1914-1918 Archives - Page 139 of 162 - Shaftesbury Remembers the Great War

William John Toomer

Surname: Toomer

Other names: William John

Locations in this story:
Twyford, Shaftesbury, Dorset
France & Flanders
Thiepval Memorial, France
West Street, Fontmell Magna, Dorset
Gallipoli, Turkey.
Alexandria, Egypt.
Blandford, Dorset

Story:
William John Toomer was born in 1894 in Twyford, Shaftesbury. He was the son of Charles Toomer, a Bricklayer's Labourer, and Ellen Louisa Toomer (nee Rideout). At the time of the 1911 Census he was single, working as a farm labourer and living at 61 West Street, Fontmell Magna. He enlisted in Blandford on 7th September, 1914 and joined the 5th Service Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 11094) and at the time of his death held the rank of Lance Corporal. His first posting was to Gallipoli, Turkey, where he received a wound to the right hand on 24th August, 1915, and was admitted to the 24th Casualty Clearing Station. Following his recovery and further service in the area he embarked from Alexandria, Egypt, for France, arriving there on 9th July, 1916 and was posted into the field on 26th September, 1916. It was on that very day he was reported missing and presumed killed. He served in France & Flanders and was awarded the Victory, British War and 1915 Star medals. His name appears on the Thiepval Memorial in France (Pier and Face 7 B). He is remembered on the Fontmell Magna War Memorial, near Shaftesbury.

Printed Sources: "Fontmell Magna and the First World War", compiled by Chris Bellers, Fontmell Magna Village Archive Society, 2014.

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Robert Ashby

Surname: Ashby

Other names: Robert

Locations in this story:
France & Flanders
Norfolk Cemetery, Becordel-Becourt, France
Elliston, Leicestershire
Iwerne Minster, Dorset
Becourt, Somme, France
Market Bosworth, Leicestershire
Child Okeford, Dorset

Story:
Robert Ashby was born in 1879 in Childe Okeford and baptised there on 25th May 1879. He was the son of George Ashby, a groom, and Katherine Ashby (née Bucklar). Though his parents lived in Iwerne Minster, Robert spent much of his life living in Market Bosworth (where his mother had been born). He found employment there as a coal miner. On 12 June 1905 he married Mary Jane Smith at the Baptist Chapel in Market Bosworth. They had three children from the marriage. At the time of the 1911 Census, he was working as a coal miner and living at Elliston, Leicestershire. His mother was living in Iwerne Minster.

He enlisted in London as a Sapper (Tunneller) with the 178th Company, Royal Engineers (Service No. 102813). He served in France and Flanders and was awarded the Victory, British War and 1915 Star medals. On 23rd Sept, 1915 he was slightly gassed and, after treatment, returned to duty only to be killed on 21st December 1915 at Becourt, Somme, France. He was buried at the Norfolk Cemetery, Becordel-Becourt, Somme, France (grave id. I.C.22). He is remembered on the Iwerne Minster War Memorial, Shaftesbury.

His wife received a widow's pension of £1.02p per week for herself and the three children. She continued to live in Elliston, according to the 1939 Register. Robert's brother George Frederick (b.1888) also served in the war, with the Royal Field Artillery.

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George Frederick Ashby

Frederick George Bridle

21st June 2017/in 1914-1918 Wiltshire Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Bridle

Other names: Frederick George

Locations in this story:
Blandford Forum, Dorset
France & Flanders
Inchy Communal Cemetery Extension, Inchy-Beaumont, Cambrai, Nord, France
Tarrant Crawford, Blandford, Dorset
Inchy Hospital, France
Iwerne Minster, Dorset
Sturminster Newton, Dorset

Story:
Frederick George Bridle was born in 1899 in Tarrant Crawford, Blandford and baptised there on 8th Oct 1899. He was the son of George William Bridle, a carter on a farm, and Bessie Bridle (née Joyce). At the time of the 1911 Census he was single, a scholar and living at Tarrant Crawford, Blandford, Dorset. He enlisted in Sturminster Newton as a Private in the 1st Battalion of the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment (Service No. 36132). He served in France & Flanders and was awarded the Victory and British War medals. He died from wounds on 24th October 1918 at Inchy Hospital in France and was buried at Inchy Communal Cemetery Extension, Inchy-Beaumont, Cambrai, Nord, France (grave id. B. 43). He is remembered on the Iwerne Minster War Memorial, Shaftesbury.

