|
|
|
Dorsetshire Regiment
Regular Battalions: - 1st Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
- 2nd Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
- 3rd Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
Territorial Force: - 4th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
- 2/4th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
- 3/4th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
Kitchener's New Army: - 1st Garrison Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
- 5th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
- 6th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
- 7th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
- 8th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
- 9th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
|
|
|
Want to know more about the Dorsetshire Regiment? There are:7182 items tagged Dorsetshire Regiment available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War. |
|
Those known to have served withDorsetshire Regiment during the Great War 1914-1918. - Abraham James Henry. Sgt. 2nd btn. (d.5th July 1918)
- Adams MM. James. Pte. 2nd Btn.
- Allen Herbert. Pte. 8th Btn. (d.5th Aug 1917)
- Allen MM. Reginald Hercules. Sgt. 6th Btn.
- Anderson William Edward. Pte. 5th Btn. (d.31st Mar 1917)
- Barrett William. Pte. 6th Battalion (d.23rd April 1916)
- Baston William Edwell. Pte. 1st Btn. (d.1st Jan 1918)
- Bateman Henry Ernest. Pte. 6th Btn. (d.4th Nov 1918)
- Biggs Edward Frank. Cpl. 1st Btn., C Coy. (d.5th May 1915)
- Bishop William James. Pte. 1st/4th Btn. (d.23rd Dec 1916)
- Blackham Victor Charles. Pte 1st Btn
- Bradley Arthur Edward. Pte. 9th Battalion (d.8th Oct 1918)
- Caine E.. Pte. 1st Btn.
- Cornick Joseph. 5th Btn.
- Crabb Francis Frederick. Pte. 6th Btn. (d.19th November 1917)
- Crabb Francis Frederick. Pte. (d.19th November 1917)
- Crocker William Henry. Pte. 2nd Battalion
- Cross W. M.. Pte. 5th Btn. (d.22nd September 1915)
- Darch Albert. Pte. 6th Btn. (d.15th April 1918)
- Dart Herbert. Pte. 6th Battalion (d.5th Nov 1918)
- Dashwood Albert Frank. L/Cpl. 1st Btn. B Coy. (d.5th Mar 1915)
- Diment MM. Albert Joe. Pte 5th Btn.
- Dixon Henry Clarke. L/Sgt. 2nd Btn. (d.17th Nov 1914)
- Dowse Alfred J.. Pte. 1st. Btn.
- Eagle George Dodson. 3rd Battalion (d.3rd April 1916)
- Elkins Frederick. Pte. 5th Btn. (d.19th Aug 1915)
- Ellis William Henry. Pte. 2nd Btn. (d.23rd July 1917)
- Farnham Charles. Cpl 6th Btn. (d.3rd April 1918)
- Fawn William Thomas. RQMS. D Coy. 6th Btn. (d.22nd Apr 1917)
- Fisher Ernest Edwin. Cpl. 6th Btn. (d.13th Apr 1917)
- Garnett William Owen. Pte. 1st Btn. (d.5th May 1915)
- Gawler Sidney Ernest. Pte. 6th Batalion (d.9th Nov 1916)
- Gibbon Oswald Frank. Sgt. 6th Btn. (d.25th Mar 1918)
- Gibson Thomas William. Pte. 8th Btn.
- Giles Frederick George. Pte. 2nd Btn. (d.6th Sep 1916)
- Goodwin Henry James. Pte. 6th Btn. (d.7th July 1916)
- Gosney T.. Pte. 2nd Btn. (d.26th July 1916)
- Haggett Walter. Pte. 2nd Btn. (d.10th May 1916)
- Hainsworth Arthur. Pte. 6th Btn. (d.15th April 1918)
- Hall Fred. 2Lt. (d.22nd September 1916)
- Hawkings Fred. Pte. 6th Btn. (d.27th August 1918)
- Hayden Edward Nathaniel. L/Cpl. 5th Btn. (d.26th Sep 1916)
- Hazell Albert Charles. Cpl. 6th Battalion (d.11th October 1918)
- Holman William Victor. 4th Dorset
- Hooper Francis Henry. Pte. 6th Btn. (d.30th Sep 1918)
- Howarth George. Pte. 2nd Btn. (d.24th Apr 1916)
- Jackman Alfred. Pte. 1/4th Btn.
