Story:
Clarence Hoskins was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 5 Aug 1894 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury, on 2 Sep 1894 the son of John Charles Hoskins and Rosina Hoskins (nee Tullett).  He spent much of his early life in Long Cross, Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, Dorset.   He enlisted and joined the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 10994).  He served with the 5th and 6th Battalions mainly in the Balkans.  Whilst in service with the 5th Battalion he was admitted to the 151st Field Ambulance on 22 Aug 1915 with a bullet wound to the left arm and had to be taken by trawler to a hospital ship for treatment and again on the 4 Apr 1917 when with the 6th Battalion was admitted to the 51st Field Ambulance with scabies (a common problem in the field) and was transferred on 5th Apr 1917 to the 18th Casualty Recovery Station.  He was eventually discharged on 14 Jan 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1915 Star.   He moved to Bedwelty, Monmouthshire, South Wales, for employment in the coal mines.  He met and married Annie May Wheeler in Bedwelty in 1920. The Census of 1921 shows him living at 7 Hillside Avenue, Bedwelty, working as a Collier's Assistant for the Tredegar Iron and Coal Company then by the time of the 1939 Register he was living at 7 Bryn Crescent, Bedwelty, Monmouthshire, working as a Coal Hewer.  His death is registered at Bedwelty in 1966.  His brothers, Harold Percival Hoskins was killed at the Battle of Jutland and Thomas Frank Hoskins died serving in the Army.

Story:
Sidney Charles Haskett was born in Stour Provost, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 23 May 1883 and baptised there on 3 Aug 1883 the son of Charles Haskett and Ellen Haskett (nee Shute).  He lived his early life in Stour Provost until, by 1901, Sidney was boarding in The Street, Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset, where he eventually became a platelayer on the L&SW Railway.  He enlisted on 10 Jul 1916 and joined the Royal Garrison Artillery as a Gunner (Service No. 99116).  He later transferred to the 60th London Division of the Royal Field Artillery (Service No. 301067).   Because of his experience as a platelayer on the railway he was further transferred to the 266th Railway Company of the Royal Engineers as a Sapper (Service No. WR/286247).  He served in France and Flanders as well as Salonika and Egypt.  He was eventually discharged on 5 Dec 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War Medals.  He married Eva Louise Gray at Motcombe, Dorset, on 18 Sep 1920.  The 1921 Census shows him living at 6 Coppice Street, Shaftesbury, working as a General Labourer and by the time of the 1939 Register he had moved to 11 St. Georges Road, Shaftesbury, Dorset, described as a Builder's Labourer.  His death was recorded at the Sturminster, Dorset, Registry in 1950.

Story:
William Elijah Gray was born in Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 5 Sep 1894 and baptised there on 14 Oct 1894 the son of Henry William (sometimes William Henry) Gray and Rose Lavinia Gray (nee Stacey).  He lived most of his early life in and around Motcombe.  He enlisted and joined the 1/1st Battalion of the Dorset (Queen's Own) Yeomanry as a Private (Service No. 1152) later becoming attached to the Corps of Hussars (Service No. 230465).  He served in Egypt and on his discharge on 27 Jun 1919 was awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1915 Star.   He married Vera Ada Louise Hooper at Corfe Castle, Dorset, on 22 Dec 1922.  By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at 34 Rockley Road, Poole, Dorset, working as a General Labourer.  He died in 1969 and was buried at Wareham, Dorset, on 14 Nov 1969.

Story:
Victor Coward was born in Motcombe, Dorset, on 12 Sep 1897 and baptised there on 7 Oct 1897 the son of James Coward and Mary Jane Coward (nee Miles).  He spent his early life at The Street,  Motcombe.  He enlisted with the 1/4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Private (Service Nos. 3080 & 201287).   It is not known in which theatre of war he served but on his discharge on 1 Jul 1919 he was granted a limited pension due to contracting malaria during his service.  He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals.  At the 1921 Census he was living with his parents in Motcombe noted as 'single'.   He later moved for work at the Naval Cordite Factory, Holton Heath, Dorset and set up home at 'Charlton', Jubilee Road, Upper Parkstone, Poole, Dorset.  His death was recorded in Wareham, Dorset, in 1927 following an explosion at the factory at the age of 30 years.  He was buried at St. Mary's Church, Motcombe.  (An apparent marriage to Louisa Mabel Squires on 2 May 1920 does not appear to fit the facts as currently known.) Victor's brothers Charles Edwin (b.1892) and Harold (b.1893) also served with the Dorsets during the war. Sadly Harold died in Mesopotamia in 1917.

Story:
Charles Edwin Coward was born in Motcombe, Dorset, on 10 Feb 1892 and was baptised there on 24 Apr 1892 the son of James Coward and Mary Jane Coward (nee Miles).   He spent all his life except for Military Service in Motcombe, Dorset.  He enlisted and served with the 1/5th Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry (Service No. 242120).  He later transferred to the 2/4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 200153) eventually being promoted to Acting Warrant Office Class II.  It is not known in which theatre of war he served in but on his discharge on 2 Jul 1919 was awarded the Victory and British War Medals.   At the time of the 1921 Census he was living in The Street, Motcombe, working as an Under Carter on Lord Stalbridges' estate.   Shortly after the Census he married Hilda Mabel Archer in Motcombe, Dorset, on 31 Jul 1921.   By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at 40 The Street, Motcombe, Dorset, working as a Cutter and Dresser in a Bacon Factory as well as volunteering as an ARP Warden.  His died in Motcombe in 1971. Charles brothers Harold (b.1893) and Victor (b.1897) also served with the Dorsets during the war. Sadly Harold in Mesopotamia in 1917.