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James Robert Hatcher

21st June 2017/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Hatcher

Other names: James Robert

Locations in this story:
Childe Okeford, Dorset
France & Flanders
Hinton St. Mary, Dorset
Pozieres British Cemetery, Ovillers-La Boisselle, Somme, France
Fontmell Magna, Dorset
Shaftesbury
Iwerne Courtney, Dorset

Story:
James Robert Hatcher was born in 1898 in Childe Okeford, Dorset, and baptised at Iwerne Courtney, Dorset, on 7th May 1899. He was the son of Robert Edwin Hatcher, an agricultural labourer, and Louisa Hatcher (née Wareham). At the time of the 1911 Census he was single, a scholar and living at Hinton St. Mary. He enlisted in Shaftesbury as a Private in the 5th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 14482). He served in France & Flanders and was awarded the Victory, British War and 1915 Star medals. He died on 26th September 1916 and was buried at the Pozieres British Cemetery, Ovillers-La Boisselle, Somme, France (grave id. I.H.44). He is remembered on the Fontmell Magna War Memorial, Shaftesbury.

Further reading: "Fontmell Magna and the First World War", compiled by Chris Bellers, Fontmell Magna Village Archive Society, 2014.

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Harold Vernon Browne

21st June 2017/in 1914-1918 Dorset Yeomanry /by Ann Symons

Surname: Browne

Other names: Harold Vernon

Locations in this story:
Port Gawler, South Australia
Gallipoli, Turkey
Hill 10 Cemetery, Turkey
Hoburne, Hampshire
Suvla Bay, Turkey
Iwerne Minster, Dorset
St. Mary's Church, Iwerne Minster
Wellington College, Crowthorne, Berkshire

Story:
Harold Vernon Browne was born on 25th August, 1885 in Buckland Park, Port Gawler, South Australia. He was the son of Leonard Gilbert Browne, described as living by his "own means", and Helen Mary Browne (née Price). The family moved to England in 1891 and by 1901 Harold was a boarder at Wellington College, Crowthorne, Berkshire. On 24th June, 1908 he married Mabel Doris Tillard, eventually moving to Iwerne Minster. They had four children: three boys and a girl. At the time of the 1911 Census, he was also living by his "own means", at Hoburne, Hampshire. He joined the Dorset (Queen's Own) Yeomanry in 1908. He became a Lieutenant in October 1913 and Captain in July 1915 - which rank he held at the time of his death. He served at Gallipoli and was awarded the Victory, British War and 1915 Star medals. On 7th September 1915 he was killed by a shell whilst discharging his duties as Military Landing Officer on "A" Beach, Suvla Bay. He was buried at the nearby Hill 10 Cemetery, Turkey (grave id. II.B.12) and is remembered on the Iwerne Minster War Memorial, Shaftesbury and on a stone pillar in front of the pulpit of St. Mary's Church, Iwerne Minster. He is also mentioned on the De-Ruvigny's Roll of Honour and on the Wellington College Roll of Honour. His wife went on to re-marry Thomas Hartley Carlisle in Shaftesbury in 1922.

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John Eli Philip Day

21st June 2017/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Day

Other names: John Eli Philip

Locations in this story:
Manston, Dorset
France & Flanders
Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West Flanders, Belgium
Museum Hotel, Farnham, Dorset
St. Lawrence's Church, Farnham
Shillingstone, Dorset

Story:
John Eli Phillip Day was born on 24th May, 1881, in Manston, Dorset and baptised there on 19th June, 1881. He was the son of inn keeper Eli Day, who ran the Museum Hotel, Farnham, Dorset, and Mary Churchill Day (née Jeans). His father, Eli, died in 1901 shortly followed by his mother, Mary, on 1902. On 14th November 1905 John married Ellen (known as Nellie) Courage at Shillingstone, Dorset. There was one son of the marriage, born in 1912. At the time of the 1911 Census, John was, like his father beforehand, running the Museum Hotel, Farnham, Dorset.

He enlisted at Farnham and joined the 6th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 27178) and at the time of his death held the rank of Corporal. He served in France & Flanders and was awarded the Victory and British War medals. He died of wounds on 13th November 1917 and was buried at Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West Flanders, Belgium (grave id. XIII.F.1). He is remembered on the Farnham War Memorial in St. Lawrence's Church.

