On his service papers dated 25th May 1918, Victor Ashford’s home address is given as Colonels Bank, Chailey.  Geographically speaking, I believe that Colonels Bank was in Newick rather than Chailey, but as the service record states Chailey, I am including Victor’s First World War service here.  Brothers Frederick and George Smith, also remembered on this site, lived at Colonels Bank too, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s site noting this as being in Chailey.

 

Victor was called up for service at the age of 18 years and 11 months and posted to the 3rd Buffs; number G/25996 (although his preferred regiment was noted as The Royal Engineers). He was five feet eight and a half inches tall, a farm labourer who gave his next of kin as his father, James Ashford. 

 

Victor remained in England for just over four months before being sent to France with on 28th September 1918.  He joined the 10th Battalion in the Field on 5th October 1918 and remained with it until 5th December when he was admitted to the 51st Casualty Clearing Station with bronchitis.  He was moved to the 53rd General Hospital at Boulogne two days later and then, on 17th January 1919, returned to England from Wimereux aboard the Hospital Ship Jan Breydel. The following day he was admitted to the 1st Western General Hospital in Liverpool where he remained until 21st February when he was granted leave to return home until the 3rd March.

 

On 27th November that year, medically classified as B2, Victor was demobilised and awarded a final pension of five shillings and sixpence a week for one year.

 

 

Sources and Acknowledgements

 

• National Archives – WO 364 pension series