Roll of Honour - Dorset

Ministry of Defence

Lest We Forget

The Royal British Legion

CERNE ABBAS WAR MEMORIAL

World War 1 & 2 - Detailed information
Compiled and copyright © Brian Sapsed 2008
additional information George Mortimer 2015

The Memorial, standing just over 2 metres high and 1 metre wide, consists of a stone block pillar with three bronze plaques of varying size set into it.. Dedications to the fallen are incised on the plaques and relate to World War 1 (14 lives), World War 2, (9 lives), and the Falklands War, (1 life). There is also a small bronze wreath placed above the World War 1 plaque. The Memorial stands on a square concrete base with flower beds around it and is situated next to the parish church of St Mary’s.

TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THOSE WHO MADE THE GREAT SACRIFICE IN THE GREAT WAR THIS MEMORIAL WAS ERECTED BY PARISHIONERS AND FRIENDS OF CERNE ABBAS 1914 - 1918.

DAMEN	Charles	287 Private Charles Damen, 7th Battalion. Australian Infantry Force (AIF). Charles Damen was born in Plush, Dorset, in 1881, emigrating to Australia around 1913. As part of ANZAC, the AIF landed on the Gallipoli Peninsular on 25th April 1915. Charles was identified when a mass grave was opened after the war. He died 25th April 1915, aged: 33. Next of kin his mother Silvia Damen of Acreman Street, Cerne Abbas. Gardener by trade. Buried in grave L12 Lone Pine Cemetery, Gallipoli.
BURT	Charles	29225 Private Charles Burt. 1st Btn. Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry (Formerly 26836 Dorset Regiment). Born: Maiden Castle, Dorset. Enlisted: Dorchester. Resided: Cerne Abbas, Dorset. Son of William Burt; husband of Bertha Gertrude Allen (formerly Burt), of 2, Salisbury Villas, Porchester, Dorchester. Killed in action 4th October 1917. Age: 27. No known grave. Commemorated: Panel 80 to 82 and 163A, Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.
COLLIER	Horace	9411 Lance Corporal Horace Collier. 1st Btn. Dorsetshire Regiment. Born: Cerne Abbas, Dorset. Enlisted: Dorchester, Dorset. Resided: Cerne Abbas. Killed in action 13th October 1914. No known grave. Commemorated: Panel 22 and 23, Le Touret Memorial, France.
CURTIS	George	8135 Fitter George Curtis. "D" Bty. 50th Bde. Royal Field Artillery. Born: Dorchester, Dorset. Enlisted: Basingstoke, Hants. Son of Thos. and Caroline Curtis, of Cerne Abbas, Dorset. Died of wounds 31st March 1918. Age: 26. Buried in grave XXXIII. B. 5, Etaples Military Cemetery, France.
DIMENT	Hamilton	12963 Private Hamilton Diment. 6th Btn. Dorsetshire Regiment. (transferred (as 368020), to 288th Area Employment Coy). Son of Robert Diment, of Dilton Marsh, Westbury, Wilts; husband of Elizabeth Jane Diment, of 63, Vicarage St., Cerne Abbas, Dorchester, Dorset. Died 27th December 1918. Age: 40. Buried in grave IV. A. 5, Cambrai East Military Cemetery, France.
HUNT	Harold	25121 Guardsman Harold Hunt. 4th Btn. Grenadier Guards. Born: Dorchester, Dorset. Enlisted: Dorchester. Son of George and Georgina Hunt, of 6, Acreman St., Cerne Abbas, Dorchester, Dorset. Killed in action 25th September 1916. Age: 20. No known grave. Commemorated: Pier and Face 8 D, Thiepval Memorial, France.
MILLER	William	26832 Lance Corporal William Charles Walter Miller. 6th Btn. Dorsetshire Regiment. Born: Longash, Dorset. Enlisted: Dorchester, Dorset. Resided: Cerne Abbas, Dorset. Son of Charles John and Emma Alice Miller, of Cerne Abbas, Dorset. Killed in action 8th June 1918. Age: 27. No known grave. Commemorated: Panel 48, Pozieres Memorial, France.
PAULLEY	Frank	267408 Private Frank Paulley. 2nd/1st Bucks Btn. Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. Born: Cerne Abbas. Enlisted: Dorchester, Dorset. Resided: Cerne Abbas. Son of the late Mrs. E. Paulley. Killed in action 22nd August 1917. Age: 27. No known grave. Commemorated: Panel 96 to 98, Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.
WAY	Albert	12474 Private Albert Edward Way. 5th Btn. Dorsetshire Regiment. Born: Netherbury, Dorset. Enlisted: Dorchester, Dorset. Resided: Cerne Abbas, Dorset. Son of George and Charlotte Way, of Cerne Abbas, Dorchester. Died of wounds 13th August 1915. Age: 21. Buried at Sea off North African coast. Commemorated Panel 136 to 139, Helles Memorial, Turkey.
