Story:
Charles Wright was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 15 Mar 1871 the son of Charles Wright and Hannah Wright (nee Lodge).  He lived all his early life in the family home at Barton Hill, Shaftesbury.  He had joined the 12th Lancers as a Trooper on 15 Jul 1892 having previously served as a Territorial with the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 3531). He was discharged after completing his engagement on 11 Jul 1899 but swiftly recalled on 9 Oct 1899 and posted to South Africa where he was eventually awarded the Queens South Africa Medal with three clasps and the Kings South Africa Medal. He was finally placed on reserve on 11 Jul 1904.  He had married Ada Caroline Rideout at Compton Abbas, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 2 Oct 1899 and they went on to have three children.  By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 5 Parsons Pool, Shaftesbury, working as a Groom.  He was called out of reserved on 19 Apr 1915 and initially joined the 4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 5262) but within days was transferred to the Royal Defence Corps as a Private (Service No. 8709).  He served his time in the UK only with, amongst others, the 263rd Protection Company and was finally discharged on 22 Feb 1919.  There are no medal records evident in this case.  Both the 1921 Census and the 1939 Register show he was still living at 5 Parsons Pool, Shaftesbury, Dorset, ultimately working as a Dried Milk Powder Packer.  His death was recorded at the Sturminster, Dorset, Registry in 1943.

Story:
Arthur Francis Thomas was born in Netherbury, Beamintser, Dorset, in 1876 and baptised there on 24 Feb 1876 the son of George Nunn Thomas, a former Army officer, and Louisa Frances Thomas (nee Keddle).  He spent his early life in Dorset including some of his education at Shaftesbury Grammar School, Shaftesbury, Dorset.  He became a merchant seaman and achieved his 2nd Mate's Certificate on 30 Apr 1896.  He had apparently left the sea and had settled in Canada but returned to the UK and married Doris Grace Loxley at All Souls Church, Marylebone, London, on 31 Dec 1903.  They went on to have six children.  By the time of the Canadian Census of 1906 the family had returned to Canada and were living at Marquette, Manitoba, Canada.  There is some confusion as to Arthur's part in WW1 but the Shaftesbury Grammar School record shows him serving in the Navy without mentioning any branch, i.e. Military or Merchant, British or Canadian.  No medal records have been found at this time.  The Canadian Census of 1920 gives his address as 3006 Cedar Hill, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, with an occupation of Conductor (living on own means!).  His death was recorded in British Columbia on 10 Aug 1935.  His brother, Charles Samuel Williamson Thomas, also served in the conflict.

Story:
Alfred William Dennis was born in Winchfield, Hampshire, on 14 Mar 1884 the son of Frederick John Dennis and Catherine Dorothy Dennis (nee Darnell).  He lived his early life in Winchfield.   He married Annie Flora Henry in the Hartley Witney, Hampshire, Registration area in 1911.  He had moved to Shaftesbury, Dorset, to work as a Post Office Clerk.  He enlisted with the Royal Engineers as a Sapper (later becoming a Lance Corporal) (Service No. 152447).  It is not known in which theatre of war he served but he was attached to the GHQ Wireless Group.  On his discharge he was awarded the Victory and British War Medals.  The 1921 Census shows he continue to live in Shaftesbury at 3 Salisbury Street and later the The Bungalow, Alcester, Shaftesbury, described as a Post Office Supervisor.  In 1920 he had been admitted to the Shaftesbury Freemason's Lodge.  By the time of the 1939 Register he had moved to 75 Fifth Cross Road, Tottenham, Middlesex, still working for the GPO and also acting as a Volunteer Auxillary Fireman.    He died in Tottenham on 24 May 1950.

Story:
William James Hands was born in Ilchester, Somerset, on 9 Oct 1889 the son of Edwin James Hands and Letitia Mary Hands (nee Lemon).  He lived his early life in Ilchester until by 1911 he was boarding in Enstone, Oxfordshire, where he was employed as a Grocer.  Prior to the outbreak of WW1 he had moved to Shaftesbury, Dorset, and took up employment with the local firm of Stratton, Sons & Mead working as a Grocer.  He had enlisted and joined the Dorset (Queen's Own) Yeomanry as a Private (Service No 1722).  He served in Egypt where the Yeomanry was absorbed into the Corps of Hussars (Service No. 230909).  He died of wounds in Egypt on 28 Nov 1917 and was buried at the Kantara Military Memorial Cemetery (Grave ref. F.80.).  He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals.  His name appears on the WW1 Memorials in Ilchester, Somerset; Sherborne, Dorset, (where his parents lived) as well as on his employer's Roll of Honour.

Story:
Ashton Burton was born in Litchfield, Hampshire, on 7 Oct 1887 the son of Thomas Burton and Sarah Burton (nee Harrison).  He lived his early life in Litchfield until the death of his father in 1896 when he and his mother moved to Andover, Hampshire, and by 1911, to 25 Bimport, Shaftesbury, Dorset.  Ashton had taken up employment with the local firm of Stratton, Sons & Mead as an Assistant Grocer.   He had enlisted on 7 Sep 1914 and joined the Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Royal Berkshire) Regiment as a Private (Service No. 14439).  He served for a short time in France and Flanders from 19 Sep 1915 before being posted to Salonika on 24 Nov 1915 with the 7th Battalion.  It was here he contracted malaria in November 1916 which severely affected his health.  He was hospitalised on many occasions both abroad and in the UK.  He was eventually attached to the 3rd Battalion at the Regimental Depot until his discharge on 11 Mar 1919.  He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals as well as the 1915 Star.  His name was also placed on his employer's Roll of Honour.  The 1921 Census shows him now living with his widowed mother in Waverley Lane, Gillingham, Dorset, described as a Confectioner's Clerk. By the time of the 1939 Register he was still single and living with his mother and sister (who were both incapacitated) in French Mill Lane, Shaftesbury, Dorset, working as an Assistant Grocer.  His death was recorded at the Sturminster, Dorset, Registry in 1963 and he was buried in the Town Cemetery, Shaftesbury, on 26 Oct 1963.