- Charles Frederick Ashworth was a son of Lt.-Col. Hugh Stirling
Ashworth, killed in action in Egypt, 26 march 1917, and Elsie M.
Ashworth.
- Ashworth landed on Ginkel Heath on 18 september 1944. Around 04.30
on 19 september the 10th Battalion moved towards the crossing of the
Amsterdamsweg and the Dreyenseweg. The HQ Company dug in near the Leeren
Doedel. On 20 september the 10th Battalion pulled back to Oosterbeek
through Wolfheze and a culvert near Wolfheze.
- Ashworth
was the commanding officer of HQ company. According to the Roll of Honour
published by the Society of Friends of the Airborne Museum (Jan Hey 1999
and 2011) Ashworth was wounded on 20 september 1944 while standing up in
a universal carrier on Utrechtseweg near Van Lennepweg. According to the
book 'Universal Carriers during the Battle of Arnhem' (Philip Reinders) 'a
small convoy of three jeeps and trailers carrying machine-gun sections
drove out of the gates of the Hartenstein Hotel. This convoy was led by
Major Ashworth. Some sources say there were also 2 universal carriers in
the convoy. When they left the ground of the Hartenstein they turned
left down the main street, towards the Koude Herberg. Two privates of 18
platoon of D Company were sitting in one of the jeeps. They saw dug in
troops waving and cheering at them and they at first thought it was
meant as a friendly send-off. Only a short moment later they realised
they had misinterpreted the signals and that they had crossed the
perimeter and were in no-man land. At that moment the Germans really hit
them. The carrier driver was hit immediately. As the carrier slewed
across the road and stopped, I saw Major Ashworth stand up as if to get
out, but a burst of fire hit him and he just toppled over
- Charles
Frederick Ashworth was given a field burial in the 'Onder de bomen'
General Cemetery in Renkum.
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Picture:
23-09-2012