Lt Col C C G Ashton OBE

Commanding Officer - The East Surrey Regiment

Commanded 1^st Bn The East Surrey Regiment from 21^st June 1919 to 21^st June 1923.

Cecil Charles Gough Ashton, known as "Father" or "Uncle Dick" to his friends, was born on 17^th December 1870. He was commissioned in The East Surrey Regiment on 13^th August 1882 from RMC Sandhurst. He joined the 1^st Battalion at Agra in 1893 and served with the Battalion in India and UK.

From September 1908 to August 1911 he was seconded for service with the Royal West African Frontier Force. He commanded the Depot at Kingston from 1912 to August 1914. He then was appointed to raise, command and train the 7^th Battalion. On 22^nd April 1915 he was appointed to command the 2^nd Battalion at the start of the battle for Ypres 1915. On 25^th April he was wounded but remained in command. In August 1915 he was invalided to UK. He then commanded, in succession, a Service Battalion of The Gordon Highlanders and of The Royal Irish Rifles. He again commanded the 2^nd Battalion from 25^th April 1918. On 21^st June 1919 having brought the 2^nd Battalion (which had been reduced to a cadre) from Turkey back to the Depot he was transferred to command the 1^st Battalion which he led in England, North Russia, Ireland, Egypt and Sudan until 21^st June 1923.

For his services during the 1914-18 War he was made an OBE and awarded the Greek Military Cross. He retired from the Army on 5^th January 1924.

He died on 16^th December 1952.

 

For obituary see the Journal of The East Surrey Regiment Vol V No 4 May 1953 page 127.

For other details of service see The East Surrey Regiment 'Regimental News' Vol I No 17 August 1923 page 3.

 

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