Story:
James Alford was born in Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 8 Sep 1896 the son of Sidney Herbert Alford, a carpenter, and Clara Jane Alford (nee Marshall).  He lived all his early life in Motcombe Street, Motcombe.  He enlisted on 9 Sep 1914 with the Dorset (Queen's Own) Yeomanry as a Private (Service No. 1064).  He served with the 3rd Battalion in Egypt from 21 Apr 1915 until on 23 Aug 1918 he was transferred to the Royal Air Force as an Air Mechanic Class 2 (Service No. 408856). He worked as a Blacksmith with the Seaplane Squadron from 10 Jul 1918. He was eventually discharged on 10 Mar 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1915 Star.  He married Florence Rosalie Legg (Christian names reversed on the marriage Certificate) at Ansty Church, Wiltshire, on 26 Jun 1920.  The 1921 Census shows him living in Gold Hill, Swallowcliffe, Wiltshire, working as a General Smith. By the time of the 1939 Register he had moved to Furzelease Farm, Tisbury Row, Tisbury, Wiltshire, now described as a Blacksmith as well as a volunteer ARP Warden.  No record of his death has been found to date.  Of his brothers, Herbert Alford and Bertie Alford, also served and survived the conflict.

Story:
Arthur Enos Harris was born in Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 30 Aug 1894 and baptised there on 30 Sep 1894 the son of Sydney John Harris and Sarah Ann Harris (nee Doggrell).  He lived his early life at Knap Hill, Motcombe and later at Guests Farm, Motcombe, where his father farmed.   Some time prior to the outbreak of war he had gone to British Columbia, Canada, where he eventually enlisted on 6 Nov 1914 with the Canadian Expeditionary Force as a Private (Service No. 77241).  He was sent to France and Flanders during 1915 and joined the 88th Regiment (Victoria Fusiliers).  He received severe wounds to his right arm and right leg from a howitzer gun shell when in battle at Messines, Belgium, on 27 Aug 1915. He was hospitalized in France then sent to various medical facilities in the UK from where he was eventually repatriated back to Canada on 1 Sep 1916. Very comprehensive reports have been found on line. He was subjected to many medical treatments and operations being eventually discharged on 24 Apr 1919 and continued to suffer from slight deafness and problems with his hand and foot.   He would have qualified for the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1915 Star but this is not recorded but is is known he received a Class A War Badge (No. 173918) and a Class B War Badge (No. 644756) (these equate to the Silver War Badge issued in the UK).  At some time shortly after he returned to the UK and the 1921 Census shows him living with his brother at Woolfridge Farm, Motcombe, described as a Farmer. He married Kathleen Victoria Courtney Hull in 1928 in Motcombe.  By the time of the 1939 Register he had moved back to Guests Farm, Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset, now described as a Dairy Farmer.  His death was recorded in Motcombe on 4 Dec 1953 and he was buried at St. Mary's Church, Motcombe.   His brother, Berkeley William Harris, also served for a short period with the Royal Air Force.

Story:
Cornelius Thomas Cusworth was born on 22 Jun 1894 in Sheffield, Yorkshire, the son of Cornelius Thomas Cusworth (Senior) and Laura Cusworth (nee Summers).  Cornelius's father died in 1898 and his mother went on to marry George South and she and the children lived with him at The Loders Inn, 143 Newhall Road, Attercliffe cum Darnall, Sheffield.  Cornelius married Emma Jane Barnes in the Christchurch, Hampshire, Registry area in 1914.  He had enlisted with the Kings Own Rifles (Royal Lancashire Regiment) as a Private (Service No. 14055).  He served in France and Flanders from 27 Sep 1915 with the 8th Battalion rising to the rank of Corporal.  He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal during this time as well as the Victory and British War Medals and the 1915 Star following his discharge.  He had given his address in the Absent Voters List as 54 West Street, Fontmell Magna, Shaftesbury, Dorset.  He resumed civilian life by working in Blandford Dorset, as a Drapers Assistant but by 1931 had moved to become the licensee of The Bull Hotel, 11 Fisherton Street, Salisbury, Wiltshire, and was registered there in the 1939 Register.  His death was recorded in Salisbury in 1947. His son, also called Cornelius Thomas Cusworth. served with the Devonshire Regiment in WW2.

Story:
Bernard Richard Paul Bukow was born in Bayswater, London, on 26 Dec 1901 the son of Richard Bernhard Paul Bukow and Lucy Amelia Stride.  By 1911 he was living at 25  Elspeth Road, Lavender Hill, London, described as a Visitor living with Alice Stride (Widow).  He had been a pupil at Shaftesbury Grammar School, Shaftesbury, Dorset, for some of his education.  In 1918 he had enlisted and joined the Grenadier Guards (Service No. 2605504) eventually becoming a Warrant Officer Class II based at the Guards HQ in Birdcage Walk, London.  He married Winifred Amy Waite in Farnham, Surrey, on 26 Dec 1926.  He remained in the Guards and by the 1939 Register was living at 31 South Park Grove, New Malden, Surrey.  He was transferred to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps in 1941 (Service No. 183002) and promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on 28 Apr 1941 working at the Administration Branch of the Corps.  On his retirement from the Army in 1945 he was appointed an Honorary Captain.  He moved to Newcastle upon Tyne and remained in the area until his death on 28 Aug 1990.

Story:
George Thomas Parsons was born in Motcombe, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 20 Jan 1900 and baptised there on 16 Feb 1900 the son of John Parsons (a Farmer and Builder) and Emily Catherine Parsons (nee Watts).  He spent his early life with his family in and around Motcombe Street, Motcombe.  He attended Shaftesbury Grammar School for some of his education.  According to school records he had enlisted in the Royal Engineers but no Military record has been found at this time. The 1921 Census shows him boarding at 2 Furlong Road, Islington, London, working as a Motor Mechanic. He appears on a list of Old Boys living in London or suburbs in the February 1922 edition of the Shaftesbury Grammar School magazine and married Phyllis Mary Halsey-Macer in the St. Pancras area, London, in 1924.   By the time of the 1939 Register he had moved to 60 Rolls Hill, Frome, Somerset, described as a Transport Maintenance Engineer.  His wife, Phyllis, died in 1962 by which time he had moved to 60 Rolls Hill, Frome, Somerset. He apparently re-married Marjorie Maud Peplow in Frome in the latter part of 1962. He died in Frome, Somerset, on 24 Jun 1967 and his wife, Marjorie, was later granted probate of his will.

George's brother Arthur John (b.1898) also served in the war and sadly died in 1919 of wounds received in France while with the Gloucestershire Regiment.