Story:
Arthur Frank Adams was born in Deanland, Sixpenny Handley, Dorset, on 7 Nov 1899 and baptised at the Primitive Methodist Chapel, Wilton, Wiltshire, on 13 Mar 1900 the son of John Edward Adams and Fanny Maria Adams (nee Reed).  He lived most of his early life in Deanland, Sixpenny Handley.  He enlisted on 11 Jan 1918 with the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 31216).  He is known to have served oversea but not where.  He had received a gun shot wound to the right leg and was discharged 24 Jan 1919 and awarded the Silver War Badge No. B103196 including a pension.  He was also awarded the Victory and British War Medals.  The 1921 Census shows him visiting 2 Louise Road, Dorchester, Dorset, described as a Postman. He married Annie Louise Rabbet in Sixpenny Handley, Dorset, on 16 Apr 1927.  By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at 23 Hamilton Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire, still working as a Postman.  It is understood he also served during World War 2. He died in Salisbury on 26 Dec 1978.

Story:
Edward James Steele was born in Tollard Royal, Wiltshire, on 12 Nov 1899 and baptised at the nearby St. Lawrence Church, Farnham, Dorset, on 12 Apr 1900 the son of Samuel Charles Steele and Fanny Steele (nee Bennett).  He lived his early life in Tollard Royal until by 1911 the family had moved to Lower Almer, Spettisbury, Dorset.  He had enlisted on 12 Nov 1917 and was not embodied until 24 May 1918 joining the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 40974).  He was initially posted to the 4th (Reserve) Battalion and later to the 1st Battalion.  He served for a short period in Londonderry, Ireland, and was discharged on 30 Nov 1919.  No medal records have been found. The 1921 Census shows him boarding out at The Dairy House, East Stour, Dorset, working as a Farm Labourer. He married Ethel Flossie Partridge in the Wareham, Dorset, Registry area during 1930.  By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at Lewiston Lodge, Sherborne, Dorset, working as a Kitchen Gardener.  His death was recorded in Poole, Dorset, during 1984.  His brothers, Herbert Albert Steele and Douglas Harry Steele, both served and survived the conflict though both of them died within a few years of the end of the war.

Story:
Herbert Alfred Steele was born in Tollard Royal, Wiltshire, on 29 Mar 1896 and baptised at nearby Farnham, Dorset, on 3 May 1897 the son of Samuel Charles Steele and Fanny Steele (nee Bennett).  He lived his early life in Tollard Royal until by 1911 the family had moved to Lower Almer, Spettisbury, Dorset.  Herbert had enlisted with the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 15785).  He had obviously served somewhere overseas as he had suffered a gun shot wound to the right eye and had been transferred to the Labour Corps (Service No. 345542).  On his discharge he had been granted a 50% pension for life as well as being awarded the Victory and British War Medals.  The 1921 Census shows him boarding in Worth, Worth Maltravers, Dorset, working as a Cowman. His marriage to Elsie May Corben was registered in Wareham, Dorset, during 1926.  By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at 357 High Street, Swanage, Dorset, working as a Quarryman.   His wife died in 1974 and he went on to re-marry Olive Bower during 1979 in the Poole, Dorset, Registry area.  His death was recorded in Poole during 1988.  His brothers, Douglas Harry Steele and Edward James Steele, both served and survived the conflict.

Story:
Louis Frank Parsons was born in Farnham, Dorset, on 2 Feb 1891 the son of Edward Parsons and Elizabeth Parsons (nee Cross).  He lived his early life in Farnham and the nearby village of Tollard Royal, Wiltshire.  He had enlisted with the Royal Navy on 2 Apr 1909 as a Stoker Class 3 (Service No. K.2026).  He served in very many ships and places during his service rising to the rank of Stoker Petty Officer.   Following the end of hostilities he was awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1914/15 Star.  He remained in the service until 2 Apr 1931 having meantime married Rose Goodhill in Middlesborough, Yorkshire, during 1920.  The 1921 Census shows his home as 8 Admiral's Hard, East Stonehouse, Devon. By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at 15 Avonfield Road, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, working as a Postman.  He was embodied back in to the Royal Navy on 17 Mar 1941 and finally released on 5 Aug 1945.  His death was recorded in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, on 14 Apr 1973 and he was buried on 19 Apr 1973.

Story:
Edwin John Hunt was born in Compton Abbas, Shaftesbury, Dorset in 1886 the son of William Thomas Hunt, a Carpenter, and Margaret Jane Hunt (nee Hibbs).  He lived his early life in The Street, Tollard Royal, Wiltshire.   He married Mary Ellen Harvey at St Clement's Church, Branksome, Poole, Dorset on 6 Apr 1912.   He had enlisted with the Royal Defence Corps (having previously served with the Dorset Regiment Territorials)  but was almost immediately transferred to the 4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment albeit attached to the 262nd Protection Company (Service No. 8766).  He did not serve abroad but had suffered a serious illness during his time though this did not stop him joining the 3rd Battalion (New Service No. 29064) and later the Royal Engineers on 22 Aug 1917 (Service No. WR341653) as an Acting Sergeant in the Supply Company (Inland Waterways & Docks Company).  He was discharged eventually on 23 May 1919.  No medal records can be found but he would have qualified for the Victory and British War Medals.  The 1921 Census shows him living at 3 St. Clements Road, Newtown, Poole, Dorset, working as a Gas Stoker for the Bournemouth Gas & Water Co. He died at the age of 40 years whilst living at 34 Sea View Road, Upper Parkstone, Poole, Dorset, on 28 May 1926 and was buried at St. Clement's Church, Branksome, on 31 May 1926.  Of his brothers, Frederick Frank Hunt had enlisted in 1914 but been discharged early due to illness, William Thomas Hunt had served for a period but been discharged due to being wounded in action in 1917 and subsequently died in 1929 whilst Reuben Henry (aka Harry) Hunt served and survived until he was 90 years of age.