Story:
Edmund Arnold King was born on 12 Nov 1890 in Gillingham, Dorset, the son of Stephen King and Virtue King (nee Hanks).  Virtue King died in 1893 and Edmund's father re-married Emily Ann Chapple in 1895.  The family lived mainly in the Wyke, Gillingham, area until, by 1911, Edmund was boarding out in Brockenhurst, Hampshire, as the Manager of the International Stores branch.  By the time of his enlistment on 26 Jan 1916 he had become a Police Constable and was not embodied until 30 Apr 1918 and joined the 38th Training Battalion as a Private (Service No. 5/135581).  He transferred to the Machine Gun Corps on 14 Aug 1918 (Service No. 172961) but served in the UK only - at one time as an Acting Lance Corporal.  He was discharged on 13 Feb 1919 but there are no evidential medal records.   He married Sarah Elizabeth Howard (nee Bassford), the widow of Samuel Howard who had been killed serving in 1914.  The ceremony took place in Alton, Hampshire, in 1920.  The 1921 Census shows Edmund visiting at 39 Wrottesley Road, Plumstead, London, still with the Police Service. By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at 4 Aberdeen Terrace, New Road, Alton, Hampshire, described as a Police Constable (Retired).  He had moved at later date to 4 Aberdeen Terrace, New Road, Grayshott, Surrey, where he died during 1967 and was buried on 15 May 1967.  His brother, Charlie Stephen King, (whose widow lived in Layton Lane, Shaftesbury, Dorset), had served but died of gun shot wounds and his half-brother, Arthur Stanley King, was killed in action during the conflict.    

Story:
Sidney Arthur Victor Wightman was born in Tarrant Gunville, Dorset, on 22 Mar 1887 and baptised at Holy Trinity Church, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 23 May 1887 the son of James John Wightman and Agnes Emma Wightman (nee Johnson).  He lived his early life with his family successively in Southampton and Portsmouth, Hampshire, where his father was a Butcher.  Sidney followed in his father's footsteps and also became a Butcher.  At some time his parents moved to 39 High Street, Shaftesbury, from where Sidney enlisted on 6 Dec 1915 (though not embodied until 18 Jun 1918) and joined the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Private (Service No.42511).  He served in the UK only and was eventually discharged on 27 Feb 1919.  There are no evident medal records.  He married Nellie Meaden in Shaftesbury during 1920.  The 1921 Census shows him living in Horse Hill, Coombe, Donhead St. Mary, Wiltshire, still working as a Butcher. By the time of the 1939 Register he had moved to 20/21 Market Place, Warminster, Wiltshire, where he managed a Butchers Shop.  His death was recorded in Warminster during 1969.   His brother, Leslie Reginald Wightman, also served but was regrettably killed in action during the conflict.

Story:
Sidney Albert Weeks was born in Sixpenny Handley, Dorset, in 1879 and baptised there on 13 Jul 1879 the son of John Weeks and Charlotte Weeks (nee Brewer).  He lived his early life in Sixpenny Handley.  He married Eliza Jane Croad at St. John the Evangelist Church, Branksome, Dorset, on 14 Apr 1900 and they set up home in Lucas Road, Branksome, Dorset.  Regrettably his wife died in 1904.  There were two children of this marriage. He had enlisted with the Devonshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 13578).  He served in France and Flanders from 22 Sep 1915 until he was transferred to the Labour Corps (Service No. 190919).  He contracted malaria and also suffered from rheumatism attributable to the conditions of his earlier service for which he eventually received a pension.  He was formally discharged on 14 Feb 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1915 Star.  He remarried Victoria May White (nee Russ), the widow of Walter White who died in service on 1 Oct 1918, in Yeovil, Somerset, during 1920. There were a further three children born. The 1921 Census shows him living at The Sheepwash, Martock, Somerset, working as a Gardener.   His early death was recorded in Martock, Somerset, on 16 Jul 1936.   His brother, Fred Herbert Weeks, had also served but regrettably died during the conflict.

Story:
Wilfred Purefoy (Jack) Messer was born in Sixpenny Handley, Dorset, on 16 Mar 1899 and baptised there on 29 Apr 1899 the son of George Messer and Sarah Messer (nee White).  He lived his early life in Sixpenny Handley.  He had enlisted and joined the Duke of Edinburgh's (Wiltshire) Regiment as a Private (Service No. 22226).  It is not known in which theatre of war he served but he remained in the Army after the conflict for a period when other uses for the military had been found.  He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals.  He married Joyce Louisa Bond in St Georges, Hanover Square, London, during 1926.  By the time of the 1939 Register he was living and working at the County Hotel, Bridge Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, as a Waiter.   His death was recorded in the Launceston, Cornwall, area during 1995 at the age of 96 years.  Of his brothers, Maurice George Messer served but died during the conflict whilst Reginald George Messer served and survived.

Story:
Ernest Frank Roberts was born in Iwerne Minster, Dorset, on 26 May 1892 the son of Frank Roberts and Mary Eliza Roberts (nee Wareham).  He lived his early life in Iwerne Minster until by 1914 he had emigrated to Toronto, Canada, where he married Cecelia Bryant in York City, Toronto, on 30 Jul 1914.   He had enlisted on the 29 Jan 1916 with the 16th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force as a Private (Service No. 679169).  He arrived in France on 13 Dec 1916 and was transferred to the 2nd Battalion of the Canadian Pioneers as a Sapper. During his service he had many health problems and he was eventually repatriated back to Canada on the SS Aquitaine on 28 Nov 1918 suffering from shell shock. He was discharged as being medically unfit on 21 Dec 1918.  He had qualified for the Victory and British War Medals.  His wife died in 1943 and there is evidence that he returned to the UK and lived in Hawkhurst, Kent, and possibly re-married.  His death was recorded in the General Hospital, New Cross, London, on 12 Feb 1962 (evidenced by the Canadian Army Pension Records).  His brother, Frederick James Roberts, also served but regrettably died during the conflict.