“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them."

(the Ode of Remembrance - from the poem ‘For the Fallen’ by Laurence Binyon)

Corran Perry Ashworth was born in Eketahuna, New Zealand, on 25 September 1921 - eighth child and fourth son of Arthur John and Edna Mary Ashworth. His first name is possibly from a very small village named Corran on the shores of Loch Linnhe in Scotland - near Ayrshire where his paternal grandmother came from. His middle name is taken from the surname of his maternal great-grandparents.

He was educated at Alexandra District High School where he obtained his University Entrance in 1937. In civil life he was employed as a clerk in the Post and Telegraph Department, and his favourite sports were rugby, cricket and tennis. He joined New Zealand's Territorial Force in 1940, serving for 6 months in an artillery battery.

1941 - 1942

Photo of Corran Ashworth circa 1939 to 1940

Corran Ashworth applied for enlistment in the RNZAF in January 1941 and was enlisted at Levin (around 95 km north of Wellington) on 15 June. His flying training was carried out at No 3 Elementary Training School, Harewood, Christchurch, and No 2 Service Flying School, Woodbourne (located 8 km west of Blenheim). Corran was awarded his Flying Badge on 18 October and promoted to Temporary Sergeant on November 29.

Early in his training Corran met Johnnie Houlton (a fellow New Zealander who went on to be credited as the first Allied airman to shoot down an enemy plane on D-Day in what is now known as the ‘Grace Spitfire’) with whom he established a close friendship. In his book Spitfire Strikes Johnny wrote:

“On most Sundays we were free of duties, and my father would collect me, and some of the others, to go home for the day. Already, lasting friendships were forming in the groups, and I teamed up with Corran Ashworth - known as ‘Ash’ - a man of considerable charm and ability, and a very good pilot. His instructor was called ‘Butch’ Baines, because of his tendency to turn purple when he wound himself into a rage. Ash trudged away from a Moth one morning grinning widely, but with a pale and subdued instructor.

Formal photo of Corran Ashworth

“The flying exercise had been spinning, and recovering from the spin. Ash had pulled the nose of the aircraft up until it was stalled, but was not applying rudder (to cause the spin) to the satisfaction of his instructor. “Boot it on - hard - like this" yelled Butch lunging at a rudder pedal. With the Moth spinning earthward he then roared: “Right - recover and pull out." He was one of those annoying instructors who sometimes kept his hand and ft on the controls while the pupil was in action, and after several turns in the spin he started raving at Ash to pull out. Ash yelled back, “Get your bloody feet off the rudders!"

“The panic set in. Butch had jammed the sole of his flying boot between the rudder bar and the side of the cockpit, and there was no way it could be withdrawn. In desperation he released his safety harness, wrenched his foot out of the flying boot, then tore the boot forward and clear of the rudder bar with his hands. Ash corrected the spin and only pulled out of the dive ’scraping the daisies.’

“After they landed Butch actually apologised to Ash.

Excerpt from Johnnie Houlton’s
book ’Spitfire Strikes

After completing his training at Woodbourne, Corran took his final leave, visiting his home in Alexandra. Accompanying him was his newly engaged fiancée - a young lady he had recently fallen in love with.

Photo of Corran Ashworth 1941

Sergeant Ashworth embarked for the United Kingdom in December 1941, sailing on the RMS Rangitiki outbound from Wellington via the Panama Canal. On arrival in England, he first went for advanced flying training at No 17 Advanced Flying Unit, Watton, Thetford, Norfolk on 16 March 1942. He moved on to No 55 Operational Training Unit, Annan, Dumfriesshire on 7 April to undergo training on Hurricane aircraft. On June 9 he joined No 403 Canadian Squadron at Martlesham, Suffolk, participating in operational exercises in Spitfire aircraft. Corran flew for the first time on 12 June 1942, in a Spitfire.

