Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

Royal Welsh Fusiliers
Ashcroft
62381
Charles Henry
Private
Liverpool
31st October 1917 Died of Wounds
Youngest son of the late James Ashcroft and Ellen Ashcroft, of 104, Holt Road, Liverpool.
Additional information: The Address for this Soldier was inserted from a article published in the Paper.

Confirmed by the CWGC site
ASHCROFT, CHARLES HENRY

Rank:
Private
Service No:
62381
Date of Death:
31/10/1917
Age:
36
Regiment/Service:
Royal Welsh Fusiliers

25th Bn.
Grave Reference
K. I.
Cemetery
BEERSHEBA WAR CEMETERY
Additional Information:
Son of James and Ellen Louisa Ashcroft, of Liverpool.

ASHCROFT is a transcription error on the CWGC website, the Commonwealth War Graves Index as well as baptism and census records all show the family name was ASCROFT.

So do we have the correct person? what name is on the St Cyprian memorial?

The name on the memorial is Ascroft, it is the same man as the Ashcroft on the CWGC, they have his name wrong in the online database but correct in his inscription.

Amanda

Thank you, I will amend our headings.

Have the CWGC been asked to correct their entry? They will do so, given the evicence and a polite request, and I have had a confirmation from them this week on another error.
D

Hi I have just come across your posting re Charles henry Ascroft ,I have done quite a lot of research into the Ascrofts .Charles H Ascroft was my great uncle. If you would like any more information just let me know.

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Whatever information you are able to give us for this memorial will be appreciated.

As you have discovered Charles H Ascroft name has been mis spelt ,the family name is Ascroft as far back as 1744 which is the date I have researched back to.
Occasionally it has been recorded as Ashcroft mainly in parish records.( also the war office )
I have the original telegram sent to his parents informing them he had died from wounds received in action which occurred in Egypt (Beersheba is now part of Israel) then Palestine.. the telegram spells Charles name as Ashcroft. Shortly before he was killed Charles had written home to his sister, the contents beautifully tell with detailed description what life was like in the desert he mentions his wishes for the day that brings us peace.
During the last few weeks while researching I have downloaded a photo of his headstone again spelt wrong , I think I may be the only one researching the Ascroft as I have been doing the research for nearly 10 years on and off and I have not found any body else with an interest in Ascroft.
I have a photo of CHA wearing what looks like the type of uniform that would be worn while serving in hotter countries it could have been taken just after his unit regiment was attached to the RWF Charles may have joined the Liverpool regiment shortly before or after the start of the war ,I still have to look this up. I hope this is of interest to all who have done the work researching the names on the memorial stone which was once housed in St Cyprians. I would like to see the stone when it finds its new home please keep me informed as to its final where abouts. If you would like a copy of the photo letters telegram I shall email them to you if its possible for me to send them this way.

Thank you very much for your input into this project, you have been extremely helpful, also in confirming the discrepancy with his name.

We would love to see whatever you could share with us, you can upload photographs using the method described in this post http://forum.liverpool-genealogy.org.uk ... =16&t=9817

Just a couple of questions that I can think of at present, could you please let us know the date of the telegram, although I suspect it matches the date of his death. Where is he buried please?

Re Charles H Ascroft The information on the Letter telegram from the infantry records office Shrewsbury stamped 5 Nov 1917.
Gives the following
No 62381 rank private
Name Charles Henry Ashcroft its written but clearly looks like a letter H after the s
Regiment stamped ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS
which occurred in Egypt
Date 31 October 1917
The report is to the effect that he died Stamped DIED OF WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION
in the left hand corner is hand written father name address.
right hand corner its signed your obedient servant can't read the signature stamped colonel records NO x District.

Charles Henry Ascroft was killed on the 31st October Battle for Beersheba an account of the battle can be read by googling Battle of Beersheba 1917 the 25BN has been mentioned ,so I assume at this point he would have been sadly killed along side around 170 other men some serving in the 25Bn who knows friends maybe for that brief time that they had spent together. He is buried with those men killed on that day and others killed shortly after a few from his home place of Liverpool in the War Cemetery Beersheba.

I shall try and have a go at uploading the remaining information using your described method it may take a few more days while take in the instructions its not a web site I have used before so I will be a bit slow. Thanks for all the work done on the project to your self, Kate and all other posters

Not sure if this has worked , looks like it has. Charles H Ascroft .

How perfect to have such a lovely photograph to illustrate one of our heroes. Thank you

What a fantastic photo, have you considered sharing it with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers Museum? they are planning a centenary display with a screen for each RWF killed in the First World War and are looking for photographs for as many as possible.

You can email them RWFmuseum1 [at] btconnect.com

Amanda

Change the [at] to @ to use the email address - MA

No I have not heard of the RWF web site , I shall have a look thanks

Liverpool Echo-6th November 1917

ASCROFT:- October 31, Died of wounds in his 37th year. Private Charles Henry Ascroft, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, youngest son of the late James Ascroft and Ellen Ascroft, 104, Holt Road, late Everton Lodge 823.

Roll of Honour Notice-Liverpool Echo 31st-Oct-1918

ASCROFT-In loving memory of Private Charles H Ascroft, R.W.F, Killed in action October 31 1917, at Beersheba-104, Holt Road

ASCROFT-In Loving remembrance of my dear Charlie (Private Charles H Ascroft) who died of wounds in Palestine, October 31 1917 (faithful unto death) Never forgotten by Bessie.

I will send a error report into IFTC. Sent 14/12/2014 by Katie

His entry on CWGC has now been corrected.

Well done!

Yes, well done Katie.