Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Booknly _s._ of the late James Henry Ascroft, of Oldham, Solicitor (_d._ 1900), by his wife, Mabel Gertrude, dau. of John Lees, of Primrose House, Oldham, Cotton Spinners, and nephew of the late Robert Ascroft, M.P.; _b._ Oldham, 25 April, 1896; educ. Charterhouse, and on the outbreak of war volunteered and was gazetted 2nd Lieut. 25 Aug. 1914; went to the Dardanelles, May, 1915, and was killed in action there, 4 June, 1915. His commanding officer wrote: "Geoffrey was absolutely fearless and had endeared himself to all ranks by brave deeds which he had performed previously. His comrades all speak of his pluck and say, 'he did not know what fear was.'" His brother-in-law, 2nd Lieut. J. B. Emmott, of the same regt., was killed in action the same day. [Illustration: =Robert Geoffrey L. Ascroft.=] =ASH, BASIL DRUMMOND=, Lieut., R.N., and Flight Lieut., R.N.A.S., _s._ of the Rev. Cyril Alfred Drummond Ash, B.A., Keble College, Oxford. Incumbent of Saxton, Tadcaster, co. York, by his wife, Hester Elizabeth, dau. of the late F. J. Alexander, B.C.S., India; _b._ Southport, Queensland, Australia, 16 May, 1890; educ. Preparatory School, Arlington House, Brighton, and Mr. Foster's School, Stubbington, Fareham, Hants; joined the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, as a Cadet, 18 Sept. 1905, and became sub.-Lieut. 12 Sept. 1910, and Lieut. 1 Oct. 1912; served as Midshipman in H.M.S. Dreadnought (Flagship of Admiral Sir Francis Bridgeman, Home Fleet), Prince of Wales (Flagship of Admiral Prince Louis of Battenberg, Atlantic Fleet); and Africa (Capt. Leveson, Home Fleet); as sub-Lieut. and Lieut. in H.M.S. Philomel and Espiègle, in the Persian Gulf, Oct. 1911, to Nov. 1913; and in the R.N.A.S., 27 Jan. 1914, to 29 Sept. 1914, on which latter day he was lost in Seaplane 77 off the coast of Scotland, while engaged in scouting for German submarines. All his commanding officers testified to his ability as a Naval Officer. He was _unm._ [Illustration: =Basil Drummond Ash.=] =ASH, WILFRID JOHN=, Lieut., 3rd Batt. Middlesex (Duke of Cambridge's Own) Regt., _s._ of Herbert Edward Ash, of Keilawarra, Warlingham, Surrey, Solicitor; _b._ Croydon, 29 July, 1890; educ. Littlejohn's, Greenwich; Haileybury and Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut., 2nd Battn. Middlesex Regt., 5 Oct. 1910; exchanged to 3rd Battn., then at Lebong, India, July, 1911; promoted Lieut., 23 July, 1913. Lieut. Ash was in England on leave when war broke out. He was recalled to rejoin his regt. at Cawnpore, and sailed for India in September. Two or three days before Christmas Day, 1914, he was back again in England with the 3rd Middlesex, who had come over as a complete unit. He went with the regt. to France in January, 1915, and was killed in action on the afternoon of Sunday, 14 Feb. 1915, between Ypres and St. Eloi, while leading his men in a successful counter attack against the enemy's trenches. Col. E. W. R. Stephenson, Commanding the 3rd Battn. Middlesex, wrote that he "died gallantly leading his men in an attempt to capture a trench that had fallen. Previous to this, he saved the life of my nephew, Moller, who had been severely wounded, and after placing him in a place of safety, he again entered the fight.... He nobly did his duty, and we deplore his loss." Private Worsfold also wrote: "On the afternoon of Sunday, 14 Feb., we were ordered to attack a position occupied by the enemy, north-west of Ypres and west of the canal ... on the morning of the same day we had been badly cut up, and the Surreys, who afterwards came up in support, opened to let us through. Lieut. W. J. Ash, who had been previously wounded in the arm, was still leading up to the last moment." [Illustration: =Wilfrid John Ash.=] =ASHBY, GEORGE=, Stoker, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =ASHTON, EDWARD STANLEY JOHN CHARLES=, Corpl., No. 1248, Army Service Corps, elder _s._ of Charles Ashton, of 21, Endymion Road, Finsbury Park, by his wife, Alice Elyzabeth Sophia, dau. of George Nelson Howlett; _b._ Finsbury Park, 19 June, 1894; educ. Ealing Grammar School, and St. Frances Xavier's College, Bruges; joined the Army at the outbreak of the war, 11 Aug. 1914, and died at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London, 16 June, 1915, from heart failure caused by rheumatic fever contracted while at the Front; _unm._ =ASHTON, EDWIN=, Rifleman, No. 1667, 1/12th Battn. (The Rangers) The London Regt., former Engineers' apprentice, _s._ of Edwin Ashton, fancy leather worker; _b._ Peckham, 7 April, 1895; was a Scout and Patrol Leader from 13 years of age to 18, when he joined the Rangers; killed in action at Zonnebeke, 20 April, 1915. Cart. Jones wrote: "He was hit by a bullet on the evening of the 20th, and died soon afterwards. We buried him that night in a small wood behind our trench. He was a man for whom I had a great liking; a good soldier, and he died doing his duty." [Illustration: =Edwin Ashton.=] =ASHURST, JAMES=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 4246), S.S. 102939, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =ASHWORTH, EDMUND=, Leading Stoker, 311053 (Dev.), H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914. =ASKEW, HENRY ADAM=, Capt., 2nd Battn. Border Regt., elder _s._ of the late Canon Edmund Adam Askew, Rector of Greystoke, Cumberland, by his wife, Mary Penelope (Bushby House, Greystoke, Cumberland), dau. of the late Rev. Henry James Feilden, Rector of Kirk Langley, and grandson of the late Henry William Askew, of Conishead Priory, co. Lancaster, and Glenridding, co. Cumberland, J.P., by his wife, Lucy, dau. of the Right Rev. and Hon. Hugh Percy, D.D., Lord Bishop of Carlisle; _b._ Greystoke Rectory, 8 Sept. 1881; educ. Aysgarth, Harrow, and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut., 2nd Battn. Border Regt. 8 May, 1901; joined his battn. in South Africa in the Sept. following, and took part in the operations in the Transvaal, Nov. 1901-2 (Queen's medal and three clasps); promoted Lieut. 5 Sept. 1903. On his return to England he went through two courses with Mounted Infantry and the Gymnastic course (certificate 1908); Assistant Superintendent of Gymnasium at Devonport for the Southern Command, 3 Aug. 1909-13, when he rejoined his regt. On the outbreak of war he received his company, 23 Aug. 1914, was appointed Transport Officer, and went to the Front with the Expeditionary Force. On the death of the Adjutant, Capt. Andrews (26 Oct.), he took over his duties, and as Adjutant was with his Colonel when wounded, and assisted in carrying him back, becoming then second in command; and from 25 Nov. to 3 Dec. was in command, his Colonel sending in his name as "doing exceptionally well." He was killed on 19 Dec. 1914, in a night attack on the German trenches at Sailly. He was at first reported as wounded and missing, but was later found to have been killed. He was twice mentioned in Despatches by F.M. Sir John French. A p |