- Kellaway Albert Alfred. Pte. 5th Btn. C Coy.
- Kelly Thomas. L/Cpl. 5th Btn. (d.16th Aug 1917)
- Kerslake George. Pte. 5th Btn. (d.29th Sep 1916)
- Kiddle Everard John. L/Cpl. 6th Btn . (d.27th Jun 1917)
- Kitcher Henry Ernest. Capt 5th Btn (d.1916)
- Knight Reginald Josiah. Pte. 5th Batallion
- Lawson Sidney Rex. Sgt. 5th Btn. (d.18th Jun 1917)
- Lewis John. Pte. 5th Btn. (d.19th Apr 1917)
- Lugg James Richard. Pte. (d.25th Jan 1915)
- Lugg William. Pte. 1st Battalion (d.15th Apr 1917)
- McCall Archibald Ness. Pte. 6th Battalion
- McIntosh Colin McKenzie. Pte. 6th Btn. (d.3rd Oct 1918)
- Mellor John Percival. Capt. 5th Battalion
- Menzies Sydney James. Pte. 3rd Btn. (d.1921)
- Mullins Ernest James. Pte. 5th Btn. (d.11th Jan 1917)
- Mullins Ernest James. Pte. 5th Btn. (d.11th January 1917)
- Newcombe Ernest William. L/Cpl. 5th Battalion (d.11th Jan 1917)
- Newman Charles. Pte. 2/4th Btn. (d.24th Nov 1917)
- Oakes Wilfred Cecil. Pte. 5th Btn. (d.1st Oct 1918)
- Packe Edward Alexander. Capt.
- Pascoe Woodman. Pte.
- Patten Bert. Pte. 1/4th Btn. (d.19th Jun 1917)
- Patten Bert. Pte. 1st/4th Btn. (d.19th June 1917)
- Paul Henry Walter Whetham. Pte. 5th Btn.
- Paul Levi. Pte. 6th Battalion (d.12 April 1917)
- Pinel MM. Raymond St.John. Cpl. 6th Battalion (d.9th Sep 1920)
- Pitman Andrew James. L/Cpl. 5th Btn. (d.21st Aug 1915)
- Powell Horace Randolph. Pte. 2nd Btn. (d.14 April 1915)
- Rich George Henry. Pte. 5th Btn.
- Robinson James Temple. Pte. 5th Btn. (d.7th December 1915)
- Rossiter Wilfred James Campbell. L/Cpl.
- Shaw DSO. Donald Patrick. Mjr. 6th Btn.
- Smith Christopher Frank. Pte.
- Smith Hugh Deane. Pte. 6th Btn. (d.1st Sep 1918)
- Spice William Bernard. 2nd Lt. 5th Btn.
- Talbot Frederick James. 6th Battalion (d.24th August 1918)
- Terry Lionel Douglas.
- Terry Lionel Douglas Hill. 2nd Btn
- Thurley George William. Pte. 1st Btn.
- Toogood Arthur Thomas. Pte. 1st Btn. (d.12th Jun 1915)
- Tulk Harry William. Pte.
- Upshall Stephen. L/Cpl. 1st Battalion (d.10th July 1916)
- Warford William. Pte. 5th Battalion (d.13th June 1917)
- Warren Claude Archibald John Henry. L/Cpl. 5th Btn. (d.29th September 1918)
- White Bertie William John. Pte. 5th Battalion
- White Wilfred Percy. Pte. 2nd Btn.
- White William John. Pte. 5th Btn (d.19th Aug 1915)
- White William Jarvis. Pte. 5th Battalion (d.19th Aug 1915)
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please.
Add a Name to this List
More Dorsetshire Regiment records.
|
|
The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.
- 1st of September 2024 marks 25 years since the launch of the Wartime Memories Project. Thanks to everyone who has supported us over this time.
|
Want to find out more about your relative's service? Want to know what life was like during the Great War? Our
Library contains many many diary entries, personal letters and other documents, most transcribed into plain text.
|
Looking for help with Family History Research?
Please see Family History FAQ's
Please note: We are unable to provide individual research.
|
|
Can you help?
The free to access section of The Wartime Memories Project website is run by volunteers and funded by donations from our visitors.
