William George Sartin

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.