Jump to content

Thomas Ashford: Difference between revisions

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Wendell (talk | contribs)
2,833 edits
m dis-amb
 
(76 intermediate revisions by 42 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{short description|Recipient of the Victoria Cross}}
⚫
'''Thomas Elsdon Ashford''' was an [[England|English]] recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Commonwealth]] forces.
{{Use British English|date=December 2013}}
[[Image:Victoria_Cross.jpg|Thumb|right|150px]]
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
He was approx. 21 years old, and a [[Private (rank)|Private]] in [[The Royal Fusiliers]], [[British Army]] during the [[Second Afghan War]] when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
{{Infobox military person
|name=Thomas Elsdon Ashford
| honorific_suffix = VC
|birth_date=1859
|death_date={{Death date and age|1913|02|21|1859|df=y}}
|birth_place=[[Newmarket, Suffolk]]
|death_place=[[Whitwick]], [[Leicestershire]]
|placeofburial=Whitwick Cemetery
|image= Thomas Elsdon Ashford VC.jpg
|image_size=
|caption=
|nickname=
|allegiance= {{UK}}
|servicenumber=
|serviceyears=1877–1889
|rank=[[Private (rank)|Private]]
|branch=[[File:Flag of the British Army.svg|23px]] [[British Army]]
|commands=
|unit=[[Royal Fusiliers]]
|battles=[[Second Anglo-Afghan War]]
|awards= [[File:UK Victoria Cross ribbon bar.svg|30px]] [[Victoria Cross]]
|laterwork=Postman
}}
⚫
'''Thomas Elsdon Ashford''' (1859 – 21 February 1913) was an [[England|English]] recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces.


==Early life==
On [[16 August]] [[1880]] at [[Deh Khoja]], near Kandahar, [[Afghanistan]], Private Ashford assisted a lieutenant ([[William St. Lucien Chase]]) in rescuing and carrying for a distance of over 200 yards under the fire of the enemy, a wounded soldier who had taken shelter in a block-house. Several times they were compelled to rest, but they persevered and finally brought the wounded man to a place of safety.
He was born in 1859 at 2 Peck's Cottage, All Saints, Newmarket, Suffolk,<ref name="MtV">{{cite web | url=http://www.memorialstovalour.co.uk/thomaselsdonashfordvc359.html | title=VC359 Thomas Elsdon Ashford | accessdate=1 July 2017}}</ref> the illegitimate son of Thomas Ashford, a boot maker and Emma Elsdon. Thomas joined the Army at Woolwich for the 49th Brigade on 12 June 1877.<ref name="GoLeicester">{{cite web | url=http://www.goleicestershire.com/see-and-do/Whitwick-Historical-Group-VC.aspx | title=Whitwick Historical Group | accessdate=8 March 2013 }}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>


==The VC action==
⚫
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the [[Royal Fusiliers Musuem]] ''(Tower of London, England)''.
He was about 21 years old, and a [[private (rank)|private]] in [[The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)|The Royal Fusiliers]],<ref name="RFusiliers">{{cite web | url=http://rrflondon.2day.ws/siteFiles/files/RRFLondon_ElegantExtractsVCJan2011_1294324105.pdf | title=THE ROYAL FUSILIERS RECIPIENTS OF THE VICTORIA CROSS | accessdate=8 March 2013}}</ref> [[British Army]] during the [[Second Anglo-Afghan War]] when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
[[File:Pre 1914 Victoria Cross Holders HU71321.jpg|left|thumb|Pte Thomas Ashford VC, c1880 (IWM HU71321)]]
On 16 August 1880 at Deh Khoja, near [[Kandahar]], [[Afghanistan]], Private Ashford assisted Lieutenant [[William St. Lucien Chase]] in rescuing and carrying for a distance of over 200 yards under the fire of the enemy, a wounded soldier who had taken shelter in a block-house and finally brought the wounded man to a place of safety. His citation read:{{quote|For conspicuous gallantry on the occasion of the sortie from Kandahar, on the 16th August, 1880, against the village of Deh Khoja, in having rescued and carried for a distance of over 200 yards, under the fire of the enemy, a wounded soldier, Private Massey, of the Royal Fusiliers, who had taken shelter in a blockhouse. Several times they were compelled to rest, but they persevered in bringing him to a place of safety.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25023|page=4990|date=7 October 1881}}</ref>}}


After his military service, Ashford settled in [[Thringstone]], Leicestershire and served as a postman for many years. He was married in Thringstone Church to Betsy Ann Sisson on 29 January 1891. He later moved to the neighbouring village of [[Whitwick]]<ref name="Whitwick">{{cite web | url=http://www.whitwick.org.uk/history/whitwickvc.htm | title=Whitwick Community Information | accessdate=8 March 2013}}</ref> and died on 13 February 1913. He was laid to rest in [[Whitwick]] Cemetery, in the presence of thousands of mourners, though the grave lay unmarked for many years, until a monument was provided by the local [[Royal British Legion|British Legion]].<ref name="GoLeicester" /> Three streets in Whitwick have since been named in his honour.
==Reference==

⚫
*[["Elegant Extracts" - The Royal Fusiliers Recipients of the VC]] (J.P. Kelleher, 2001)
==The Medal==
⚫
*[[Monuments To Courage]] (David Harvey, 1999)
⚫
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Fusiliers Museum in the [[Tower of London]].

