BORN STAFFORD 1888. SON OF THE LATE WILLIAM ASHBY, AND SARAH ELLEN HODGSON, OF 45 BAKER STREET, KIRKSTALL ROAD, LEEDS. A PLOUGHMAN AND FARM WAGGONER. DESCRIBED AS 5 FOOT, 7 INCHES TALL, 140 LBS WEIGHT, 38 INCH CHEST AND OF ‘GOOD’ PHYSIQUE’.
HE ENLISTED IN HULL, ON 22/09/1916, AGED 28 YEARS AND 6 MONTHS. JOINED AS PRIVATE, AS 49214, 13TH DEVONSHIRE REGIMENT AND 170TH LABOUR CORPS. ARRIVED IN FRANCE, ON 21/09/1916. RETURNED TO ENGLAND ON 16/06/1917.
HE MARRIED MARY JANE WHITEWICK, AT OVERTON, BASINGSTOKE, HAMPSHIRE, ON 20/07/1917. HIS WIFE MARY LIVED AT OAK ROAD, HULL (ARMY RECORDS ADDRESS). POSTED TO THE ‘R’ COMPANY, 439TH AGRICULTURAL LABOUR CORPS, IN READING, ON 30/09/1917. HE DIED OF INFLUENZA, AT CAMBRIDGE HOSPITAL, ON 06/11/1918. AGED 30. BURIED AT FOVANT (ST. GEORGE) CHURCHYARD, WILTSHIRE, UK. HIS CWGC GRAVE INSCRIPTION, READS, “GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN”.
GEORGE ASHLEY HAD SERVED IN THE ARMY FOR 2 YEARS AND 47 DAYS. HE RECEIVED THE BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS.
HE NEVER SAW HIS DAUGHTER, SARAH ELLEN ASHLEY, BORN ON 24/11/1918, WHO THEN DIED ON 26/01/1919. A DOUBLE LOSS FOR HIS WIDOW, MARY. SHE REMARRIED & BECAME MRS MARY JAMES AND MOVED TO Gaunt House Cottages, Standlake, Witney, OXFORD. HIS ARMY RECORDS STATE THAT HE WAS BROTHER TO WILLIAM, ARTHUR AND AMY ASHLEY, BUT HE DID NOT KNOW THEIR WHEREABOUTS. ANOTHER SISTER, MARY HAD MARRIED AND MOVED TO CANADA, TO AN UNKNOWN ADDRESS.
