Jan 16, 1879

Born at London England

Aug 14, 1914

Shown on the payroll of the 46^th Durham Regiment 

Prior to volunteering for military duty, he was employed at the Standard Ideal Company Factory at Port Hope.

Sep 21, 1914

Transferred to the payroll of the 2^nd Battalion CEF

Sep 23, 1914

Attested into the 2^nd Battalion CEF at Haliburton Ontario 

Ø      Number 8412

Ø      Next of kin given as Mrs JC Ashman, wife, of Port Hope Ontario

Ø      Previous occupation given as Labourer

o       This was later noted as Moulder

Ø      Previous military experience given as 6 years with the West Surrey Militia and served in South Africa

Ø      Religion given as Church of England

Ø      Assigned to “H” Company

Oct 3, 1914

Embarked the SS Cassandra at Quebec City

Oct 25, 1914

Disembarked at Devonport England 

The SS Cassandra arrived in the Devonport Harbour on October 15^th, but the Battalion could not begin to disembark until 9.45 pm on the evening of the 25^th. 

Upon disembarking, the Battalion boarded a train at 2.45 am the 26^th proceeded to the Bustard Camp at Salisbury Plain

Oct 26, 1914

The Battalion arrived at the Bustard Camp at 1.30 pm

Feb 8, 1915

Embarked the SS Blackwell at midnight

Feb 11, 1915

Disembarked at St Nazaire France and proceeded to Rouen

Feb 15, 1915

Will made out leaving his estate to his wife, Mrs E Ashman, at Port Hope Ontario.

Jun 7, 1915

Admitted to #13 General Hospital at Boulogne diagnosed with Nephritis, a kidney infection caused by dampness and exposure in the trenches

Jun 9, 1915

Invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship St David

Admitted to the King George Hospital on Stanford St, London

Jul 17, 1915

Transferred to the Shorncliffe Military Hospital

Aug 25, 1915

Transferred to the Monks Horton Hospital 

Posted to the 12^th Reserve Battalion while in hospital

Sep 16, 1915

Transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital at Epsom where a Medical Board recommends that he be invalided to Canada and discharged with a pension as he is declared to be unfit for any service.

Nov 1, 1915

Discharged from the Convalescent Hospital and joined the 12^th Reserve Battalion at Shorncliffe

Dec 31, 1915

Embarked the SS Scandinavian at Liverpool

Posted to Military District No 3 at Kingston Ontario

Jan 10, 1916

Disembarked at St John New Brunswick and proceeded to Quebec City, Quebec

Jan 12, 1916

Medical Board at Quebec City confirms the diagnosis of Nephritis and recommends 1 month observation in a Convalescent Home. 

Transferred to Convalescent Hospital at Kingston Ontario

Jan 14, 1916

Admitted to the Elmhurst Military Hospital at Kingston

Feb 25, 1916

Medical Board at Kingston notes that he had been suffering from Acute Nephritis but is now cured, but is now predisposed to reacquiring the condition, and recommends a 1/8^th Disability Pension

Mar 23, 1916

Discharged from hospital

Apr 6, 1916

Discharged from the CEF at Kingston as being medically unfit for further service 

Ø      War Service Badge Class “A” issued

Ø      Rank on discharge Private

Ø      Proposed residence on discharge Port Hope Ontario 

On discharge he was noted as having earned the King’s South Africa Medal and the Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899 to 1902

Aug 16, 1916

Attested into the 136^th Battalion at the Valcartier Quebec Camp 

Ø      Number 805794

Ø      Next of kin given as Elizabeth Ashman, wife, of Port Hope Ontario

Ø      Previous occupation given as Labourer

Ø      Previous military experience given as 6 years with the West Surrey Militia and served in South Africa, and the 2^nd Battalion CEF

Ø      Religion given as Anglican 

For some unknown reason he gave his birth date as January 16, 1881 on Attestation when in fact he was born in 1879

Sep 25, 1916

Embarked the RMS Corsican at Halifax Nova Scotia

Oct 6, 1916

Disembarked at Liverpool England.  On arrival at the West Sandling Camp, near Hythe, the Battalion was absorbed into the 39^th Reserve Battalion for further training

Jan 4, 1917

The 39^th Reserve Battalion was absorbed into the newly formed 6^th Reserve Battalion at West Sandling

Feb 1, 1917

Posted to the 21^st Battalion

Feb 2, 1917

Arrived at the CBD (Canadian Base Depot) at the Rouelles Camp, Havre France and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21^st Battalion

Feb 21, 1917

Left the CBD to join the 2^nd Entrenching Battalion

Feb 24, 1917

Joined the 2^nd Entrenching Battalion at Hersin as part of a group of 68 Other Ranks destined for the 21^st Battalion

Mar 3, 1917

Left the 2^nd Entrenching Battalion

Mar 6, 1917

Joined the 21^st Battalion in Divisional Reserve at Bois des Alleux

Apr 9, 1917

Pte Ashman was initially listed as Missing in Action during the attack at Vimy Ridge.  Later he was accepted for official purposes to have died on this date

Because his body was either never found, or if found, was never identified, his name is recorded on the Canadian Memorial at Vimy Ridge 

Post war, the following were sent to his widow at 110 Oak St, Toronto Ontario 

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny) and Scroll

Memorial Cross 

There was no Memorial Cross for his mother as she had predeceased him