WILLIMENT	Thomas	His records do not survive, but circumstantial evidence is that he is commemorated by the CWGC as 1311 Private Thomas Willmott, 2nd Battalion Leinster Regiment. Born in Marshwood, Dorset, son of Thomas and Mary Williment of Cerne Abbas. The family story is that he ‘was blown to pieces’ on 31st July 1917, the opening day of the Third Battle of Ypres, aged 29. He is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel 44.
YOUNG	Edward	7169 Lance Corporal Edward Henry Young. 1st Btn. Dorsetshire Regiment. Born: Cerne Abbas, Dorset. Enlisted: Dorchester, Dorset. Resided: Cerne Abbas. Brother of Mrs. M. J. Harris, of Long St., Cerne Abbas, Dorchester, Dorset. Killed in action 16th September 1914. No known grave. Commemorated: La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial, France.
DERRIMAN	Harry	11/425 Trooper Harry Derriman. Wellington Mounted Rifles. N.Z.E.F. Son of Joseph and Elizabeth Grant Derriman, of 87, Long St., Cerne Abbas, Dorset, England. Died: 9th August 1915. No known grave. Commemorated: Memorial ref 5, Chunuk Bair (NEW ZEALAND) Memorial, Turkey..
LAKE	James	9868 Private James Lake. 5th Battalion Dorset Regiment. Born Cerne Abbas, son of John and Louisa Lake, he enlisted into the 5th Dorsets on 10th August 1914. He was wounded at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli, on 7th August 1915 and underwent seven operations before being medically discharged in March 1916. He died in the Dorchester Borough Isolation Hospital on 27th November 1916 aged 24 and is buried in the Dorchester (Fordington) Cemetery.
VINE	Reginald	246226 Private 440th Agricultural Corps. Born Cerne Abbas, son of William and Catherine Vine, he was mobilised in July 1916, but because of poor health he was eventually assigned to the 440th Agricultural Labour Corps in June 1917. He was medically discharged in April 1918 and died the following month from Tuberculosis aged 20. He is buried in Cerne Abbas Burial Ground.
They died that we might live
"Also in the World War 1939 – 1945"
DOWNTON	Christopher	14543731 Private Christopher Arthur Downton. 7th Btn. Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. Son of Christopher John and Annie Jane Downton, of Cerne Abbas. Died 8th June 1945. Age: 21. Buried in grave 635, Cerne Abbas Burial Ground, Dorset.
DOWNTON	Walter	1548837 Gunner Walter Charles Downton. 91st Bty. 44th Light AA Regiment. Royal Artillery. Son of Christopher John and Annie Jane Downton of Cerne Abbas; husband of Amy Louisa Downton, of Horton Kirby, Kent. Died 9th May 1945. Age: 29. Buried in grave 3. G. 10, Maynamati War Cemetery, Bangladesh.
HARVEY	Herbert	14378913 Trooper Thomas Herbert Harvey. 111th (5th Btn The Manchester Regiment) Regiment. Royal Armoured Corps. Son of Thomas and Edith Harvey; husband of Ruby Harvey, of Cerne Abbas. Died 28th June 1943. Age: 34. Buried in grave 629 Cerne Abbas Burial Ground, Dorset.
HARVEY	John	No further information currently available.
JAY	John	No further information currently available.
MOORE	Montague	565347 Sergeant (Pilot) Montague Moore. 206 Sqdn. Royal Air Force. Son of Henry George Proctor Moore and Florence Moore, of Martinstown, Dorsetshire. Died 12th May 1940. Age: 26. Buried in grave 7. A. 6, Sage War Cemetery, Germany.
OLD	Ernest	5729252 Private Ernest Robert Old. 5th Btn. Dorsetshire Regiment. Son of Harry and Elizabeth Mary Old, of Cerne Abbas, Dorsetshire. Died 10th July 1944. Age: 26. Buried in grave VII. A. 3, Tilly-Sur-Seulles War Cemetery, France.
THOMAS	Jeffrey	No further information currently available.
YEARSLEY	Richard	7888364 Corporal Richard Wilfred Yearsley. 4th Royal Tank Regiment. R.A.C. Son of Wilfred Halford Yearsley and Edith Evelyn Yearsley, of Cerne Abbas. Died 7th August 1945. Age: 25. Buried in grave 637 Cerne Abbas Burial Ground, Dorset.
Falklands Islands
ROTHERAM	Ronald J	Sergeant Ron Rotheram. Royal Marines – HMS Fearless. Born: Liverpool. Resided: Cerne Abbas. Husband of Maureen Rotheram and father of Dawn Rotheram. Killed in action 8th June 1982. Age: 34. On the evening of 8th June, the Landing Craft Unit F4, part crewed by Sergeant Rotheram, was attacked in Choiseul Sound by 3 Argentine aircraft, while returning to HMS Fearless after transporting troops ashore. The crew, four Royal Marines, including Ronald Rotheram, and two Royal Navy ratings, were all killed. No known grave.Commemorated: Bluff Cove Memorial, Falkland Islands.

Last updated 20 December, 2015

War Memorials Trust