IN GRATEFUL AND HONOURED
MEMORY OF THE MEN OF
THIS PARISH WHO FELL IN
THE GREAT WAR
1914/1918
SONS OF THIS PLACE LET THIS OF YOU BE SAID. THAT YOU WHO LIVE ARE WORTHY OF YOUR DEAD. THESE GAVE THEIR LIVES THAT YOU WHO LIVE MAY REAP A RICHER HARVEST ERE YOU FALL ASLEEP.
ALL RESEARCH ON THIS PAGE IS COPYRIGHT OF DORSETWW1.CO.UK.
W J BISHOP
2120 Pte William James Bishop 1/4 Bn Dorset Regiment. William was born in Moreton and resided in Wool. He was a Railway Porter before the war, but enlisted in Wool for the army. William Died of Dysentery in Bombay, India, on the 24th December 1916, aged 22. He was originally buried in Bombay (Sewri) Cemetery, but is now commemorated on the Kirkee 1914-1918 Memorial. The CWGC lists “Son of W. F. and Annie Frances Jane Bishop, of 7, Station Rd., Wool, Dorset”.
R J BOWERING
3/8416 Pte Robert John Bowering 1 Bn Dorset Regiment. Robert was born in Newton and resided in Wool. He had been a pre-war regular soldier, originally enlisting in December 1891 in Dorchester. He served with the 2nd Dorsets, before being transferred to the 1st Battalion in March 1893. He took part in the Tirah Expedition of 1897/98 and later became a Drummer in 1906. Robert was finally discharged from the Army in 1910, after having served 18 years. He re-enlisted for the Great War in Poole. Robert was present at Hill 60 on the 1st May 1915 when the 1st Dorsets were gassed in one of the first of such attacks of this new form of warfare. Robert died from gas poisoning on the 2nd May 1915. He is buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord.
V CHURCHILL
10707 Pte Victor Churchill 5 Bn Dorset Regiment. Victor was born in Milborne St Andrews and resided in Milton Abbas. He enlisted for the Great War at Dorchester in September 1914, having previously been a Labourer. Victor was Killed in Action (Missing, Presumed Dead) at Gallipoli on the 22nd August 1915. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial. Also remembered on Bere Regis War Memorial and Milton Abbas War Memorial.
C T DAVIS
12608 Pte Charles Tom Davis 5 Bn Dorset Regiment. Charles was born in Wareham and resided in Bovington. He enlisted for the Great War in Dorchester in December 1914, having previously worked as a Carter. Charles was Killed in Action (Missing, Presumed Dead) on the 21st August 1915 at Gallipoli, aged 23. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial.
R G HANSFORD
J/19139 Able Seaman Reginald George Hansford HMS Black Prince. Reginald was born on the 13th January 1897 in Dorchester. He joined the Royal Navy as a Boy in July 1912. Reginald was Killed in Action at the Battle of Jutland on the 31st May 1916 aged 19. HMS Black Prince was sunk with the loss of the entire crew. His body was not recovered for burial. He is now commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. The CWGC lists “Son of Mrs. Hansford, of 60, Church Rd., Wool, Dorset”.
M G E LEAK
24595 L/Cpl Montague Eli George Leak 10 Bn Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. Montague was born in Milborne St Andrew and resided in Wool. He enlisted for the Great War in Dorchester. Montague was Killed in Action on the 5th August 1916. He has no known grave and is now commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing on the Somme.
W RICKETTS
6881 L/Sgt Walter Ernest Ricketts 1 Bn Scots Guards. Walter was born and resided in Wareham. He was a pre war regular soldier, having enlisted in Weymouth. Walter was Killed in Action on the 11th November 1914. He has no known grave and is now commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial to the missing in Ypres. His father was listed as his Next of Kin, living in Church Lane, Wool.
F D STEVENS
38950 Pte Frederick David Stevens 5 Bn Royal Berkshire Regiment, formerly S4/157908 Army Service Corps. Frederick was born and resided in Wool. He enlisted for the Great War in Aldershot. Frederick was Killed in Action on the 25th May 1918, aged 28. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial. The CWGC lists “Son of Austin and Mary Elizabeth Stevens, of 41, Quarr Hill, Wool, Dorset”.
R TOREVELL
8222 Pte Richard Torevell 2 Bn Dorset Regiment. Richard was born and resided in Wool. He was a pre war regular soldier, having enlisted in December 1906 at Dorchester. In July 1914, he was convicted of being drunk on the rifle range and confined to barracks for 7 days. Richard died of Cirrhosis of the liver at a Field Ambulance in Amara, Mesopotamia on the 14th September 1915. He is buried in Amara War Cemetery. The CWGC lists “Son of Mrs. J. E. Torevell, of 52, Spring St., Wool, Wareham, Dorset”.
O P WHITING
39769 Pte Oscar Penny Whiting 1 Bn Wiltshire Regiment, formerly 166465 Pte 2/1 North Somerset Yeomanry and 41028 Pte Somerset Light Infantry. Oscar was born and resided in Wool. He enlisted for the Great War in Dorchester. Oscar was Killed in Action on the 26th April 1918. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
N S WRIGHT
Flight Sub Lieut Noel Stafford Wright 1 (Naval) Squadron Royal Naval Air Service. Noel was born on the 24th December 1898 in Carshalton, Surrey and resided in Wool. He attended Clarence School(Weston-super-Mare) and Haleybury College (Hertford). He was commissioned into the Royal Naval Air Service on the 21st January 1917. Noel was killed when his Sopwith Triplane had a mid-air collision with another British plane (Spad VII) on the 18th September 1917. He was 18 and is buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord. The CWGC lists “Son of Walter Southey Wright and Caroline Maud Wright, of The Firs, Wool, Dorset”.
Dorset in the Great War 