Corporal L/4986 John Gordon Ashton, 21st Lancers

John was born about 1885 Newcastle upon Tyne, and baptised on the 11th Jan 1885. His father was John Worth and his mother Mary Elizabeth Ashton. 

He enlisted aged 15 and 9 months on the 3rd October 1900 as a musician.

He is shown in the 1911 census in Abbasia, Cairo and served with the 21st Lancers until 4th October 1912 reaching the rank of Lance Sergeant. He joined the reserves for four years on the 15th March 1913

in 1914, on mobilisation he was attached to ‘A’ Sqn, 9th Lancers as a Lance Sergeant. According to the 9th Lancers records he was mobilised on the 10th October and admitted to hospital on the 21st of the same month and returned to England, on the 18th December 1914 to join the 7th Reserve Cavalry Regiment. 

On the 25th Jan 1915 he was demoted to Corporal, for using insubordinate language to a superior officer.

He met and married Mary L Mills in 1915.

John remained in England and was discharged on the 29th September 1916 with a heart condition; he would die in Bath from a heart aneurysm on the 25th February 1921.