Major, William Norman ASHPLANT
Aged 39
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William Norman ASHPLANT was born on 23rd July 1877 in Haverhill (Risbridge Q3-1877 4A:459), son of William and Henrietta ASHPLANT
(née BRYANT).
1881 census...Aged 3, he was at High Street, Haverhill with his father William ASHPLANT [42] manufacturer's manager born St Giles, Devon; his mother Henrietta [48] born Bristol; brother Henry Brimsmead [17] commercial clerk, born Ipswich; sisters Florence Jane [13] and Edith [11] both born Ipswich and Henrietta [8] born Haverhill. 1891 census...Aged 13, a clerk, he was at Tranters Hotel, Bridgewater Street, St Giles Cripplegate, London with his brother Henry (a warehouseman). His parents, sisters Lilian, Edith and Henrietta were at 19 Hamlet Road, Haverhill. His father died on 14th January 1896. 1901 census... His widowed mother and sisters Lilian, Florence, Edith and Henrietta were at 19 Hamlet Road, Haverhill. His mother died in Haverhill on 24th December 1907. He trained as a surveyor and was apprenticed in Cape Town, South Africa. This was interrupted by service with Garrison Artillery during the Boer Wars. According to Freemasonry records he was in Port Elizabeth, South Africa in 1904 and Nassua, Bahamas in 1910. Further advancement came with civil service in South Africa, the Bahamas and Nigeria before he reached Canada where in 1913 he became City Engineer. He resided with his elder brother Henry Brimsmead Ashplant in London Ontario. He joined the militia, 7th Regiment of Fusiliers on 1st March 1914. |
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National Archives of Canada, Accession Ref RG150, Accession 1992-93/166 Box 268 - 32 refers He enlisted in 18th Battalion on 28th August 1914 and served as Lieutenant with Captain's pay, training recruits. He bought his discharge on January 1915 and attested for the Army on 1st February 1915. He was enlisted on 22nd October 1915 in 33rd Overseas Battalion. At his medical in London, Ontario he gave his date of birth as above, a civil engineer living with his brother and next of kin at 807 Waterloo Street, London, Ontario. He was single, 6 feet tall, weighing 170 lbs, Church of England. Promoted captain 18th February 1915 there are three dates for his promotion to Major, the most likely being 15th October 1915. He sailed for England on 18th March 1916, arriving 25th March. Date of going to France has not been found, but he was taken on strength of the 1st Battalion on 3rd August 1916. The local press reported MAJOR ASHPLANT INJURED On Wednesday, the Misses Ashplant, of Herzwood House, Haverhill, received the following telegram from their brother, Major Wm.Norman Ashplant (adjutant to the Colonel) Canadian Infantry Battalion:-"Shrapnel wound neck, left ear;nothing serious; narrow escape." That was on 2nd September, he then passed through No. 4 Australian Field Ambulance to No. 2 Canadian Field Ambulance before reaching No.6 Canadian Field Ambulance on the 9th and returning to duty on 10th. On the night of 22nd, a Lance Corporal Hynds reported that he was seen Major Ashplant in a shell hole with machine gun bullet wounds in his stomach and legs whilst they were taking trenches east of Courcelette. A search party on the 23rd failed to find him and he was presumed dead. The South West Suffolk Echo of reported that:- "In the official casualty lists on Monday, under the heading "Previously reported wounded and appears missing , now reported killed", the name of Major W. N. Ashplant, Canadian Infantry. Major Ashplant was a native of Haverhill, being a brother of Misses Ashplant, of Heazeworth House. The first intimation received by them of their brother's fate was contained in the following letter from a fellow officer in October last :- 'Major W. N. Ashplant was attached to my Company of this Battalion at the time of the attack on September 22nd. He was in charge of the left flank of the first line of men to attack, and in the face of heavy machine gun fire he bravely mounted the parapet at the head of his men, urging them forward by word and gesture. Before we attained our objective a Corporal, badly wounded, returned and informed me that Major Ashplant had been badly wounded, and had urged the rest of them onward. I immediately sent out a search party, and also searched over the ground personally, but we could find no trace of the Major. However I feel that he was too seriously wounded to live, and must think that he has died in the service of his country. I feel his loss personally the more because he and I were fellow Company Commanders of the Battalion, and had long been closely associated in the military game. However he has died bravely leading his man in an attack which was entirely successful, and which was one more step in the downfall of the enemy. Kindly accept my heartfelt sympathy in your bereavement".
also in the Old Independent United Reform Church in Haverhill click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
