No.8773, Private, Frank ASHTON
Aged 18
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Born in 1897 (1st qtr Bury St.Edmunds 4a:832 , son of Alfred and Alice ASHTON (née HERBERT).
1901 census...Aged 4, he was at 17 St Edmunds Place, Bury St.Edmunds with his father Alfred ASHTON [48] a signals fitter, born Barrow; his mother Alice [46] born Colchester; brothers Fred [17] railway porter, Alfred [15] errnd boy, William [13], George [11] and Horace [2]; sister Florry [9]. All the children were born in Bury S.Edmunds 1911 census...Aged 14, an errand boy, he was still at 17 St.Edmunds Place, Bury St.Edmunds with his parents (mother had lost 2 of her 13 children; brothers Fred [27 GER Porter/guard, Alfred [25]GER porter/signalman and Horace [12] The pension card has his mother still at 17 St.Edmunds Place, Bury St.Edmunds His brother William was killed only one month later, in Belgium and is also named on the Menin Gate see here |
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He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds, some time between January 1913 and March 1914, hence his early appearance in the BEF On 9th April 1915 his battalion were at Vierstraat, in Belgium. The war diary has- Vierstratt -9th- Bde ordered to hand over to next Bde 100 paces on left of M.1 No 15470 Pte B Lee and No 5448 Pte F Wheeler killed. That is rather strange, even to get OR casualties named, but Pte Lee was not killed then, Pte Wheeler was, and so were 5 others, including Frank. Perhaps they were simply missing at the time. Completing the daily war diary was not the most sought after task for an officer. On the right hand flint wall at the end of Myrtle Mews off St. Martins Street (adjacent to St. Edmunds Place) there is a carved wooden shrine for the men of St Edmunds Place, Bury St.Edmunds. Named on it are Frederick R.Allen - Frank Ashton - William Ashton - William Barton - Fred Brunning - James P Cook - Edward C Creek - William E Nunn - James H Pallant - Victor Southgate. Made by Mr E W Cottis, wood carver, of 10 Looms lane, Bury St Edmunds unveiled on 28th August 1920 by Rev.W.H.Colman, curate of St.Johns |
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details