Story:
Allen (sometimes known as Allan) James Bastable was born in Dameren, Fordingbridge, Hampshire, on 5th Nov 1895 the son of Hugh Bastable and Ada Jane Bastable (nee Foster).  He lived his early life in Dameren and later in Woodcutts, Sixpenny Handley, Dorset, from where he enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Boy Class 3 on 5 Nov 1913 (Service No. J. 13017).  He served in many ships and shore establishments and eventually was promoted to Chief Petty Officer.  At the end of hostilities he was awarded the Victory and British War Medals along with the 1914/1915 Star.  He remained in the Navy until retiring on pension on 2 Nov 1935,  He had married Alice Price in Lanchester, Durham, during 1920 and by 1938 was living at 9 Myddelton Square, London, E.C.1.  The 1939 Register shows him at 54 - 64 Broadway, Westminster, London, working as a Watchman in the War Office (M.I.6).   He had moved to 25 Dartford Road, Bexley, Kent, where his death was recorded on 18 Dec 1969.   His brother, Arthur Cecil Bastable, had also served for a short period before being discharged as medically unfit and he died in 1919.

Story:
Herbert James Bailey was born in Sixpenny Handley, Dorset, on 27 Dec 1892 the son of George Bailey and Constance Bailey (nee Dimmer).  He lived all his life in the Sixpenny Handley area apart from his Military Service.  He had enlisted with the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment as a Private (Service No. 9695) and was posted to the Balkans on 30 Jun 1915 and joined the 5th Battalion where he had received a gun shot wound to the left wrist.  He obviously recovered from his injury as he was not discharged until 27 Nov 1919 on a limited pension until 1 Apr 1924. He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1915 Star. He had married Elizabeth Bessie Jane White at Sixpenny Handley on 12 May 1921. Both the 1921 Census and the 1939 Register show he lived at Church Farm, Sixpenny Handley, Dorset, described as a Farmer (Mixed). His death was recorded in Poole, Dorset, on 17 Oct 1959.

Story:
Harry John Alner was born in Berwick St. John, Wiltshire, on 18 Sep 1896 the son of William Alner and Maria Alner (nee Whitmarsh). He lived most his early life in the Tollard Royal, Wiltshire, area until by 1911 the family had moved to Long Critchel, Wimborne, Dorset. He had enlisted with the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 6625). At sometime he was transferred to the Army Service Corps as a Driver (Service No. T/37409) and served in India where he was in time awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the Indian General Service Medal with 3 clasps. He had married Martha Everett at St. Nicholas Church, Plumstead, Kent, on 14 Mar 1917. He made the Army his career and and had served in Persia (now Iran) as well as in India where he took part in suppressing the Malabar Rebellion in Bangalore, India, for which he received the Imperial General Service Medal (Malabar). by the time of WW2 he had reverted back to the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 5719286) only to have been captured on 13 Aug 1940 by the Germans and made Prisoner of War until his release on 2 May 1945. He was ultimately discharged to reserves on 12 Feb 1946. His death was recorded in Honiton, Devon, during 1972. His brothers, George William Alner, Arthur Bertie Alner and Douglas Walter Alner, had all served in the conflict.

Story:
George William Alner was born in Tollard Royal, Wiltshire, on 13 Apr 1887 the son of William Alner and Maria Alner (nee Whitmarsh). He lived all his early life in the Tollard Royal area until he married Beatrice Lily Soper in the Axminster, Devon, Registry area in 1910 (Jan - Mar Quarter) and set up home in Hay Cottage, Musbury, Axminster, Devon. He had apparently enlisted with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry as a Private (Service No. 34984). He served in France and Flanders and, whilst there, was gassed and repatriated on the 31st Ambulance Train to the UK to recuperate on 18 Sep 1917. On his recovery he was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (Service No. 161203). He was finally discharged on 14 Sep 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War Medals. The 1921 Census shows him then living in Lyme Road, Axminster, working as a Road Foreman for the Axmintser Rural District Council. By the time of the 1939 Register, his address was given as Mount Cottage, Lyme Road, Axminster, Devon, still working as a Roadman. He had moved again later to The Lodge, Sheen Court, Richmond upon Thames, London, where he died on 11 Oct 1971. His brothers, Arthur Bertie Alner, Harry John Alner and Douglas Walter Alner, had all served during the conflict.