On 25 June he joined No 253 Squadron at Hibaldstow, Lincolnshire, after 48h of flying, where he flew Hurricanes once more. He participated in the ground strafing of Dieppe, his second mission in operation: on the 19th of August, at 04h30 he took off in a Hurricane to attack the gun position on the coast around Dieppe. He flew a second time, for one hour, between 16h30 and 17h30 in the valley of the river Scie.

At this time, Corran was experiencing considerable pain in his sinuses when diving at high speed. In his book Spitfire Strikes, Johnnie Houlton recorded the following incident:

After we returned from a dog-fighting exercise one morning I found Ash banging his forehead in agony against a back wall in the dispersal building. Although he had been operated on before enlistment to open the sinus cavities, these were again becoming restricted. Air trapped in the sinus passages could not equalise to the pressure of the outside air with rapid changes in altitude, thus causing violent pain. This was now happening to him quite often, but Ash refused to report to sick quarters, as he was sure to have been grounded.

While stationed in Malta in 1942, Johnnie experienced a similar problem during a high-speed dive:

I was hit with the most excruciating pain in the forehead, and was blinded by the glaring white light, as if I was looking into the sun. Punching myself in the forehead and screaming in agony, I wanted to die then and there; but the Spitfire literally retrieved the situation, without any help from myself. I had gone flying with a slight head cold and the sinus passage had blocked in the dive, causing tremendous internal pressure, which distorted the bone structure above my left eye. It was impossible to trim a Spitfire Mk V to fly hands-off in a steep, high-speed dive; when I took both hands off the control column, the aircraft reared out of the dive and climbed again. My vision cleared and when I was back at about 11,000 ft the pain became bearable. I realised what Ash must have gone through many times with his blocked sinuses, and could only admire his fortitude.

CorranAshworth and Johnnie Houlton © Houlton Family
With his best friend from early in his training, Johnnie Houlton (Corran was visiting during his R & R)
- Hornchurch, 1943

At the end of their training at Annan, Johnnie and Corran were posted to different units. Johnnie Houlton wrote:

When the end of course postings were announced, I was one of two pilots posted to Spitfire squadrons, while Ash and other New Zealanders were sent to 253 Hurricane Squadron. It proved impossible, moreover, to have the posting changed. But it is an example of how a single incident can lead to a distinct change of direction in one’s life.

In November, the Squadron moved to French North Africa, operating from Phillipville, Algeria. Sergeant Ashworth, as pilot of a Hurricane in the Squadron, participated in patrols, convoy escort and sea sweeps. the Squadron contacted enemy aircraft on a number of occasions.

1943 - 1944

Photo of Corran Ashworth 1943

Sergeant Ashworth reported shooting down a Ju 88 in the vicinity of Jemmapes on 15 February 1943. He was promoted to the rank of Pilot Officer on 23 March, at which time he was transferred to the Royal Air Force. On April 16 he was assigned to No 14 Squadron, Blida, Algeria where he continued operations, flying Mustang I aircraft.

He joined No 32 Squadron at Tingley in North East Algeria on June 23rd, and he was flying both Hurricanes and Spitfire aircraft on varied operations. On 9 July he reported shooting down a Bf 109 fifty miles N-NW of Galite. this was confirmed and on 23 September he was promoted to the rank of Flying Officer.

Flying Officer Ashworth returned to England in October and, after a few days at No 55 Operational Training Unit, was sent to No 3 Flying Instruction School, Lulsgate Bottom, Somerset. He returned to No55 Operational Training Unit on October 10, where he flew Hawker Typhoon and Hurricane, Miles Masters, Magister and Martinet aircraft.

From early February through April 1944, Corran spent almost a month in and out of Station Sick Quarters or in the RAF hospitals at Morecambe and Haltondue to contracting ‘recurring malaria’ while in North Africa.

June 1944

On 6 June, 1944, Corran proceeded to No.83 Group Support Unit at Redhill in Surrey where he flew Mustangs again.