If the information here has been helpful or you have enjoyed reaching the stories please conside making a donation, no matter how small, would be much appreciated, annually we need to raise enough funds to pay for our web hosting or this site will vanish from the web.
If you enjoy this site
please consider making a donation.
Announcements
- 26th Mar 2025
Please note we currently have a massive backlog of submitted material, our volunteers are working through this as quickly as possible and all names, stories and photos will be added to the site. If you have already submitted a story to the site and your UID reference number is higher than
265607 your submission is still in the queue, please do not resubmit.
Wanted: Digital copies of Group photographs, Scrapbooks, Autograph books, photo albums, newspaper clippings, letters, postcards and ephemera relating to the Great War. If you have any unwanted
photographs, documents or items from the First or Second World War, please do not destroy them. The Wartime Memories Project will give them a good home and ensure that they are used for educational purposes. Please get in touch for the postal address, do not sent them to our PO Box as packages are not accepted.
|
World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great battalion regiment artillery
Did you know? We also have a section on World War Two. and a
Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.
|
|
|
265460 L/Cpl. Everard John Kiddle 6th Btn . Dorsetshire Regiment (d.27th Jun 1917) Everard Kiddle was my great grandfather.
|
265386 L/Cpl. Edward Nathaniel Hayden 5th Btn. Dorsetshire Regiment (d.26th Sep 1916) Edward Hayden enlisted at Stratford, in East London. As his service records have not survived, little can be said with complete accuracy, but given that he entered the theatre of war on 12th of September 1914, he must have had previous military experience and may have enlisted into the 3rd Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment (Special Reserve) some time prior to the war. The 3/ prefix before his service number denotes that he served with the 3rd Battalion at some stage.
He would have joined the 1st Battalion in France at a time they had been involved in heavy fighting as recently as the 9th September around the Bois des Essertis in the area of Bezu (Hill 189) in which they incurred a number of dead and wounded.
In the absence of records or personal knowledge, it can't be said with any certainty how he came to be transferred to the 5th Battalion, other than it would not have been until the 5th arrived in France in the second week of July 1916, and this would either have been from a period of leave or returned from being wounded or illness.
Given his previous experience with the Special Reserves and the 1st Battalion in France, this may have been about the time he was promoted to Lance Corporal.
Although the Battle of the Somme had commenced on 1st of July 1916, the 5th Battalion had a gentle introduction and their first real action for them was a costly one that resulted in huge casualties including Edward Hayden. This was at the infamous Mouquet Farm, known by the troops as Mucky Farm.
On 26th of September 1916 The 34th Brigade attack was led by the Fusilier Regiments with the 5th in support being used to consolidate positions captured by the Fusiliers. During their advance on No-Mans land they were caught by a German artillery barrage, Capt Vincent and Lieut Gandon were killed and Capt Gregory was injured. The attack caused the advance to become fragmented and uncohesive. However, despite this, 2nd Lieut Franklin assumed command of D Company when Lieut King was hit and led his company forward with great courage until severely wounded himself.
2nd Lieut Vale took command of A Company when Capt Gregory was injured. He established a party close to Zollern Redoubt. Despite heavy fighting Zollern Redoubt and the trench were not taken. At 8pm Lt-Col Hannay was ordered to consolidate the second objective and send two companies forward to secure the third. Despite the heaviest shelling seen by the 5th to date nobody was hit. Despite heavy shelling the gains were consolidated before being relieved by 32nd brigade. After a weary trudge, the remnants of the Dorset’s reached Pozieres at about 18.00 only 120 men answered a roll call.
On the 27th of July 1916, The 34th Brigade now in Divisional reserve went back to Varennes. As a result of their first major battle in France the Battalion had suffered heavily, albeit most of the Division's objectives had been met. Of roughly 600 men in action about two thirds were casualties. 8 officers and 114 men either killed in action or were missing, a further 5 officers and 225 men were wounded. The 11th Division were given 6 weeks out of the line, resting, reorganising and training. Most of this time was spent at Domqueur. The 5th was reinforced by drafts in excess of 600 men.
L Cpl Hayden was reported Missing in Action on 26th of July 1916 and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial and was awarded the 1914 Star and Clasp as well as the British War Medal & Victory Medal.
