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.

Story:
David Henry McDowell was born in Lambeg Town, Derriaghy, Antrim, Ireland, on 11 Mar 1892 the son of David McDowell and Elizabeth Anne McDowell.  He spent his early years in Derriaghy until he enlisted with the Royal Marines Light Infantry on 22 Jan 1908 as a Private (Service Nos. 14336 & 24898).  For his WW1 service he was awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1914/15 Star.  He was stationed at Blandford, Camp, Dorset, and there met and married Dorcas Nellie Andrews at St. Andrews Church, Fontmell Magna, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 9 Feb 1918.  He gave his parents-in-law address of 34 Mill Street, Fontmill Magna, in the Absent Voters List for 1918.  He had remained in the Marines after the war and by the 1921 Census was based in Cambridge. By the 1939 Register his wife was living at 10 Madan Road, Sevenoaks, Kent, and it is presumed that David had remained in the forces.  He later set up home with his wife at 4 Vine Street, Templecombe, Somerset and he died there on 28 Dec 1969.

Story:
Frank Gray was born in Compton Abbas, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 22 Sep 1889 the son of William Gray and Jane Gray (nee Hardiman).  He lived his early life in and around Compton Abbas.  He married Ann Sims at St. James's Church, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 29 May 1912 and they lived at 19 Gold Hill, Shaftesbury.  He had enlisted and joined the Machine Gun Corps as a Private (Service No. 105935).  It is not known in which theatre of war he served but on his discharge was awarded the Victory and British War Medals.  The 1921 Census shows he had returned to 19 Gold Hill, Shaftesbury, where he was described as a Carman for H. Hirst a local ironmonger. By the time of the 1939 Register he had moved to 1 Tanyard Villas, Shaftesbury, Dorset, still working as an Ironmonger's Carman.  His death was registered at Sturminster, Dorset, in 1964 and he was buried at St. James Church, Shaftesbury, on 19 Jun 1964.  His brother, Harry Gray, also served for a short time in the forces and survived.