Photo of Corran Ashworth beside Spitfire

On June 10th he was posted to 65 Squadron, and moved with the Squadron to a landing strip in newly liberated territory in Normandy. The Squadron formed part of the 2nd Tactical Air Force, and was engaged on strikes against enemy railway yards, communications and troop concentrations. His logbook for 12 June has two entries. The first: ‘dogfight and aerobatics at 25000 feet.’ The second: ‘close escort – (North American B-25) Mitchells – Caen. No incidents – slight flak.’

Corran had a busy month of bombing in France, and on the 14th of June he was on reconnaissance (12 Planes) in the area of Rouen. He shot down a Bf 109 G6 of the 2./JG5: the pilot was uninjured but his plane was totally destroyed. He followed up with an Fw-190 near Argentan on 17 June.

Combat report of F/O C. P. Ashworth, 14 June 1944:

I was flying Yellow IV on armed recce in the Rouen area. E/A were reported at 12 o’clock. I jettisoned my bombs after my No.1 and followed him in the chase. First E/A disappeared behind cloud but I spotted a Me109 at 4 o’clock and, after calling No. 1, I gave chase. I closed on E/A (enemy a/craft) who broke early and my first burst was about 1 second quarter head on. I did a tight turn and again got on to tail of E/A who proceeded to take violent evasive action (stall turns, diving, and steep turns). I fired several short bursts at small deflection angles (10-15 degrees) noticing strikes on one occasion on rear fuselage. I fired another burst when the E/A was at the peak of his climb in a stall turn manoeuvre and saw strikes on port wing. The E/A finally pulled up into a steep climb, the pilot jettisoned hood, rolled A/C (aircraft) onto its back and baled out. Parachute opened. The combat was witnessed by Yellow I (F/Lt Stillwell, Yellow II (F/Lt will and Yellow III (F/Lt Collyns).

The German pilot in this case was Unteroffizier Rudolf Schroder of 2/JG5 Squadron, which at that time was stationed at Evereux. Uffz Schroder was flying Bf 109 ID 440225: his Squadron report stated that he was missing off Dieppe. He was wounded in the action, but returned to duty on 23 June.

Photo of Corran Ashworth 1943

Note: The Bf 109 was called the Me109 by Allied aircrew and some German aces, even though this was not the official German designation - all BFW/Messerschmitt aircraft from the Bf 108 four-seat touring monoplane, to the Bf 163 light observation aircraft were prefixed "Bf"; all later types with "Me" (Bayerische Flugzeugwerke - BFW - had been taken over by chief designer and engineer Willy Messerschmitt in 1938).

During June Corran flew a total of 10 operational sorties, totalling 19.4 hours flying. At that time the Squadron was operating from Redhill in Southern England.

Corran's logbook 7 to 23 June 1944 © Ashworth Family
Corran's logbook - 7 to 23 June 1944 recording him destroying a Bf 109

July/August 1944

With the battle for Normandy reaching its climax, July 1944 was a period of intense activity for 65 Squadron. During the last two weeks of July leading to his final operations, Corran participated in 16 operations over enemy held France. Following his discharge from hospital on 25 June he spent a short time with 83 GSU at Bognor Regis. His first logbook entry with 65 Squadron in July was on the 15th.

Photo of Corran Ashworth in pilot's gear

During July, Corran flew a lot of reconnaissance missions from 65 Squadron’s base: Airfield B12 Ellon - near Martragny, France. On the 11th and 12th he spent time on formation and low flying as well as aerobatics. He ‘shared’ a Bf 109 G6 III Gruppe of JG26, damaged near Dreux-Conches on July 29, with Sergeant Holland, 65 Squadron.

His logbook for 29 July recorded: ‘Mustang III. Armed reccon. Evereux. Jetd. Bombs. Attacked 12 Me109s. 1 Me109 damaged. S/L Lamb 1 ME109. F/O Jonsson 1 Me 109. F/S Holland missing.’ (It was subsequently established that F/S Holland crashed into a field near the town of Conches. His body was recovered two days later.)