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Francis George Harris

21st June 2017/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Harris

Other names: Francis George

Locations in this story:
Farnham, Dorset
France & Flanders
Sailly-au-Bois Military Cemetery, Near Arras, France
Blandford, Dorset

Story:
Francis George Harris was born in 1897 in Farnham, Dorset and baptised there on 7th February, 1897. He was the son of Charles Harris, a Farm Labourer, and Edith Emily Harris (née Hiscock). His siblings included Walter James, (b. 1898) who also died in the war and Reginald Henry Charles Harris (b. 1895) who served and survived. At the time of the 1911 Census Francis was single, working as a Farm Carter and living at Farnham, Blandford, Dorset. He enlisted at Blandford as a Private and joined the 6th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 11339). He served in France & Flanders and was awarded the Victory and British War medals. He died of wounds on 21st August 1916 and was buried at Sailly-au-Bois Military Cemetery, Near Arras, France (grave id. II.C.13). He is remembered on the Farnham War Memorial in St. Lawrence's Church. His death and that of his brother Walter are also commemorated in the churchyard on the headstone of grandparents Francis Rogers Hiscock and Emily Hiscock.

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Walter James Harris
My Family's Story by Mark Wareham

Walter James Harris

21st June 2017/in 1914-1918 Wiltshire Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Harris

Other names: Walter James

Locations in this story:
Farnham, Dorset
France & Flanders
Arras Memorial, France
Blandford

Story:
Walter James Harris was born in 1898 in Farnham, Dorset, and baptised there on 8th January, 1899. He was the son of Charles Harris, a Farm Labourer, and Edith Emily Harris (née Hiscock). His siblings included Francis George Hatrris, (b.1897) who also died in the war and Reginald Henry Charles Harris (b. 1895) who served and survived. At the time of the 1911 Census Walter was single, a scholar and living in the family home at Farnham, Blandford, Dorset. He enlisted in Blandford as a Private and joined the 6th Battalion of the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment (Service No. 36872). He served in France & Flanders and was awarded the Victory and British War medals. He went missing and was presumed killed in action on 22nd March 1918 and his name appears on the Arras Memorial in France (Bay 7). He is remembered on the Farnham War Memorial in St. Lawrence's Church. His death and that of his brother Francis are also commemorated in the churchyard on the headstone of grandparents Francis Rogers Hiscock and Emily Hiscock.

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Francis George Harris
My Family's Story by Mark Wareham

Ernest Victor Hayter

21st June 2017/in 1914-1918 Dorsetshire Regiment /by Ann Symons

Surname: Hayter

Other names: Ernest Victor

Locations in this story:
Berwick St. John, Wiltshire
Taranto, Italy
Taranto Town Military Extension, Taranto, Puglia, Italy
Farnham, Blandford, Dorset

Story:
Ernest Victor Hayter was born in 1897 in Berwick St. John, Wiltshire. He was the son of Charles Hayter, a Domestic Gardener, and Martha Hayter (née Harris). At the time of the 1911 Census he was single and living at Farnham, Blandford, Dorset. He enlisted as a Private in the 2nd Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 16807). He served in Italy and was awarded the Victory and British War medals. He died on 1st February 1919 and was buried at Taranto Town Military Extension, Taranto, Puglia, Italy (grave id. I.G.3). (Taranto was a base camp and there were military hospitals in the vicinity which remained until 1919 when Ernest was there.) He is remembered on the Farnham War Memorial in St. Lawrence's Church. His brother, Albert Henry Hayter, also served but survived the conflict.

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William Read

21st June 2017/in 1914-1918 Welsh Guards /by Ann Symons

Surname: Read

Other names: William

Locations in this story:
Farnham, Dorset
France & Flanders
Loos Memorial, France
Tollard Royal, Dorset
Blandford

Story:
William Read was born in 1898 in Tollard Royal, Dorset. He was the son of William John Read, a woodman, and Sarah Maria Read (née Harrison). At the time of the 1911 Census he was single, a scholar and living in the family home at Farnham, Blandford, Dorset. He enlisted in Blandford as a Private with the 1st Battalion of the Welsh Guards (Service No. 971). He served in France & Flanders and was awarded the Victory, British War and 1915 Star medals. He died on 27th September 1915 and has no known grave. His name appears on the Loos Memorial in France (Panel 10) and on the Farnham War Memorial in St. Lawrence's Church.

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