Pte
Robert Ashworth
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1897 |
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Place of birth: Great Harwood, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Weaver |
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 37639 |
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Enlistment place: Burnley, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — East Lancashire Regiment, 8th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 31/07/1917 |
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Place of death: June Farm, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 20 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: 34 |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
Robert Ashworth was born in 1897 in Great Harwood, Lancashire. He was the son of Robert and Maggie Ashworth and worked as a cotton weaver before the war. During the war he enlisted as a private at Burnley and served in the 8th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment, part of the 112th Brigade, of the 37th Division.
At 12:15 a.m. on the morning of 31 July 1917 the 8th Battalion arrived at the assembly area. Later, at 9:15 a.m. “C” company was ordered to move up to the Verhaeghe Farm - Railway Siding line via Manchester Trench. “B” company went up at 1:15 p.m., followed by “A” and “D” company at 1.55 p.m. By 5 p.m. “C”, “B” and “A” companies were entrenched at the “old Front shell hole line”, holding the left, centre and right respectively. “D” company was held in reserve at the Verhaege Farm. At 5:45: p.m. a written order was received to attack at 7 p.m., but this order was postponed until 8 p.m.
At 8 p.m. the artillery barrage opened up and the 8th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment attacked. “C” company has tasked with capturing a position near Fork Roads (O.23.C.2.4.). “B” and “A”companies attacked Rifle Farm and June Farm respectively. “D” company moved up to the old front line. By 10 p.m. all objectives had been captured, but this attack had caused heavy casualties. At 10:45 p.m. the decision was made to retreat to the old front line. The officers later stated that this decision was made due to three factors. First, the bad weather and mud had caused rifles and machine guns to jam. Secondly the battalion had failed to establish a connection with the neighbouring battalions, opening up the possibility of an enemy attack on their flanks. Finally German prisoners told the officers that reinforcements had arrived and that a German counterattack was developing.
By 11:30 p.m. the 8th Battalion was back on the old line, but an hour later they reestablished eight posts on a line between June Farm and a point on a road (O.23.a.5.3.). They were also able to establish a connection with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers on the left and the 8th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment on the right. This position was held until they were relieved on the night between 1 and 2 August.
At the end of 31 July they had gained little ground, but lost one officer and 17 men killed. Four officers and 69 men were reported wounded and 11 men were missing. Private Robert Ashworth was one of the men killed that day. After the war his body was not recovered or identified. Private Ashworth is commemorated on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial, panel 34.
At 12:15 a.m. on the morning of 31 July 1917 the 8th Battalion arrived at the assembly area. Later, at 9:15 a.m. “C” company was ordered to move up to the Verhaeghe Farm - Railway Siding line via Manchester Trench. “B” company went up at 1:15 p.m., followed by “A” and “D” company at 1.55 p.m. By 5 p.m. “C”, “B” and “A” companies were entrenched at the “old Front shell hole line”, holding the left, centre and right respectively. “D” company was held in reserve at the Verhaege Farm. At 5:45: p.m. a written order was received to attack at 7 p.m., but this order was postponed until 8 p.m.
At 8 p.m. the artillery barrage opened up and the 8th Battalion East Lancashire Regiment attacked. “C” company has tasked with capturing a position near Fork Roads (O.23.C.2.4.). “B” and “A”companies attacked Rifle Farm and June Farm respectively. “D” company moved up to the old front line. By 10 p.m. all objectives had been captured, but this attack had caused heavy casualties. At 10:45 p.m. the decision was made to retreat to the old front line. The officers later stated that this decision was made due to three factors. First, the bad weather and mud had caused rifles and machine guns to jam. Secondly the battalion had failed to establish a connection with the neighbouring battalions, opening up the possibility of an enemy attack on their flanks. Finally German prisoners told the officers that reinforcements had arrived and that a German counterattack was developing.
By 11:30 p.m. the 8th Battalion was back on the old line, but an hour later they reestablished eight posts on a line between June Farm and a point on a road (O.23.a.5.3.). They were also able to establish a connection with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers on the left and the 8th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment on the right. This position was held until they were relieved on the night between 1 and 2 August.
At the end of 31 July they had gained little ground, but lost one officer and 17 men killed. Four officers and 69 men were reported wounded and 11 men were missing. Private Robert Ashworth was one of the men killed that day. After the war his body was not recovered or identified. Private Ashworth is commemorated on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial, panel 34.
Sources 5
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Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/ Sources used |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/925776/robert-ashworth/ Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: The Day-By-Day Account (Londen: Unicorn Publishing Group, 2017), 21. Sources used |
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Naval & Military Archive https://www.nmarchive.com/ Sources used |
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The Long Long Trail https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/ Sources used |