Bruce Valentine Ashton

This story is shared by the Trust with kind permission from Mavis Williams, Researcher.

Bruce Valentine Ashton was born on the 17th of April 1921 at South Yarra, Victoria, Australia, one of three sons of Ernest Valentine and Ida Minnie Augusta Ashton (née Kohlberger) who had married circa 1915 in Victoria, Australia.

Bruce's father, Ernest was born in Lancaster and the census of 1911 shows he was living at 72, Victoria Avenue, Blackley, Manchester with his parents and siblings. But the next year he emigrated to Australia. He boarded the SS Orama, bound for Melbourn, in July 1912.

Bruce Ashton’s early and teenage years are unknown, but he was mobilised on the 17th October 1940 for two years, or for the duration of the war, according to his records for mobilized service from the Australian Archives. He is described as 5 feet 9¼ inches with brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion. He had two scars on his right shin.

On mobilization he was sent to HMAS Rushcutter, a depot, radar and anti-submarine training base near Sydney, New South Wales, on 17th October 1940. After a few months he then had passage to the UK, arriving on 26th of April 1941. He undertook further anti-submarine training at HMS Osprey, where he learnt how to use the Hedgehog weapon system. The Hedgehog, which could fire a number of small spigot mortars, had been designed be used in the Battle of the Atlantic.

After his training, he did Atlantic convoy duty on HMS Montgomery from August 1941 to March 1942. On the 23rd April 1942 he was posted to HMS King Alfred for officer training and on August 1942 he was appointed Sub Lieutenant. He was posted to HMS COPRA on 1st July 1943, to await a posting to a landing craft. His knowledge of the hedgehog system would be put to use in both Sicily, where he served on landing craft for the invasion of Sicily in 1943, and then Normandy in 1944.

On D-Day Bruce Ashton was in command of LCA (HR) 1106. He was killed when his landing craft was accidentally rammed close to shore on Gold Beach. He was first buried in a temporary war cemetery at Graye-sur-Mer, Creully. He was then reinterred in the Bayeux British Cemetery on the 30 January 1945.

British Normandy Memorial - Additional Information

Unfortunately, we do not have a photo of Bruce Ashton. If you are aware of one or you are related to Bruce we would love to hear from you so we can add to his story.