George Frederick Ashby

Story:
George Frederick Ashby was born in Iwerne Minster, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 19th July 1888 and baptised there on 7th October 1888, the son of Charles Ashby and Catherine Ashby (née Marson).  He spent most of his early life, apart from Military Service, at High Street, Iwerne Minster.  His father had died in 1891.   He enlisted as a Territorial with the Royal Field Artillery as a Gunner (Service Nos. 2564 & 860455).  It is not known in which theatre of war he served but on his discharge was awarded the Victory and British War medals.   At the time of the 1921 Census he was living with his widowed mother at High Street, Iwerne Minster, working as an Estate Mechanic for the Ismay Estates. He married Clara Rose Hillier in Blandford, Dorset, in 1923 and by the time of the 1939 Register living at 1 High Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset, working as a Stoker and Handyman.  His death was recorded at the Salisbury, Wiltshire, Registry in 1967. George's brother Robert (b.1879) also served in the war and sadly died in 1915 while serving with the Royal Engineers in France.