Private
WARREN ADDISON (W A) ASH

Private
WARREN ADDISON (W A) ASH

Partager

Warren Addison Ash, the eldest of three sons of Addison, a commission agent, and his wife, Annie, was born on 8th February 1885 in Stockport. The brothers had an elder sister, Gladys Maud, who was born in 1883. Misfortune struck the family in 1897 when their father died and again in 1900 when their brother Lionel died aged fourteen.

In 1908, having become a qualified electrician, he obtained a position with the British Columbia Engineering Company in Vancouver and sailed for a new life in Canada. He lived in Chilliwack, some fifty miles west of Vancouver city and became fully immersed in the local community. He was very active in St. Thomas Anglican Church, played football and was also Secretary of Chilliwack Tennis Club. His mother followed his lead, moved to Canada and lived in Yew Street, Kitsilano, Vancouver alongside the Prince of Wales Park. Vancouver was, at that time, in the infancy of its development and despite the simplicity of communications at that time he managed to make contact with A.L.E. Meredith, Jack Meredith, Harry Davis and Warren. Following the outbreak of war, Warren was quick to enlist. He signed his Attestation Papers on 23rd September 1914 and became Private Ash, Service No: 17094 in Company, the 7th Canadian Infantry, the British Columbia Regiment.

His previous military experience with the British Army Territorials (he served for two years) stood him in good stead and he would have avoided any extensive basic training. Exactly when he embarked for the voyage to England is not known but his service records show that he was admitted to Salisbury Military Hospital on 1st November. He was described as being "dangerously ill" on 15th and died of spinal meningitis on 21st. He was the first Chilliwack casualty of the war and the first Old Ellesmerian to die during the conflict. Warren was not the only young man from Chilliwack on that voyage to England. A fellow resident, Malcolm MacLeod, who would die on active service in April 1915, wrote to The Chilliwack Progress: "That young fellow Ash, I was telling you about being sick, from our company, is not expected to live now. He has spinal meningitis. I feel it pretty hard as I liked him fine. He joined at Chilliwack and slept beside me in camp here until he took sick. I met his mother in Vancouver before we left. He is in a hospital fourteen miles away."

Warren was buried with full military honours in Oswestry General Cemetery. His sacrifice is commemorated on the memorial gates at the entrance to Cae Glas Park, Oswestry and on memorials at both Denstone College and Ellesmere College.

Source: The Ellesmerian Club (Ellesmere College, Shropshire UK)