Of the eight Dorchester men killed on or around D-Day, five were in the Dorsetshire Regiment, including Privates George Adams and Robert Rogers and Sergeant George Ernest Cheffey.
George Adams
George’s parents, Thomas and Rebecca Jane Frampton, married in Dorchester in 1904, and George was one of their eight children. His siblings were Henry, William, Bertie, Mabel, Henry, Olive and Margaret.
The family lived at 7, Friary Lane, so it’s probable that George attended the Boys School in Colliton Street. Dorchester was a brewery town, with Eldridge Pope’s state of the art brewery thriving, so it’s unsurprising to hear that George was a brewer’s labourer.
George was only 20 when he died on 6th June 1944. His remains lie at rest in Bayeux War Cemetery and his name is on Dorchester’s Cenotaph.
Robert Henry Charles Rogers
Robert was born in 1916 on Weymouth Rd, Chickerell. His parents Harry and Clara Mowlem had married at the Fleet on Christmas Day 1915 and had two other children after Robert, Leslie and Phyllis. The family lived at 5, Marquis Terrace, Wyke Regis.
Robert, known to his friends as Charlie, served with the Territorials prior to the war. He married Dorothy Legg in 1939 and their daughter Barbara was born in 1941. Dorothy and Barbara lived at 5, Mill Flats, Fordington.
‘Charlie’ died on 15th July 1944 aged 27. His name can be seen on the War Memorial at St George’s Church, Fordington.
George Ernest John Cheffey
George was the son of Ernest and Hester (nee Riggs) who had married in 1913 at Stinsford. He was born on 20th Dec 1914 at Tincleton, and it seems his was a country family, living at 3, Coombe Keynes at the time of the 1921 census. George had just one brother, Charles, born in 1918.
The Western Gazette of 1944 tells us that George had been a dairyman, employed near Corfe Castle. He married Laura Way in 1935 and they had their only son, in 1936. In April 1939 George joined the Territorials and was called up to the Dorsets at the outbreak of war. His wife and child, Jeffrey, were living first at Steeple and then at 38, The Grove, Dorchester without him.
George’s service was praised, his commanding officer stating that
“he did a grand job and he was continually encouraging his men”.
George died on 10th July 1944, and is buried at St Manvier War Cemetery, Cheux.
George Cheffey had another brother (Harry) John born in 1924. John named his daughter Georgina in his brother’s honour and his eldest daughter Ruth named her son George (me). Uncle Charlie gave his youngest son the middle name of George, too!
Sadly, George’s son Jeff died in Dorchester in late 2023.
That’s a lovely tribute, and thank-you for sharing these extra details George.
Thank you so much for the moving tribute to my late great, great uncle George Adams. It was also heartfelt to see a picture of George, as I have never seen one before. What a lovely smile George had.
Hi Leigh – thanks for getting in touch, and we are delighted that you’ve been able to find a photograph of George from this post. He certainly did have a great smile!
Thank you.
Thanks for getting in touch George – its great to hear from a family member of one of the men we featured. I’m touched to hear how the memory of George has been held in the family and the name passed down.