Private John Thomas Ashton
Birth
John Thomas Ashton was born in Morton by Bourne, Lincolnshire.
His birth was registered in Bourne in the December quarter of 1894 indicating a birth between October and December of that year.
Family History
John Thomas was the second son of William Ashton an agricultural labourer from Morton and his wife Lizzie.
William Ashton was born in Morton c1866 and married Elizabeth Cox in 1890, she was born c1869 in Stainfield. Elizabeth had a daughter Gertrude Cox b c1888 in Stainfield who was living with them in 1891.
William and Lizzie Ashton had the following children:-
William Edward b c1893, John Thomas b c1894 and Albert b c1898
Arthur Ashton, the cousin of John Thomas is also mentioned on the Morton Memorial having been killed in action in November 1915.
In 1911 John Thomas is listed on the census of Morton. More information will follow for this once research has been conducted.
The War office records show John Thomas Ashton’s place of residence as Oakham.
Military History
Although his full name is John Thomas Ashton, all war office records show a name of Thomas Ashton. There is no doubt that this is the same person as reference is made to his parent’s names on the CWGC records.
The War office records allude to the fact that Thomas Ashton was formerly T/2/11246 of the Army Service Corps.
Thomas entered into France, his first theatre of action, on the 9th of May 1915.
Currently we are unable to track down the war office records for Thomas Ashton and so his movements within France between May 1915 and April 1917 are unknown.
It is known that Thomas Ashton Died on the 20th April 1917, age 21. This date falls between the 1st battle of The Scarpe (A river just to the north of Arras) 9th -14th April and the Second Battle of The Scarpe 23rd & 24th April 1917. Both of these battle saw heavy action for the 8th Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment and it has to be assumed that Thomas died as a result of action in the first battle.
Private Thomas Ashton 43328, 8th Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment, was eligible for the following medals:-
Victory Medal
The British Medal
The 1915 Star.
Memorial
Private John Thomas (Thomas) Ashton 43328, 8th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, is remembered with honour on the Arras Memorial. Reference: Bay 3 and 4
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