He was unmarried. His parents were Edward & Matilda Hayden.
He is also commemorated on the Memorial inside the rebuilt St Michael's on Romford Road, Manor Park, Essex.
|
265171 Lionel Douglas Hill Terry 2nd Btn Dorsetshire Regiment Lionel Terry first joined up in 1914 but was under age. He had given his date of birth as 1896 but it was in fact 1897. He was sent back home to Simla where his family lived. His father had gone to India, initially with The Royal Artillery, decades before. He had been part of the Tibet Campaign in 1903.
In January 1915 my father turned 18 and joined the Dorsets. I have photos of him in Basra and somewhere on horseback with an artillery train. He became a Lewis gunner. At some time in the war he was transferred to the Hampshire Regiment. I remember his talking of Kut.
He entered Jerusalem with British troops in 1918. I have the little wooden covered booklet with (pressed) wild flowers from the Holy Land, which was given to British troops. He sent his booklet home to his mother.
After the war he remained with the army for special services because he was fluent in several languages. At least we have a document to that effect. There is no record of what he did or where.
At some stage he was with the Military Police. Later he was with the Colonial Police Service in Karachi before going into business.
He joined the British Civil Service in about 1930 or so in London where he appears on residence lists with the rank of Captain but he was a private or L/Cpl in the war.
He stayed with the Civil Service as a DRO until 1956 when he retired after an illness.
He died in Kent in 1959.
|
257636 L/Cpl. Claude Archibald John Henry Warren 5th Btn. Dorsetshire Regiment (d.29th September 1918) Claude Warren served with the 5th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment in WW1. He died 29th of September 1918 and is buried Chapel Corner Cemetery at Sauchy-Lestree in France.
|
256720 Pte. Alfred Jackman 1/4th Btn. Dorset Regiment Alfred Jackman served with the 1/4th Battalion, Dorset Regiment. Still checking dates and places but he served in Middle East possibly Baghdad.
|
256716 Cpl. Raymond St.John Pinel MM. 6th Battalion Dorset Regiment (d.9th Sep 1920) Raymond Pinel was a relative of my husbands side, he died a year after his son's birth in 1920.
|
255523 Pte Albert Joe Diment MM. 5th Btn. Dorsetshire Regiment Albert Diment won the Military Medal on 11th March 1918. It was awarded on the battlefield [immediate]. Twelve men went behind enemy lines near the quarries penetrating three hundred yards obtaining information about the 6th Bavarian Division. The raid was carried out without artillery or trench-mortor surport. The party got out without any casualties.
CSM Cobb awarded was also awarded the Miltary Medal [immediate]
I am Joe Diment's grandson now 71. I would love to know what they did. I have his medal in my hand. It would be nice to know before I pop my cork!
|
255263 Pte. Sydney James Menzies 3rd Btn. Dorsetshire Regiment (d.1921) Sydney Menzies joined the 3rd Dorset Regiment in Sept 1914 and was attached to the 7th Royal Munster Fusiliers.
He entered the theatre of war on 15th of October 1915 in the Balkans. He is believed to have fought at Kosturino and also saw service in France on the Somme and Belgium at Ypres.
He was gassed twice in the war and died of the effects of the 2nd gassing in 1921.
|
254193 Pte. Wilfred Cecil Oakes 5th Btn. Dorsetshire Regiment (d.1st Oct 1918) My great uncle Wilfred Oakes died on 1st of October 1918, aged 26. On 2nd of October 1915 he sent a postcard, to his elder brother Charles of some of the troops with whom he was stationed in Canterbury from 3 Troop C Squad. North Somerset Yeomanry.
The postcard reads "Dear Jim, A few lines to let you know I am going on alright. Photo of some of our Troop. Canterbury is a nice town but no lights at night because of Zep raids. A few miles from coast. Hern Bay 7, Deal 8, Folkestone about 17 miles. Buses run. Have nice rides in country. Hoping all are well. I remain yours, Wilf."
I believe that Wilfred is the middle of the 3 men stood at the back of the family photo.
|
253936 L/Cpl. Andrew James Pitman 5th Btn. Dorsetshire Regiment (d.21st Aug 1915) Andrew Pitman served with the 5th Dorsetshire Regiment.
|
253516 Sgt. Oswald Frank Gibbon 6th Btn. Dorsetshire Regiment (d.25th Mar 1918) Oswald Gibbon died during WW1 along with his brothers Albert and Thomas.