F/O Ashworth subsequently reported

I was flying Sifta 4 with bombs on an armed recce and in the Evereux area I reported approximately 12 aircraft at three o’clock at 8000 feet. These turned out to be 109s and we engaged shortly afterwards. I followed Sifta 3 into the melee and in a left had turn saw a Bf109 at four o’clock about 1000 feet above apparently about to attack.

I throttled back and climbed on to his tail and he immediately began a series of steep climbing turns. I was out-turning him and first opened fire with a one second burst from about 250 yards – closing - but the 109 then dived into thick cloud and I lost him. The enemy aircraft had a black and white spiral spinner and looked dirty, which may have been oil. I claim one Bf109 damaged.

Corran's logbook 11 to 31 July 1944 © Ashworth Family
Corran's logbook - 11 to 31 July 1944 recording him damaging an Me109S
His final logbook page.

On August 1st and 2nd, Flying Officer Ashworth was not on mission because his plane YT-U had had technical problems on 31 July, and he did training tests instead.

By this time, Corran’s logbook recorded that he had accumulated 807 hours 40 minutes as a pilot. Given the stress under which these pilots operated almost daily, it would not have been surprising if at this stage he was suffering a certain amount of battle fatigue.

3 August 1944:
His Final Operation

From the book 'For Our Tomorrow He Gave His Today', by Vincent Ashworth and Fabrice Dhollande:
Mustang © Ashworth Family
The German retreat from Normandy and the Seine squadron attacked barges on 3 August, 1944, is shown up-river from Rouen.

On 3 August, 1944, Corran Perry Ashworth was the pilot of Mustang III (the British designation for the Merlin powered, ‘Malcolm hood’ Plexiglas bubble canopy P-51B and P-51C) number FB208, USAF serial number 42-103102. He took off from Ellon airfield (B12, 14 miles West of Caen) at 10h34hrs with 11 other aircraft. He engaged with the rest of the Squadron on a dive-bombing sortie, flying in the last position of the Group. On this day the weather was clear in the Rouen area.

At 1050hrs the French Civil Defence launched the alert as a group of Allied aircraft approached from the direction of Elbeuf-Rouen. Flying over La Londe and Orival Forest at 1100hrs, the Group was over the target area Oissel- Bédanne (around 16 km South of Rouen), where two groups of barges were parked: four along the left side of the Seine River, and twelve in the West extremity of Île Legarée in the Bédanne Branch. At this point the river divides between the ’Orival - Les Roches’ cliffs and the fields of Freneuse -Cleon- Saint-Aubin-lès-Elbeuf.

For the retreating Germans, this area was strategic because of the Oissel railway bridge (which, despite continued bombing, remained operational), the pontoon bridge at Léry-Poses, and the two heavy German ferries crossing the Seine River at Elbeuf and Saint-Aubin-lès-Elbeuf. The many small islands and their branches were ideal for the Germans to hide and park barges. The area was very well protected by anti-aircraft fire: several 20 mm, 37mm and four 88 mm guns were located within 800 metres of the 12 barges near and in Cleon’s Wood.

Mustang Mustang III fighter/bomber

As they entered the target area, the shells exploded around the aircraft. One by one, the Mustangs dived at more than 650 km/hr on the 12 barges. Eight, nine, ten, eleven and then it was Corran’s turn.

He pushed the stick and commenced the dive at 12,000 feet at more than 650 km/hr in a dive-bombing angle of 45°, with the anti-aircraft shells exploding around his aircraft. Just before 4,000 feet, he pressed the button to release his bombs. Just as he dropped the two 1000 pound bombs on the target, his aircraft suddenly exploded, and the wreck plunged in flames into the river below, just behind the barges. No parachute was seen. The exact cause is not known, but some very accurate enemy anti-aircraft fire was experienced at the time and it is probable that one of his bombs was hit by some. He was in the last section to go down (dive bomb), and no guns were fired.

