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Aug 9, 1895
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Born at Madoc
Junction Ontario to Hiram Seymour and Mary Elizabeth (nee Tufts) Ashley
He attested
below with the name William Steven Seymour Ashley, however his birth was registered as
Stephen Seymour Ashley
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Dec 2, 1916
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Attested into
the 254th Battalion at Stirling Ontario
Ø Number 1093077
Ø Next of kin given as Hiram Seymour Ashley, father, of Holloway Ontario
Ø Previous occupation given as Farmer
Ø No previous military experience given
Ø Religion given as Methodist
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Apr 1, 1917
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The April pay
list for the Battalion shows him with the rank of Sergeant, with no specified date for the
promotion. The Embarkation Roll shows him
with the rank of Private, and there is no date in the file for that change either
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Jun 2, 1917
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Embarked the SS
Olympic at Halifax Nova Scotia
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Jun 9, 1917
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Disembarked at
Liverpool England and proceeded to Seaford
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Jun 10, 1917
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On arrival at
Seaford, the Battalion was absorbed into the 6th Reserve Battalion
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Sep 2, 1917
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Transferred to
the 21st Battalion and arrived at the 2nd CIBD (Canadian Infantry
Base Depot) at Etaples France as part of a draft of 83 Other Ranks from England
TOS (Taken On
Strength) the 21st Battalion
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Sep 14, 1917
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Left the 2nd
CIBD to join the 2nd Entrenching Battalion
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Sep 16, 1917
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Joined the 2nd
Entrenching Battalion at Hersin as part of a group of 199 reinforcements destined for the
front lines
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Oct 1, 1917
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Left the 2nd
Entrenching Battalion to join the Battalion
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Oct 2. 1917
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Joined the 21st
Battalion who had just moved into Divisional Reserve, east of Vimy Ridge
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Nov 3, 1917
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Early on the
morning of the 3rd the Battalion moved into the Passchendaele front and that
night and early on the morning of the 4th, they came under attack from the
enemy north east of Crest Farm. Pte Ashley
received shrapnel wounds to his right leg during this attack and was moved first to a
Field Ambulance for first aid and then moved to the No 17 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station)
for surgery
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Nov 4, 1917
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Reported by the
Officer Commanding No 17 CCS that Pte Ashley was dangerously ill
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Nov 7, 1917
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Pte Ashley died of
his wounds at the No 17 CCS
Lijssenthoek
Military Cemetery
Poperinghe, Belgium
Following the
war the British War Medal, Victory Medal, and Memorial Cross were sent to his mother, Mrs
ME Ashley, at RR #2 Halloway Ontario
he Plaque
(Dead Man’s Penny) and Scroll were sent to his father, Hiram Ashley, at the same
address
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2008
During the Remembrance Day ceremonies in 2008, Veteran's Affairs Canada conducted a vigil
each night for the week leading up to November 11. This vigil consisted of
projecting the names of every Canadian soldier who is listed with the Commonwealth War
Graves Commission on various buildings and monuments across Canada, and in London
England. The photo below shows Pte William Ashley's name being projected on the
outside wall of Canada House in London England.
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