Pte
Cyril Arthur Ashman
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1897 |
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Place of birth: Tidworth, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Last known residence: Eton Wick, Windsor and Maidenhead, England, United Kingdom |
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Profession: Bank clerk |
Army information
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Country: Verenigd Koninkrijk |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 7461 |
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Enlistment place: Windsor, Berkshire, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Honourable Artillery Company, 2nd Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 28/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Kantintje Cabaret, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 20 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: LV Row: C Grave: 21 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Cyril Arthur Ashman was born in June 1897 in Tidworth, Wiltshire, England. He was the son of Edwin and Alice Maria (Briggs) Ashman. He also had a sister, Dorothy Alice Elizabeth Ashman, and a brother, Henry Douglas Ashman. He worked as a bank clerk at Eton Wick, Windsor and Maidenhead, England, where he lived with his family. In 1915 he enlisted in the British Expeditionary Force at Windsor, Windsor and Maidenhead and served in the 2nd Battalion Honourable Artillery Company Infantry Regiment (22nd Brigade, 7th Division).
His brother, Henry Douglas Ashman, also died during the Battle of Gallipoli, which lasted from 25 April 1915 to 9 January 1916. This battle was a joint attempt by the British Empire, France, Australia and New Zealand to defeat the Ottoman Empire by capturing the Dardanelles. The aim was to capture the capital Constantinople (Istanbul) and open a new front line against the Germans. However, this operation ended in failure. The forces were unable to enter the empire and it took months before they realised this. In the meantime, several months of bloodier fighting had already passed, as they encountered fierce resistance, after which they eventually withdrew. Henry died in this battle on 21 August 1915 at the age of 23. He fought as a private in the 1st Berkshire Yeomanry Battalion Household Cavalry and Cavalry of the Line Regiment. Henry is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, panels 18 and 19 in Turkey.
Cyril died on Sunday 28 October 1917. Two days earlier, on 26 October 1917, the Second Battle of Passchendaele took place. This battle heralded the final phase of the Third Battle of Ypres. Passchendaele was situated at an important strategic location. It was situated on high ground overlooking the battlefields around the Ypres Salient. British troops had been fighting here since July 1917 in an attempt to break through the German defences. After early October, Passchendaele had still been successfully captured, prompting the British command to launch a new attempt on 26 October: the Second Battle of Passchendaele. However, it was difficult to deploy sufficient artillery in support due to the exceptionally wet weather and extremely muddy conditions. Although progress was slow in the deep mud, the Allies were able to make modest gains and held out against German counter-attacks.
Platoons from the battalion set off from Dickebusch at 3 am that day and arrived at Ritz Trench 2 hours later. They took the accommodation east of Zillebeke Lake, which had been vacated by the 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders Regiment. The attack began at 6 am. By the end of the day, the battalion had reached their objectives. Cyril's body was found near Kantintje Cabaret. He was reburied in Tyne Cot Cemetery (Plot LV, Row C, Grave 21).
His brother, Henry Douglas Ashman, also died during the Battle of Gallipoli, which lasted from 25 April 1915 to 9 January 1916. This battle was a joint attempt by the British Empire, France, Australia and New Zealand to defeat the Ottoman Empire by capturing the Dardanelles. The aim was to capture the capital Constantinople (Istanbul) and open a new front line against the Germans. However, this operation ended in failure. The forces were unable to enter the empire and it took months before they realised this. In the meantime, several months of bloodier fighting had already passed, as they encountered fierce resistance, after which they eventually withdrew. Henry died in this battle on 21 August 1915 at the age of 23. He fought as a private in the 1st Berkshire Yeomanry Battalion Household Cavalry and Cavalry of the Line Regiment. Henry is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, panels 18 and 19 in Turkey.
Cyril died on Sunday 28 October 1917. Two days earlier, on 26 October 1917, the Second Battle of Passchendaele took place. This battle heralded the final phase of the Third Battle of Ypres. Passchendaele was situated at an important strategic location. It was situated on high ground overlooking the battlefields around the Ypres Salient. British troops had been fighting here since July 1917 in an attempt to break through the German defences. After early October, Passchendaele had still been successfully captured, prompting the British command to launch a new attempt on 26 October: the Second Battle of Passchendaele. However, it was difficult to deploy sufficient artillery in support due to the exceptionally wet weather and extremely muddy conditions. Although progress was slow in the deep mud, the Allies were able to make modest gains and held out against German counter-attacks.
Platoons from the battalion set off from Dickebusch at 3 am that day and arrived at Ritz Trench 2 hours later. They took the accommodation east of Zillebeke Lake, which had been vacated by the 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders Regiment. The attack began at 6 am. By the end of the day, the battalion had reached their objectives. Cyril's body was found near Kantintje Cabaret. He was reburied in Tyne Cot Cemetery (Plot LV, Row C, Grave 21).
Sources 5
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2 Battalion Honourable Artillery Company Infantry Regiment war diary (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/1662/1). http://nationalarchives.gov.uk Sources used |
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British Army World War I Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO372). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911 (The National Archives, Kew (TNA), RG13). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
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Soldier's Effects records (National Army Museum, Chelsea (NAM) 1901-60; NAM Accesion Number: 1991-02-333). https://www.nam.ac.uk/ Sources used |
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War Office and Air Ministry: Service Medal and Award Rolls, First World War (the National Archives, Kew (TNA), WO 329). https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/461769 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=c72fe1b2-2199-42bc-a1c4-ad0837f69933 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/79911 |