John Fletcher Ashton
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
John was born at East Drayton in 1896 the son of Frank who worked for Retford District Council as road labourer and Lydia Ashton (nee Wood) of Fenton, he came from a large family having 10 siblings. By the 1911 census he has left home and is living William Brown and family a farmer at Fenton . He is shown as a servant 15 years of age born at Drayton and working as a general farm labourer.
His service record does not appear to have survived, however 'Soldiers of the Great War records show he was born in Darlton and enlisted in Retford and he originalled served with the Lincolnshire Regiment with service number 203841 before transferring to the 7th battalion, Leicestershire Regiment. He was killed in action in France on 2nd September 1918 and is buried in Brancourt British Cemetery, France.
Pte J F Ashton Retford Times 11th Oct 1918 Although Mr and Mrs F Ashton of Fenton, have not received official intimation of the death of their son, Pte J F Ashton, of the Leicester Regiment, they have no doubt he fell in the recent fighting on the Western Front. A letter received by them from a comrade, who was wounded soon after his friend was killed and who is now in hospital, states the fact positively. Pte Ashton joined the Leicesters in April 1917 and proceeded to France in August. He was invalided home in November of the same year, was operated on for appendicitis and returned to the front in July of this year. He was well liked by all with whom he came in contact , and the sympathy of the whole village is extended to his parents in their great sorrow.
