Story:
Absalom Lane was born in Compton Chamberlayne, Wiltshire, on 28 Feb 1883 and baptised there on 15 Apr 1883 the son of Absalom Lane and Jane Lane (nee Sanger).  He lived his early life in Wiltshire and enlisted in the Royal Navy on 18 Apr 1902 as a Stoker (Service No. 300490).  He was discharged on 27 Jul 1908.  His parents had moved to White Pit Lane, Melbury Abbas, Shaftesbury, Dorset, and from there he enlisted on the 8 Sep 1914 in the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 11008).  He was posted to the 6th (Service Battalion) but shortly after, on 14 Nov 1914, had been discharged due to varicose veins.  He had moved to Birmingham and had apparently re-enlisted and managed to joined the Worcestershire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 29616).  There is no other information concerning his military service.  By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at 133 King Street, Plymouth, Devon, working as a Navvy.  His death was recorded in Bristol in 1951.

Story:
Harold Cuff was born in Winterbourne Whitchurch, Dorset, on 18 Oct 1893 and baptised there on 24 Dec 1893 the son of Edward Stevens Cuff and Sarah Mary Cuff (nee Riggs).  He spent his early life in Winterbourne Whitchurch until by 1911 he had moved with his family to Milton Abbas, Dorset.  He later moved to Blandford Road, Iwerne Minster, Dorset, and from there he had enlisted with the Dorsetshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 10701).  He served in the Balkans area from 11 Jul 1915 and had received gunshot wounds following which he was discharged as being physically unfit for further service on 12 Nov 1918 and awarded the Silver War Badge No. B40737 and a pension for life as well as the Victory and British War Medals and the 1915 Star.   The 1921 Census shows him then boarding at 2 Norrisville Road, Bristol, described as a Commercial Student. He married Alice Harriett Williams in St. Helens Church, Norwich, Norfolk, on 18 Sep 1923.  By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at 18 Lorne Road, Dorchester, Dorset, working as a Storeman Clerk in the Roads and Buildings Dept. of the Dorset County Council.   His death was recorded in Dorchester, Dorset, on 12 Oct 1970.

Story:
Charles Barber Edrich was born in Hautbois Magna, Norfolk, on 25 Apr 1877 and baptised there on 12 Aug 1877 the son of Robert Edrich and Anna Edrich (nee Frary).  He lived his early life in Hautbois Magna until he enlisted on 15 Aug 1894 with the Norfolk Regiment (Service No. 4045). He transferred to the Royal Horse Artillery as a Driver on 10 Nov 1896 (Service No. 17991).  He served in India and South Africa with the 'A' Battery being awarded the Queen's South African Medal with 6 Clasps.    By 1901 he had been posted to Dorchester, Dorset, and acted as a Batman and Groom to an officer there.  He married Sarah Ann Jeanes at St. Mary's Church, Charminster, Dorset, on 11 Feb 1902.   He was discharged from the Army on 14 Aug 1906.   By 1911 he was living in Mappowder, Dorset, and sometime shortly after moved to The Stables, Iwerne Minster, Dorset, where he was employed as a Garden Labourer.  He was recalled to the Royal Field Artillery as a Driver on 14 Aug 1914 (Service No. 88803).  He served in France & Flanders from 16 Aug 1914 but on 18 Jul 1916 he was transferred to the Royal Engineers (Labour Company) as a Private (Service No.43714).  On his discharge he was awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1914/15 Star.  He returned to Iwerne Minster to work as a groom, the 1921 Census giving The Stores as his address, until 1928.  By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at 35 Colliton Street, Dorchester, Dorset, still working as a Garden Labourer.  His death was recorded at the Bridport, Dorset, Registry in 1954.