DETAILS of Poole servicemen who paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country during both world wars have gone online, thanks to a local historian.

Jill Floyd, who researched the names from Broadstone’s three war memorials, teamed up with resident John Palmer, who runs a number of community web pages.

The names of 50 men who died in World War I, and 36 who perished in World War II, are noted on memorials at St John’s Church, Broadstone Recreation Ground and Broadstone First School.

Jill, who first researched the names six years ago for a printed book, worked to ensure details or each person were available online in time for this year’s Great War centenary.

She painstakingly researched details from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, regimental diaries and many other sources to piece together a picture of each person listed.

Jill explained: “I walked past the war memorial in the recreation ground one day and wondered who all these men were.

“They must have had full names, families and lives, before they went off to fight for king and country.

“I then found names on the memorials in St John’s Church and the Broadstone First School that were different from those in the rec.

“I decided to add them all to one list and find out who they were.

“Every attempt has been made to ensure the information given is accurate, but any corrections or more information would be gratefully accepted for future publishing.”

  • See eyemead.com/BroadWW1.htm

Biographies of three Dorset servicemen

  • Private Harry P Angell, of the 6 Bn Dorsetshire Regiment, died on August 23, 1918, in the Battle of Flers – Courcelette. The village was lost during the German advance of March 1918 and retaken at the end of August by the 6 Dorsets and 10th West Yorks. Harry, born in 1899, lived at Plainfield, Broadstone, according to the 1901 census.
  • Lance Corporal Wilfred Bascombe, of the 5 Bn Dorsetshire Regiment, died aged 19 on September 18, 1916, during the Battle of the Somme.

The Broadstone Church Magazine printed in the month of November 1916 lists the soldier as having been ‘killed after being a very short time at the front’.

  • Private George Carter, of 6 Bn Dorsetshire Regiment, died on October 11, 1917, at Passchendaele, aged 19. He is remembered on the Recreations Ground War Memorial, the memorial at St John’s Church and at the first school. Broadstone Church Magazine records that while on leave he received Holy Communion there on Easter Day.