D/SR8339 Able Seaman Edgar Ernest ASHDOWN, H.M.S. Berry Royal Navy: 08/09/1943

Remembering Today

Able Seaman Edgar Ernest Ashdown | War Casualty Details 2733600 | CWGC
Able Seaman ASHDOWN, EDGAR ERNEST
Service Number D/SR8339
Died 08/09/1943
Aged 25
H.M.S. Berry, Royal Navy
Buried or commemorated at BRAINTREE CEMETERY
Grave Reference: Grave 8177.
Location: United Kingdom
Additional Information Son of David Ashdown, and of Ellen Hannah Ashdown, of Braintree. His brother Henry Albert Ashdown also died in service.

Personal Inscription: A DAY OF MEMORY SAD TO RECALL WITHOUT GOODBYE YOU LEFT US ALL

 

Edgar Ernest Ashdown ( - 1943) - Find A Grave Memorial

 

His Brother also died in service

Gunner Henry Albert Ashdown | War Casualty Details 2733601 | CWGC
Gunner ASHDOWN, HENRY ALBERT
Service Number 1577883
Died 09/10/1945
Aged 30
Regiment & Unit: 207 Coastal Bty., Royal Artillery
Buried or commemorated at BRAINTREE CEMETERY
Grave Reference: Grave 8183.
Location: United Kingdom
Additional Information: Son of David Ashdown, and of Ellen Hannah Ashdown, of Braintree; husband of Ivy May Ashdown, of Braintree.
His brother Edgar Ernest Ashdown also died in service.
Personal Inscription: SOME MAY FORGET YOU NOW YOU HAVE GONE BUT WE SHALL REMEMBER NO MATTER HOW LONG

Henry Albert Ashdown ( - 1945) - Find A Grave Memorial

 

UK, British Army and Navy Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1730-1960
Name: Edgar Ernest Ashdown
Event: Death
Birth Date: 9 Jun 1918
Birth Place: East Ham, London
Death Date: 6 Sep 1943
Death Age: 25

Not a nice cause - asphyxiation by accidental drowning (in Belfast)

Perhaps one of our naval bods can tell us what RNSR stands for Royal Naval Submarine Reserve??

TD

 

Edgar Ashdown and his brother are commemorated on Braintree & Brocking war memorial. Edgar is recorded as 'drowned' on Naval-History.Net, though I don't know the source of this information. RIP.

HMS Berry was a Lend-Lease frigate (Captain-class destroyer escort) launched at Boston Navy Yard in November 1942 and commissioned into the Royal Navy on 15 March1943, pendant number K.312. She operated as a convoy escort in the Atlantic and Bay of Biscay; at the time of Edgar Ashdown's death she had been attached to various escort groups while waiting for a permenant role with 3EG, and her skipper was Lt. Cmdr Legassick. Returned to the US Navy at the end of the war, HMS Berry was scrapped in 1946. The IWM has a recording of William Harrison, who was a PO in her at this time.

Cheers, Pat.

 

Henry and Edgar were my Nan’s brothers. Henry’s nickname was ‘Handsome Harry’ and my Nan was bridesmaid at his wedding. There were 6 children in total and my Nan was the youngest. Henry got captured early and was a prisoner of war for 6 years. He was released and came home to die of tuberculosis. The family were very sad to have to tell him that his brother had been killed. Edgar drowned but my Nan always wondered exactly how and suspected foul play. With help from the Salvation Army Edgar’s body was brought home. I think this was very unusual. My Nan visited the graves often and is buried in the same churchyard with her husband who survived the war. My Nan died when I was pregnant with my first child so my children never met my Nan, but we do visit the graves from time to time and put ornaments/poppies down.
We visited my Nan every week, I’m certain she mentioned these brothers every time I saw her.

 

Royal Naval Special Reserve (R.N.S.R.) - probably best described as an overflow of the actual Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (R.N.V.R.)
Recruitment into the R.N.V.R in early 1939 was so great that it was full and the overflow went into the R.N.S.R.
The R.N.S.R was mobilised on 9 October 1939.
Regards
Hugh

 

welcome to the forum and thank you for the update