Three: Lieutenant Stanley Ashman, 5th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, late Somerset Light Infantry, who was killed in action at Vis-en-Artois, 3 May 1917

British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Lieut. S. Ashman.); Territorial Force War Medal 1914-19 (1440 Sjt. S. Ashman. Som. L.I.) together with Bronze Memorial Plaque (Stanley Ashman) good very fine £200-£300

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of the Soldiers of Oxfordshire Museum.

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M.I.D. London Gazette 25 May 1917.

Stanley Ashman was born in 1888 and lived at Midsomer Norton, Somerset. He went with the 1/4th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry to India on 9 October 1914 and served on the North West Frontier in 1915. He was commissioned into the 9th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry on 17 November 1915, but joined the 5th Battalion at Arras on 21 April 1916, taking part in the attack on Delville Wood on 24 August 1916. He is mentioned in Lieutenant Sebastian’s narrative on the attack on Delville Wood: ‘On reaching the old German trench I found that the consolidation of D Company’s part (the right) was being carried out well by 2nd Lieut. Ashman, the only officer left in the Company, who had done good work all through, and who had commandeered some K.S.L.I. men to help with the defensive flank.’ Colonel Webb also noted in his report, ‘The conduct of Lieut. Ashman in reorganising his company and part of the 5th K.S.L.I. on new front was also very noticeable.’

He was killed in action at Vis-en-Artois on 3 May 1917, and is commemorated by name on the Arras Memorial. The battalion had total casualties, killed, wounded or missing, of 8 officers and 291 N.C.O.’s and men, out of 12 officers and 523 N.C.O.’s and men who went into action at Vis-en-Artois.