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}
* [http://rrflondon.2day.ws/siteFiles/files/RRFLondon_ElegantExtractsVCJan2011_1294324105.pdf Royal Fusiliers Recipients of the Victoria Cross]
⚫
* "Elegant Extracts" - The Royal Fusiliers Recipients of the VC (J.P. Kelleher, 2001)
⚫
*[[Monuments to Courage]] (David Harvey, 1999)
*[[The Register of the Victoria Cross]] (This England, 1997)
*[[The Register of the Victoria Cross]] (This England, 1997)


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/leiceste.htm Location of grave and VC medal] ''(Leicestershire)''
*[http://www.whitwick.org.uk/history/whitwickvc.htm Leicestershire's first VC]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20121225010226/http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/leiceste.htm Burial location of Thomas Ashford] "Leicestershire"

*[http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/ccroyfus.htm Location of Thomas Ashord's Victoria Cross] "Royal Fusiliers Museum, London"
This page has been [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Victoria Cross Reference Migration|migrated]] from the [http://www.victoriacross.net Victoria Cross Reference] '''with permission.'''
*{{Find a Grave|11263157}}
{{Royal Regiment of Fusiliers}}


[[Category:British Victoria Cross recipients|Ashford, Thomas Elsdon]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashford, Thomas Elsdon}}
[[Category:British recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:Royal Fusiliers soldiers]]
[[Category:1859 births]]
[[Category:1913 deaths]]
[[Category:Burials in Leicestershire]]
[[Category:People from Newmarket, Suffolk]]
[[Category:Second Anglo-Afghan War recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:Deaths from bronchitis]]
[[Category:British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:People from Thringstone]]
[[Category:People from Whitwick]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Suffolk]]
[[Category:19th-century British Army personnel]]

Latest revision as of 18:39, 29 July 2024

Thomas Elsdon Ashford

VC
Born1859
Newmarket, Suffolk
Died21 February 1913(1913-02-21) (aged 53–54)
Whitwick, Leicestershire
Buried
Whitwick Cemetery
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service / branch British Army
Years of service1877–1889
RankPrivate
UnitRoyal Fusiliers
Battles / warsSecond Anglo-Afghan War
Awards Victoria Cross
Other workPostman

Thomas Elsdon Ashford (1859 – 21 February 1913) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Early life

[edit]

He was born in 1859 at 2 Peck's Cottage, All Saints, Newmarket, Suffolk,[1] the illegitimate son of Thomas Ashford, a boot maker and Emma Elsdon. Thomas joined the Army at Woolwich for the 49th Brigade on 12 June 1877.[2]

The VC action

[edit]

He was about 21 years old, and a private in The Royal Fusiliers,[3] British Army during the Second Anglo-Afghan War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

Pte Thomas Ashford VC, c1880 (IWM HU71321)

On 16 August 1880 at Deh Khoja, near Kandahar, Afghanistan, Private Ashford assisted Lieutenant William St. Lucien Chase in rescuing and carrying for a distance of over 200 yards under the fire of the enemy, a wounded soldier who had taken shelter in a block-house and finally brought the wounded man to a place of safety. His citation read:

For conspicuous gallantry on the occasion of the sortie from Kandahar, on the 16th August, 1880, against the village of Deh Khoja, in having rescued and carried for a distance of over 200 yards, under the fire of the enemy, a wounded soldier, Private Massey, of the Royal Fusiliers, who had taken shelter in a blockhouse. Several times they were compelled to rest, but they persevered in bringing him to a place of safety.[4]

After his military service, Ashford settled in Thringstone, Leicestershire and served as a postman for many years. He was married in Thringstone Church to Betsy Ann Sisson on 29 January 1891. He later moved to the neighbouring village of Whitwick[5] and died on 13 February 1913. He was laid to rest in Whitwick Cemetery, in the presence of thousands of mourners, though the grave lay unmarked for many years, until a monument was provided by the local British Legion.[2] Three streets in Whitwick have since been named in his honour.

The Medal

[edit]

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Fusiliers Museum in the Tower of London.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "VC359 Thomas Elsdon Ashford". Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Whitwick Historical Group". Retrieved 8 March 2013.[permanent dead link‍]
  3. ^ "THE ROYAL FUSILIERS RECIPIENTS OF THE VICTORIA CROSS" (PDF). Retrieved 8 March 2013.
  4. ^ "No. 25023". The London Gazette. 7 October 1881. p. 4990.
  5. ^ "Whitwick Community Information". Retrieved 8 March 2013.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Thomas_Ashford&oldid=1237423632"