Oswald came home on leave from the war and his daughter Beatrice age 4 refused to hug him because of his itchy soldier overcoat.
She never saw him again and regretted her childish actions for the rest of her life.
Oswald is buried in Lebucquiere Communal Cemetery in France.
|
252958 RQMS. William Thomas Fawn D Coy. 6th Btn. Dorsetshire Regiment (d.22nd Apr 1917) William Fawn, my great uncle was part of D Company, 6th Dorsets. Whilst in rear support, They left Wellington Quarry caves for the trenches at 11.50 pm.
Whilst the Battalion were filing out of the caves, a shell fell just at the head of the exit, killing 6 and wounding 6 which included several important members of Quarter Master's Staff.
|
252415 Pte. Thomas William Gibson 8th Btn. East Yorkshire Regiment Thomas Gibson was my grandfather, he was born at Moorside Farm on Kingsley Moor, Staffordshire in 1899.
We know that he lied about his age and joined up at the age of 15 and he was sent to France early in the War and carried out duties as a despatch rider, carrying information between command posts on his bicycle.
We believe he transferred to the 6th Dorsets some time in 1918. At some point, Tommy was wounded by flying shrapnel but appears it was not serious enough to be sent home.
After the War, Tommy took apprenticeship as a carpenter and wheelwright before inheriting the farm from his father. In later life Tommy was plagued by the experiences and injuries from his time in France.
Although he handed over the running of the farm to his youngest son, he continued his carpentry work up to the period just before his death in 1979.
|
251894 Cpl. Albert Charles Hazell 6th Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment (d.11th October 1918) Albert Hazell served with 6th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment.
|
248666 L/Cpl. Wilfred James Campbell Rossiter Somerset Light Infantry I never knew my grandfather Wilfred Rossiter. He left the marital home when my father was young. I have been researching my family for thirty year now.
Unfortunately, little is known or available for this gentleman. I was fortunate to buy his war medals last October, and have sent a photo.
He was initially in the Somerset Light Infantry. Later the Dorsetshire Regiment. Any information would be great.
Strange thing, his name was Wilfred James Campbell Rossiter. Someone on processing the medal card has written William.
|
247460 Pte. Woodman "Woody" Pascoe Dorsetshire Regiment Woody Pascoe was wounded at the Somme but survived the war and went on to live until 1981 (he had been born in 1899). I have not found his service or pension records but have a copy of his medal card. No photos either.
|
246949 Pte. Francis Frederick Crabb Dorsetshire Regiment (d.19th November 1917) Frank Crabb served in France and Flanders. He was killed in action at Langemarke, Belgium. He is buried at Cement House Cemetery.
He was my great uncle.
|
244988 Cpl. Ernest Edwin Fisher 6th Btn. Dorset Regiment (d.13th Apr 1917) Ernest Fisher was born in 1895 in Melbury Abbas. He was the son of a stonemason. At the outbreak of the Great War in 1914 he was living in Hardings Lane, Melbury Abbas, Shaftesbury. He enlisted in his local Dorsetshire Regiment and at the time of his death held the rank of Corporal. He served in France and Flanders and was posthumously awarded the Victory and British War medals. He died on 13th of April 1917 and was buried at Duisans British Cemetery in Etrun. He is remembered on the Cann War Memorial, Shaftesbury.
|
244373 Cpl. Edward Frank Biggs 1st Btn., C Coy. Dorset Regiment (d.5th May 1915) Frank Biggs was born in Odd Down on 12th February 1893 to Walter George Biggs and Amy Emily (nee Savage). He was the third of eight siblings, and before the war he worked as a railway contractor's labourer. He died as a result of gas poisoning on Hill 60 at Ypres.
|
244310 Pte. Francis Frederick Crabb 6th Btn. Dorsetshire Regiment (d.19th November 1917) Frank Crabb served with the 6th Btn. Dorsetshire Regiment. He was my great uncle. He died on 19th of November 1917, aged 22, killed in action at Langemarke, Belgium.
He is buried at Cement House Cemetery, Belgium.
|
|
Site Home
Help & FAQs
