SAPPER SYDNEY FRANCIS ASHFORD
1247 – 3rd Tunnelling Company
Sydney Francis Ashford was born on September 8, 1895 in Cooktown, Queensland the ninth child of Charles Henry and Catherine (formerly Creighton) Ashford. He had five sisters and five brothers and became a sail maker by trade working in Cooktown.
He passed his medical examination for enlistment in Townsville, Qld on October 21, 1915 but as he was a minor of twenty years and two months needed a signature of consent from his parents or guardian. Due to the death of his mother in 1904 and his father in 1912 his guardian was his eldest brother Thomas Henry Ashford, a sail and tent maker of Cooktown who gave consent for his younger brother to enlist for service abroad.
At the Cooktown Recruiting Depot on October 25, 1915 his application from Townsville was presented and he passed the local medical examination. The following day was accepted for active service by the recruiting officer and Mayor of Cooktown. Personal particulars from the form reveal that he was single and 169cms (5ft 6½ins) tall with a chest measurement of 85cms (33½ins). His postal address was care of Thomas Henry Ashford, Charlotte Street, Cooktown.
Returning to the Townsville Recruiting Depot on October 30, 1915 Attestation Forms were completed which add further information about him. He weighed 56.3kgs (124lbs) with a chest expansion of 81-85cms (32-33½ins) and had a fair complexion with hazel eyes and dark brown hair. Religious denomination was Church of England and next-of-kin was his brother Thomas William Ashford of Charlotte Street, Cooktown. He was sworn in the same day.
Acknowledgement to the departing volunteers was reported in the Townsville Daily Bulletin Monday on November 1, 1915:
The establishment of the Mining Corps was in its initial stages when the recruit arrived at Casula camp, near Liverpool for basic training. He was assigned to the No. 1 Company Mining Corps in the rank of Sapper with the regimental number 1247 remaining in training until departure for the front.
At a civic parade in the Domain, Sydney on Saturday February 19, a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground. Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.
Sapper Ashford boarded HMAT A38 Ulysses in Sydney, NSW on February 20 and sailed for the European theatre. Arriving in Melbourne, Victoria on February 22 the Miners camped at Broadmeadows for a stay of 7 days while further cargo was loaded.
Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces.
Leaving Melbourne on March 1, Ulysses arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on March 7 where a further 53 members were taken on board.
On Wednesday March 8, 1916 the whole force, with their band and equipment, paraded at Fremantle prior to leaving Victoria Quay at 9.30 o’clock.
The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured. The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’. The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted.
The Mining Corps comprised 1303 members at the time they embarked with a Headquarters of 40; No.1 Company – 390; No.2 Company – 380; No.3 Company – 392, and 101 members of the 1st Reinforcements.
Finally departing Fremantle on April 1, Ulysses voyaged via Suez, Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt. The Captain of the shipwas reluctantto take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack. The troops were transhipped to HM Transport B.1 Ansonia, then on to Valetta, Malta before disembarking at Marseilles, France on May 5, 1916. As a unit they entrained at Marseilles on May 7 and detrained on May 11 at Hazebrouck.
A ‘Mining Corps’ did not fit in the British Expeditionary Force, and the Corps was disbanded and three Australian Tunnelling Companies were formed. The Technical Staff of the Corps Headquarters, plus some technically qualified men from the individual companies, was formed into the entirely new Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC), better known as the ‘Alphabetical Company’.
Sapper Ashford was officially transferred to the 3rd Tunnelling Company on December 18, 1916.
He enjoyed leave from France from July 30, 1917 until August 8, 1917.
Camp life and service continued until his leave was granted the following year on February 2 returning to his unit on February 22. It was noted three blue Chevrons were due to him for his service on February 20.
Sapper Ashford is mentioned in the Company’s Unit Diary as one of a detachment who became part of a composite Battalion of pioneers, Engineers, 18th N.F. and attached Infantry near Erquinghem. His name is recorded in a nominal roll of the party at 4.30 p.m. on April 9, 1918 which included two officers Lt N. Campbell and Lt J. Dow and 38 men. The men were shown their position and told to dig in facing S.W. on the right flank of and at right angles to the front of Battalion X. Erquinghem was heavily shelled until 1 a.m. on April 10. At noon the enemy was seen crossing their front from left to right about 600 yards away. Their right flank still unprotected sent out patrols to get in touch with the nearest troops.
Patrols reported a gap of 200 yards between them and some pioneers. They lengthened their line to try and link up. The enemy was getting closer and the detachment opened fire at them at 400 yards.
A Battalion of Royal Scots came to reinforce and filled the gap and another Battalion came and took up a position parallel to the railway line, and on their left flank. The enemy came nearer and occupied the farm in front. There was heavy enemy machine gun and rifle fire. Around 6 p.m. very heavy short range fire came from enemy light artillery. The detachment’s officer Lieut Campbell was then put in charge of the Company of the Xth Battalion to which they were attached. Lt J. Dow’s report on the incident is as follows:
He is also mentioned in the Diary later in the year during a recreational competition. The entry reads:
Sapper Ashford was with his Unit when Armistice was declared which remained on duty as part of the Army of Occupation.
The Furlough Department granted him leave from January 7 until January 21, 1919 and he rejoined his unit three days later.
On February 5, 1919 his unit was recalled to the Aust. General Base Depot for demobilisation. They departed for England on February 21 and marched in to the R.B.A.A. at Heytesbury the following day.
Sapper Ashford marched into the 2nd Convalescent Training Brigade, Codford on March 19, 1919 remaining until March 27.
He arrived at the No. 3 Group 1st Training Brigade at Sutton Veny on March 27, 1919 then was relocated to the No. 1 Command Depot on April 10. On April 24 he marched out to the R. & General Depot in London.
He was granted Non-Military Employment on Full Military Pay including Railway warrants and working overalls and cap for the duration of three months from April 25, 1919 until July 25, 1919. Experience was to be gained in Ship Plating with the Sunderland Shipbuilding Co. Ltd at South Dock, Sunderland. The company’s report on his work reads as follows:
Wages at full Union Rates were paid with the deficiencies of suit $4.55 (£2/5/6) and cap 30c (3/-) debited in the Pay book. He returned from N.M.E. on July 26, 1919 and was retransferred to the 3rd Tunnelling Company and marched out to D.A.A.G.
He departed England on August 19, 1919 on board the H.T. Ajana for his return to Australia. His next-of-kin was advised of his impending return on September 4, 1919. The voyage terminated in Sydney, NSW (2nd M.D.) on October 9, 1919.
Military Discharge took place in Sydney, NSW (2nd M.D.) on December 2, 1919.
The British War Medal (33093) and the Victory Medal (32677) were awarded to Sapper 1247 Sydney Francis Ashford, 3rd Tunnelling Company for serving his country.
On April 11, 1923 Base Records replied to correspondence from Mr Sydney Ashford, care of Mr W. Drysdale, Homewood, via Yea, Victoria advising him that both his medals had been forwarded to Headquarters, District Base, Victoria Barracks, Sydney for disposal because his discharge took place in the 2nd Military District. Mr Ashford on April 16, 1923 receipted collection of both his medals which were witnessed by Mrs D. Drysdale.
The Electoral Roll records Sydney and Ina Elizabeth Mary Ashford residing at Emerald Road, Gembrook, Pakenham, Vic listing his occupation as Labourer. Around 1943 his residence changed to 24 Thomson Street, 5CS Melbourne Ports, but was again listed at Emerald Rd, Gembrook in 1949.
Sydney Francis Ashford died on December 26, 1967 aged 72 years and was interred in the Gembrook Cemetery, Vic.
© Donna Baldey 2010