist which named him as a person whose employment was essential to the civilian authorities but was nevertheless finally mobilized on 26 Feb 1917 when he joined the Royal Engineers as a Sapper (Service No. 240503).  He later moved to the 335th Road Construction Unit then transferred to the 317th Road Construction Unit in France & Flanders as a Steam Roller Driver (Service No. 240503).  He was discharged on 24 Nov 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War Medals.  He then went to live at 28 Enmore Green, Shaftesbury. The 1921 Census shows him living in Brickhill, Enmore Green, working as a Steam Roller Driver.  His son, Gordon D. G. Sartin, was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, in 1923 but by the time of the 1939 Register William was living with his family at 11 Orchard Terrace, Glastonbury, Somerset, still working as a Steam Roller Driver.  His son had married in Wells. Somerset, where William's death was recorded on 15 Apr 1961.  His wife had gone on to re-marry in 1968 but regrettably she died in 1969.

Story:
Daniel Ralph was born in Stour Provost, Dorset, on 20 Sep 1873 and baptised there on 14 Dec 1873 the son of Alpheus John Ralph and Emily Anna Ralph (nee Myall).  He lived his early life at Stour Row Cottage, Stour Row, Shaftesbury, Dorset.  He married Elizabeth Jane Tucker at East Stour, Dorset, on 24 Nov 1894.  They went on to have three children.  By 1901 he had moved to Glyncorrwg, Glamorgan, Wales, where he worked as a Coal Hewer.  Then by 1911 he had returned to East Stour, Dorset.   He enlisted on 9 Aug 1915 and joined the Royal Engineers as a Pioneer (Service No. 110374).  He was with the 1st Labour Battalion in France and Flanders from 21 Aug 1915 ultimately working with No. 3160 Chinese Labour Corps.  He transferred to the Labour Corps on 31 Jul 1917 (Service No. 290018) and joined the 700th Labour Company.  He had suffered a rupture at one time and was granted a pension as a result on his discharge on 26 Jan 1919.  He was also awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1915 Star. His address at the time was given as 1 Fernbrook Cottage, Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset.  His wife, Elizabeth, died in 1929.  By the time of the 1939 Register he was living as a widower at 11 Lodbourne Terrace, Gillingham, Dorset, working as a Roadman.   His death was recorded at the Devizes, Wiltshire, Registry in 1959.

Story:
Arthur Victor Pitman was born in the Tisbury, Wiltshire, Registry area on 31 Oct 1887 the son of Dan Pitman and Mary Ann Pitman (nee Gray).  He lived his early life mainly in North End Lane, Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset.   He married Harriett Lily Coke at Milton on Stour, Gillingham, Dorset, on 30 Apr 1913.  He enlisted and joined the Dorset (Queen's Own) Yeomanry (Service No. 1442) and later was attached to the 1/1st Squadron of the Corps of Hussars (Service No. 230701).  He achieved the rank of Farrier Sergeant.  It is not known in which theatre of war he served but on his discharge on 18 Jul 1919 he was awarded the Victory and British War Medals.  The 1921 Census shows he was living at 92 Undercliff, Motcombe, Dorset. working as a Gamekeeper. By the time of the 1939 Register he had moved to 19 Sambourne Road, Warminster, Wiltshire, now described as a General Farmer.  His death was recorded in Warminster on 14 Jan 1964.  His brother, Sidney Pitman, also served in the conflict.

Story:
Stephen James King was born in Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 22 Oct 1884 and baptised there on 24 Nov 1884 the son of Edwin Charles King and Sarah Ann King (nee Mercer).  He spent his early life living in The Street, Motcombe. He married Eliza Jane Padfield in St. James Church, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 23 May 1909.  They set up home at 19 St. James Street, Shaftesbury.  Stephen enlisted and joined the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment as a Private (Service No. 0523) and served with the 1/4th Battalion until he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion of the Dorset (Queen's Own) Yeomanry  (Service No. 17750).  It is not known in which theatre of war he served in but on his discharge on 14 Oct 1919 was awarded the Victory and British War Medals.  The 1921 Census shows him living at 49 The Street, Motcombe, working as a Bricklayer's Labourer. By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at Minterne Parva, Dorchester, Dorset, working as an Estate Mason as well as a volunteer ARP Warden.  His death was recorded when living at The Lodge, Minterne Magna, Cerne Abbas, Dorset, on 24 Jun 1968.