The local Watch N°1, located in the spire of Rouen Cathedral, reported seeing the bombing around Oissel-Elbeuf at 1100hrs. The Watch reported that during the attack one of the aircraft crashed in a ball-of-flames. When the Oissel brigade of French Gendarmerie arrived in a field at Bédanne beside the edge of Seine River, they saw the German troops picking up pieces of the aircraft. In their report they wrote that the pilot was not found.

The 65 Squadron records state that 12 Mustangs took off at 1050hrs. They were bombing barges on the river Seine using 1000 pound (454kg) bombs, returning at 1130hrs. Mustang FB.208 piloted by F/O C P Ashworth failed to return:

F/O Ashworth did not return from the first show, last being seen hurtling straight for the barges in flames. A much regretted loss of a good friend and a fine pilot!

Flying Officer Corran Perry Ashworth was classified as missing believed killed and later reclassified to ‘presumed dead’. He was aged 22.

The Weary Fighter Pilot

No 65 ‘East India’ Squadron

No 122 Wing Headquarters

Royal Air Force

c/o British Liberation Army

8th August 1944

Dear Mrs Ashworth,

It is with deep regret that I have to confirm that your son, Corran Perry Ashworth, is missing as the result of air operations on the 3rd of August 1944.

I am afraid it is my painful task to tell you that you must entertain no hope at all of his having escaped alive from his crash, the bare details of which are as follows.

Your son, with the rest of the Squadron, was on a dive bombing sortie over enemy occupied territory. Just as he commenced his dive on the target, his aircraft blew up and the wreckage plunged into a river below. the exact cause of this tragic mishap is not known, but some enemy anti-aircraft fire was experienced at the time and probably one of his bombs was hit by same. It grieves me very much to have to send you such sad news. I can only offer you the consolation of the thought that it was all so sudden that he could have known nothing about it.

Whilst expressing my sympathy to you in your irreparable loss I would like you to know how much we all miss your son ourselves. He was very popular with everyone and was establishing a splendid reputation for himself as a pilot. We can ill afford to lose men of his calibre. In your sorrow remember that you may be justifiably proud of his achievements and of the fine example he set to others.

Yours sincerely

D. Lamb

Squadron Leader, Commanding

No 65 ‘East India’ Squadron

From the 65 Squadron Operations Record, 3 August 1944:

Barges, barges and more barges kept the squadron busy for the greater part of the day and the rampant bitch in a rather exhausted state, spreading rumours as to what they were carrying. One person, no names mentioned, went even so far as to say that Churchill himself keeps calling ‘Ops’ between cigars to see how attacks were progressing. Don’t eat that Elmer! Our newcomer F/Lt Bishop had a hectic day on the first show, being forced to drag an aircraft with a smoke filled cockpit to the nearest strip and on his second, to make up for not bombing the first time, obtained two direct hits on the barges. First operation 1030 to 1130 hours. Returning from this show we found ourselves temporarily attached to Coastal Command. The CO caught a up with a high speed launch flat out for shore about one quarter mile off Étretat. Maxie Lloyd chased a human torpedo ashore and saw strikes on it leaving the rider running for dear life up the beach – it was to be hoped into a minefield!

F/O Ashworth was last seen hurtling straight for the barges in flames. A much regretted loss of a good friend and a good pilot!

Photo of Arthur and Corran Ashworth

In a short autobiography, brother and close friend Arthur wrote of the last time he saw Corran. the occasion was following Arthur’s memorable 65th operation on September 19 1942: his Squadron had been on an operation bombing targets in Saarbrucken, Germany. On this operation, the Wellington bomber he was piloting became caught in the searchlights among heavy flak. the aircraft was set on fire and Arthur, as Captain, ordered the crew to bail out.

