Trafford

Born during the September quarter 1922 -n the Chapel on le Frith R.D. -
ref: 1b/1510, the son of Handley & Hilda Ashworth |(nee Parker).     He had
an elder sister (Margaret) & brother (Alfred)

1939 National Registration - 166 Park Road, Altrincham (Timperley?).   Son
- Born on the 28th August 1922 - occ: Motor Trade Spares Assistant.   His
mother - Hilda Ashworth was listed as being incapacitated..   His brother -
Alfred H. Ashworth was also listed.    His father, however was listed as
residing at 21 High Street, Buxton, employed as a Leather Goods Maker.

An article in the Sale & Stretford Guardian dated the 28th May 1943,
provided some of the information below.

Attended Altrincham Grammar School.   Employed by Wooleys, Wholesale
Chemists in Manchester.    A member of the Timperley Cricket Club.

Volunteered for the Army over two years ago (1941) and originally posted
into the Grenadier Guards.   On making Corporal was sent to the Officer
Training Unit in Cairo, from where he joined the Royals and was at the
forefront of the liberation of Tunis in North Africa (Operation Strike)
between 6th-8th May 1943.  He led the first troops into Tunisia.

Attd. 07th Bn [1] Queen's Royal Rgt (West Surrey).  7th Armoured Division.

Commemorated on the private family (uncle's) gravestone in Christchurch
Churchyard, Timperley, which states Queen's Royal Rgt, as does the local
newspaper report.  Killed at Volterno River area (Tony Sant's list).

His brother Ted aged 22 is a RAFVR.

CWGC - Son of Handley and Hilda Ashworth, of Timperley, Cheshire.   M.I. -
BELOVED MEMORIES OF A BRAVE HEART, SADLY MISSED. LOVED THROUGH ETERNITY

Probate was granted on the 25th July 1945 to his mother - Hilda Ashworth.  
His Estate was valued at £194. 6s. 1d.  It confirmed his address as being
at 166 Park Road, Timperley.

From the Queens Royals website -
https://www.queensroyalsurreys.org.uk/ww2/middle_east/qme026.shtml
reports.........

Meanwhile ‘B’ Company had advanced to the north-western end of the city
in order to cut the main road from Tebourba. In the pitch dark, with the
bewildering number of roads, this was no easy task, but eventually ‘B’
Company reached its objective, and a steady stream of enemy transport was
intercepted throughout the night, The Italians tended to surrender
willingly, but many Germans tried to turn round or escape to a flank. The
most spirited action of the night occurred when 13 Platoon of ‘C’
Company, under 2/Lt R.J. Ashworth, wiped out a lorry-load of Germans, who
showed fight, with a most efficiently delivered concentration of fire.  By
dawn all enemy traffic had ceased. This night’s operations by the two
companies of the 1/7th Queen’s was of far-reaching importance to the
ending of the campaign, playing a considerable part in bringing about the
breakdown of the whole enemy plan to make a fighting withdrawal to the line
Hammam Lif-Enfidaville, covering the Cap Bon Peninsula, where supplies for
two months’ further campaigning had been collected.

The war diary records that Robert was one of a group of Officer
reinforcements for the Bn arriving from the Infantry Training Depot on
April 4th.

4th June. Maj. N.J.P HAWKEN MC Lt. COCKROFT, Lt. ASHWORTH and 100 O.R’s
took part in the King's Birthday parade in TRIPOLI. Inspection was by
Comdr. 10 Corps Lt. Gen. HORROCKS.

19th June. Bn. received orders for move to TRIPOLI for inspection by the
king.  By the 20th June the battalion had. moved from HOMS to TRIPOLI area
at 0630 hrs arriving at Kilo 25 on the TRIPOLI BEN GARDANE Rd at 1530 hrs.
Leaguered area was near the road amongst palm & olive trees.

21st June. All morning spent in preliminary inspection by Coys for
afternoon parade. 1445 hrs Bn. paraded in file on each side of road and at
1620 the king arrived by the C.O. and said a few words. Three cheers were
given as he drove slowly by seated on the back of his car in which we're
also Gen. MONTGOMERY and Maj. Gen. ERSKINE, 8th Army Comdr. and 7th Armd.
Div. Comdr. respectively. The Bn. dismissed at 1700 hrs and started on the
return journey to HOMS at 1830 hrs and travelled by night. 

Arrived in Bn. area Homs at 0615 hrs on the 22nd June,   On the 17th Aug. 
2/Lt. R J. ASHWORTH transferred from “C” Coy to HQ Coy (Battle
Patrol).ust

Mid September sees the Battalion transferred into the battle for Italy and
they are landed via LST into Salerno and are quickly introduced to the fray
with the war diary detailing the circumstances of Robert's death in action
on 10th Oct as follows:

1100 hrs. Lt. J.K. WOOD A Coy recced area 086785 and reports two enemy
posts at 087784 and 087775. 
1500 hrs.” ”Coy and Battle Patrol fired L.M.G's and two inch Mortars
from area 0867792 BREZZA. Fire was turned onto house 090776 and as a result
three enemy fled from building. 
1800 hrs. Battle Patrol cross river with intention of searching woods and
houses 090776. They were covered by E Coy and one M.G. Platoon of
Cheshire’s. 15 O.R. reinforcements arrive.
 
1915 hrs. Battle Patrol contact enemy post and engaged same. Patrol was
forced to withdraw when Lt. R.J. ASHWORTH (Comd) was killed and two men
wounded.

B Coy and MG platoon gave covering fire to the returning patrol. As a
result of this patrol heavy Mortar and shell fire was brought down on all
our positions. The enemy fired M.G’s all along the riverbank into our
forward Coys and he probably thought this was an attempt by us to force an
assault crossing. 
1930 hrs. the enemy still bringing down heavy shell and Mortar fire on all
our positions. Our supporting Arty. reply with fire on suspected gun and
mortar positions. 
2100 hrs. enemy still very active. A Coy have one man wounded. 
2200 hrs. own Arty stonk enemy positions. 
2330 hour's enemy is fairly quiet after shelling us for four hrs. Bn. is
well dug in and casualties sustained very few. 

I am most grateful to Gary Fisher for much of the above information about
Robert.