Danny18 Posted 15 May Share Posted 15 May (edited) Hello, I recently received an inheritance from my grand mother which included several war medals. They seem to belong to a A. SJT. A. C. ASHDOWN (unknown to me) I am looking for some information in regards to this solider and his war medals. They seem to date between the first and second war. Any information or direction is greatly appreciated. I will continue my uploads in the forum. Edited 15 May by Danny18 submitting photos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 15 May Share Posted 15 May (edited) 1 hour ago, Danny18 said: A. SJT. A. C. ASHDOWN Welcome to GWF To start, here is his full name: Acting Sergeant Amos Charles ASHDOWN, 8230, Royal West Kent Regiment Unfortunately he did not survive the war being Killed in Action, 6.5.15 He left a widow: Rose ASHDOWN b. 30.11.88, 13 Rampart Rd, Hythe, Kent [there did not seem to be any children according to her initial widow's pension claim] - She later remarried to John MACALISTER, 75007, 1st Canadian Reserve Battalion and received a one-off Remarriage Gratuity instead of an on-going pension His body was not knowingly recovered so he is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/925712/amos-charles-ashdown - This CWGC record tells us he was in the 1st Bn RWK, a Regular Bn M Edit: Macallister Edited 15 May by Matlock1418 edit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 15 May Share Posted 15 May (edited) 1 hour ago, Danny18 said: These are ArmyTemperance Association medals - very typical of a pre-war Regular soldier. Typically awarded for abstainence from alcohol for various numbers of years - thus an association very much supported by the Army. When worn, worn on the right breast [c/w the left breast for gallantry and war medals] M Edited 15 May by Matlock1418 typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 15 May Share Posted 15 May (edited) 42 minutes ago, Danny18 said: Sterling silver British War Medal - his details should be impressed in the rim Picture order shown as the reverse [rear] and then the obverse [front] M Edited 15 May by Matlock1418 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 15 May Share Posted 15 May 40 minutes ago, Danny18 said: Gilt Victory Medal - his details should be impressed in the rim Picture order shown as the reverse [rear] and then the obverse [front] M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny18 Posted 15 May Author Share Posted 15 May 14 minutes ago, Matlock1418 said: Welcome to GWF To start, here is his full name: Acting Sergeant Amos Charles ASHDOWN, 8230, Royal West Kent Regiment Unfortunately he did not survive the war being Killed in Action, 6.5.15 He left a widow: Rose ASHDOWN b. 30.11.88, 13 Rampart Rd, Hythe, Kent [there did not seem to be any children according to her initial widow's pension claim] - She later remarried to John McALISTER, 75007, 1st Canadian Reserve Battalion and received a one-off Remarriage Gratuity instead of an on-going pension His body was not knowingly recovered so he is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/925712/amos-charles-ashdown - This CWGC record tells us he was in the 1st Bn RWK, a Regular Bn This makes sense as the documentation I have is written to a R. McAlister in Vancouver, so at some point Rose moved to Vancouver, British Columbia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 15 May Share Posted 15 May Note: Being KIA in 1915 means he must be also entitled to a Star He was also entitled to the bronze 1914 Star - his details should be impressed in the rear All three medals are shown on his Medal Index Card - also shows he first landed in a a Theatre of War [France & Flanders] on 15-8-14 as a Lance-Sergeant and this rank should be impressed on the Star M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 15 May Share Posted 15 May (edited) 1 hour ago, Danny18 said: This is as indicated a Wound Stipe - worn on lower left sleeve. But whose? I believe not ASHDOWN's since he died before they were issued [after July 1916] We need to look out for a published formal Casualty List entry - Commonly in The Times. Possibly MACALISTER's ?? M Edited 15 May by Matlock1418 Edit: Macalister Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny18 Posted 15 May Author Share Posted 15 May 2 minutes ago, Matlock1418 said: This is as indicated a Wound Stipe - worn on lower left sleeve. But whose? I believe not ASHDOWN's since he died before they were issued [after July 1916] We need to look out for a published formal Casualty List entry - Commonly in The Times. Possibly McALISTER's ?? M I also believe we are now looking at two different persons as the Canadian 29th Battalion plates or Canadian legion pin would not belong to Ashdown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 15 May Share Posted 15 May (edited) 1 hour ago, Danny18 said: 18 minutes ago, Danny18 said: I also believe we are now looking at two different persons as the Canadian 29th Battalion plates or Canadian legion pin would not belong to Ashdown John MACALISTER, 75007 was 29th Bn, CEF - His service records at Libraries and Archives https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=pdf&app=CEF&id=B6566-S019 He had been wounded 1.2.16, Shell Wounds & consequential deafness and subsequently treated at Hythe and later served nearby - So that would seem likely where he met the recently-widowed Rose and was Granted permisison to marry 8.9.17 ... Much more in that record M Edited 15 May by Matlock1418 service detail etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 15 May Share Posted 15 May 1 hour ago, Danny18 said: Masonic - not Military = Off topic M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 15 May Share Posted 15 May (edited) 49 minutes ago, Danny18 said: Watch and be Sober ... Wording suggests a temperance badge/brooch This may be of interest ‘Watch and Be Sober’: The story of Army temperance at NAM https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/temperance-medals M Edited 15 May by Matlock1418 typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 15 May Share Posted 15 May Having exhausted myself ... I would just add advice to take care over the ribbons attached to the various medals since they may not actually be associated with them - it is not uncommon for ribbons to get switched ... concentrate on the medals and then check the ribbons! M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 15 May Share Posted 15 May 8 minutes ago, Matlock1418 said: I would just add advice to take care over the ribbons attached to the various medals since they may not actually be associated with them - it is not uncommon for ribbons to get switched ... concentrate on the medals and then check the ribbons!M Spot on. When I scrolled down to Image #7 and saw the white-blue-white rbbon, I thought it was going to be a Military Cross. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny18 Posted 15 May Author Share Posted 15 May 14 minutes ago, Matlock1418 said: Having exhausted myself ... I would just add advice to take care over the ribbons attached to the various medals since they may not actually be associated with them - it is not uncommon for ribbons to get switched ... concentrate on the medals and then check the ribbons! M Thank you so much for your efforts. I am very appreciative Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny18 Posted 15 May Author Share Posted 15 May Thank you everyone for your information and for helping me with my requested. It is very much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNCVR Posted 15 May Share Posted 15 May The 3rd photograph above --- The CEF badges are Canadian 1WW units from our Province of BC (British Columbia), city of Vancouver - 2nd Batt'n & 29th Batt'n. So there is likely a Canadian connection here somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan1892 Posted 16 May Share Posted 16 May 13 hours ago, Matlock1418 said: Acting Sergeant Amos Charles ASHDOWN, 8230, Royal West Kent Regiment He enlisted into the militia on the 27th October 1905, service number 5939. His attestation shows that he was 17 years and 11 months of age; 5 feet 4 1/4 inches tall, weighing 112 lbs. He had blue eyes, brown hair and a fresh complexion. His religion was Church of England. His next of kin is recorded as his father, David, residing at 28 Stanton Square, Lower Sydenham, Kent. His record shows that on the 8th January 1906 he attested into the Royal West Kent Regiment. The Soldiers Died in the Great War database shows that he attested into the RWKR at New Cross, Kent and that he was in the 1st Battalion/ (image courtesy of Find My Past) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan1892 Posted 16 May Share Posted 16 May Always good to see an image of the man in question. The second image shows his parents at the very top followed by him and his brothers. (images courtesy of FindaGrave) Amos Charles Ashdown (unknown-1915) - Find a Grave Memorial Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan1892 Posted 16 May Share Posted 16 May David and Alice Ashdown (the parents of Amos) along with their children Frances; Arthur; Albert and Alfred sailed for Canada from Liverpool aboard the SS Lake Manitoba on the 6th July 1907. The family disembarked at Montreal with the arrivals passenger list recording that their final destination was to be Toronto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan1892 Posted 16 May Share Posted 16 May The image in my earlier post shows that Albert Ashdown was also killed in action, the attached gives another image and a brief bio. (courtesy of FindaGrave) Pvt Albert Henry Ashdown (1894-1916) - Find a Grave Memorial Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tawhiri Posted 16 May Share Posted 16 May Looking at the other brothers named in the newspaper article Steven Daniel Ashdown died in Toronto, Canada on 29 April 1911 of pulmonary tuberculosis at the age of 25, leaving a wife, Jane. It looks like he may also have had pre-war service with the British Army as there is a Chelsea Pensioners service record for an 18-year old Steven Daniel Ashdown from Beckenham, Kent, England who served with the Royal Field Artillery, which would suggest an enlistment date around 1903. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JD2K-VB6 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5CF-YVT Service records for all of the other brothers can also be found online in the Canadian Archives: Arthur John Ashdown - http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=pffww&id=14990&lang=eng David Ashdown - http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=pffww&id=14996&lang=eng Alfred Thomas Ashdown - http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=pffww&id=14996&lang=eng Albert Henry Ashdown - http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=pffww&id=14996&lang=eng Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny18 Posted 16 May Author Share Posted 16 May 1 minute ago, Tawhiri said: Looking at the other brothers named in the newspaper article Steven Daniel Ashdown died in Toronto, Canada on 29 April 1911 of pulmonary tuberculosis at the age of 25, leaving a wife, Jane. It looks like he may also have had pre-war service with the British Army as there is a Chelsea Pensioners service record for an 18-year old Steven Daniel Ashdown from Beckenham, Kent, England who served with the Royal Field Artillery, which would suggest an enlistment date around 1903. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JD2K-VB6 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5CF-YVT Service records for all of the other brothers can also be found online in the Canadian Archives: Arthur John Ashdown - http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=pffww&id=14990&lang=eng David Ashdown - http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=pffww&id=14996&lang=eng Alfred Thomas Ashdown - http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=pffww&id=14996&lang=eng Albert Henry Ashdown - http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=pffww&id=14996&lang=eng Thanks for sharing. I was able to find some information on a living Ashdown relative. I’ve contacted her in hopes of reuniting these medals to the family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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