When it came to his turn, he was unable to find his parachute. He was left to try and fly a disintegrating aircraft on his own. His first thought was to try and crash land but, following a series of manoeuvres, the flames went out and he set sail for England. At one stage the petrol ran out, and both engines stopped. He put the aircraft on automatic pilot and rushed back to turn on the reserve tanks. He finally managed to land at an emergency landing ground at West Malling in Kent.

Earlier in the morning, before Arthur had left on this operation, Corran had called from the Huntington railway station to say he had arrived to see him. It would have been shortly after the Dieppe Raid, and before Corran went to North Africa. Arthur wrote:

After landing I rang Wyton to ask that they let Corran know I was OK. A couple of days later I flew Corran back to his fighter base at Hibaldstow. I never saw him again!

At the time of Corran’s death, Arthur was serving in the Pacific with No 17F Fighter Squadron RNZAF. On 8 August 1944, the RNZAF telegraphed him advising that Corran had been reported missing believed killed.

In his book Spitfire Strikes, Johnnie Houlton recorded his reaction to the news of Corran’s death:

Shortly after my return from a lecture tour, Jack Yeatman put his head into my tent one night to say he had a message for me. Under the arch of a starlit sky, Jack quietly told me that Ash (as he was known) had been killed in action. Strangely, my chief emotion was an overwhelming conviction of my own insignificance in the vast scheme of things. (p.203)

F/O Corran Perry Ashworth's
Record of Service
  • 1941
  • 15 June to 26 July
    Initial Training Wing
    RNZAF Levin, New Zealand
  • 27 July to 5 September
    No. 3 Elementary Training School
    Harewood, Christchurch, New Zealand
  • 6 September to 27 November
    No. 2 Service Flying Training School
    Woodbourne, New Zealand
  • 29 November
    Promoted to Temporary Sergeant
  • 1942
  • 17 March to 7 April
    No. 17 Advanced Trainig Unit
    RAF Watton, Norfolk, England
  • 8 April to 23 April
    No. 55 Operational Training Unit
    RAF Usworth, Sunderland
  • 28 April to 9 June
    No. 55 Operational Training Unit
    RAF Annan, Dumfrieshire
  • 10 June to 28 June
    403 RCAF Squadron
    RAF Martlesham Heath, Suffolk
  • 29 June to 16 April 1943
    253 RAF Squadron
    RAF Hibaldstow,Lincolnshire
  • 19 August
    Dieppe Raid
    Based at RAF Friston, East Sussex
  • 1942 - 43
  • November 1942 to October 1943
    North Africa Campaign
    253 Sqdn/14 Sqdn/32 Sqdn
  • 10 November to 16 April
    253 RAF Squadron
    Based at Jemappes, then Philipville, North Africa
  • 1943
  • 16 April to 8 June
    14 RAF Squadron
    RAF Blida, North Africa
  • 23 March
    Promoted to Pilot Officer
    Transferred to the RAF
  • 23 June to 30 June
    32 RAF Squadron
    RAF Tingley, Algeria
  • 1 July to 2 September
    32 RAF Squadron
    RAF Bone, Algeria
  • 1 September to 28 September
    No.1 Base Personnel Depot
    Algeria
  • 23 September
    Promoted to Flying Officer
  • 1943 - 44
  • 28 October 1943 to 6 June 1944
    No. 55 Operational Training Unit
    RAF Annan, Dumfrieshire
  • 1944
  • 6 June to 10 June
    No. 83 Group Support Unit
    RAF Redhill, Surrey
  • 6 June
    D-Day
  • 10 June to 23 June
    65 'East India' Squadron
    RAF Funtington, West Sussex
  • 23 June to 15 July
    No. 83 Group Support Unit
    RAF Bognor, West Sussex
  • 15 July to 3 August
    65 RAF Squadron
    Temporary Airfield, Martragny, France
  •  
    808 hours as pilot
Some of the aircraft flown by
F/O Corran Ashworth
Photo of Corran Ashworth's medals © Ashworth Family
F/O Corran Ashworth's
Medals and Clasp (l-r):

The New Zealand Memorial Cross
Presented to next of kin following the death of service personnel

Clipart of New Zealand flag

'There is nothing that war has ever achieved that we could not better achieve without it.'
~ Havelock Ellis

The circumstances surrounding the destruction of Corran Ashworth’s Mustang have never been entirely clear. That the aircraft exploded and plunged into the River Seine is not in doubt. Exactly what caused the aircraft to explode is not certain: it may have been hit by flak or, as some suggest, the 1,000 pound bomb may have exploded prematurely. A copy of an interview with Jimmy Prentice RNZAF, who flew with Corran in North Africa, was kindly given to Vincent Ashworth by Mr Paul Sortehaug of Dunedin.

Corran’s brother Vincent has also been collating information. He has been in contact with an amateur French historian, Fabrice Dhollande, who is writing a history of WWII in Normandy. During research on Allied aircraft lost in Normandy during WWII, Fabrice - quite by accident - discovered the name of Flying Officer C. P. Ashworth RNZAF having crashed into the River Seine on 3 August 1944 during a raid on German barges. Corran’s aircraft had crashed into the river near where Fabrice lived, and he wanted to know if the pilot was any relation of Vincent’s.

From this contact a warm friendship developed between Vincent and Fabrice. Thanks to Fabrice, the outcome has been the unveiling near the town of Oissel on 10 June 2006, of a beautiful memorial on the Banks of the River Seine opposite the place where Corran’s remains are believed to lie. The memorial was consecrated by the local Catholic Priest and unveiled in the presence of a large gathering of local citizens, representatives of the French and German Governments, all the French armed forces, the RAF and the RNZAF, the New Zealand Ambassador to France, members of the Ashworth family, and Vincent and his wife May. (Read Vincent’s speech.)

During their visit to Oissel, Vincent and May were introduced to a lady who, as a child, had seen the plane crash into the river. She pointed out just where she saw the crash into the river.

A biography of Corran’s life - including his war service - can be read in the book 'For Our Tomorrow He Gave His Today', by Vincent Ashworth and Fabrice Dhollande, published in 2009. Copies of the book can be requested from Vincent Ashworth.

Photo of Corran Ashworth's Memorial © Ashworth Family
The memorial unveiled in honour of F/O Ashworth - Oissel, France 2006

'War does not determine who is right. War determines who is left.
~ often attributed to Bertrand Russell

Vincent Ashworth was a 12-year old schoolboy when his war hero brother was killed:

Photo of Vince Ashwort hholding photo of his brother

“We never knew exactly what happened, but it was a very sad time. I remember very vividly how families were advised of casualties. We got a knock on the front door at 5 o’clock one night. It was the postmaster and he handed Mum a telegram and said he was sorry. Casualty lists were published every day in the Otago Daily Times, too. That’s how it was done in those days.”

Flying Officer Ashworth is among the 20,450 Allied airmen who died in unknown circumstances during World War 2, with all names listed on the Runnymede Memorial, at Englefield Green in England.

“That was the end of it for 60 years, as far as my family was concerned," Vincent said, “Then, eight months ago, I received an email from an amateur French military historian, Fabrice Dhollande, who was doing research on World War 2 in Normandy. He had met a local man who, as a child during the war, had seen my brother’s plane going into the river.”

Three of Vincent’s brothers fought in WWII, and a fourth was in final training when the war ended. Vincent’s brother Artie Ashworth rose to the rank of Wing Commander having been awarded the DSO, DFC and bar, and AFC and bar. With the average life of RAF bomber crews being 10 operations, Artie’s survival of 110 missions was seen as something of a miracle.

Source: Otago Boys’ High School
Foundation 20/07/2006
RAF crest
RAF Crest
RNZAF crest
RNZAF Crest
RAF 253 squadron crest
RAF 253 Squadron Crest
RAF 65 Squadron Crest
65 Squadron Crest

Clipart of Lest We Forget poppy.