Service Details
- Branch of Service
- Army
- Conflict
- World War II (1939-1945)
- Date of Enlistment
- 27/06/1940
- Place of Enlistment
- Paddington NSW
Personal Details
- Gender
- Male
- Date of Birth
- 17/11/1916
- Place of Birth
- Bombala NSW
- Address (at enlistment)
- 13 Molonglo, Canberra ACT
- Occupation
- Labourer
- Next of Kin
- Husband of Henrietta (Babe) Aston, of 13 Molonglo, and later of Kingston, Canberra ACT and father of Barbara Aston. Son of Harry and Claudine Aston of 57 Causeway, Kingston ACT
Unit and Rank Details
- Service Number
- NX51588
- Final Rank
- Private
- Final Unit
- 2/20 Infantry Battalion AIF
Fate
Died 9 February 1942 aged 25 years, Singapore.
Commemoration
AWM Roll of Honour, Canberra ACT: Panel 44.
Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore: Sp. Memorial 5. B. 5.
Notes
The Aston family moved to Canberra in the 1920s. Aston married Henrietta Speering in Sydney on 21 September 1940 and embarked with the 2/20th Battalion (part of the 8th Division of the AIF) in February 1941, arriving in Singapore on 18 February 1941. They were defending the port of Mersing on the east coast of Malaya when the Japanese invaded in January 1942. The battalion withdrew to Singapore at the end of the month. The Japanese landed on Singapore on the night of 8 February and during the ensuing battle Aston was killed.
Sources
Australia. Department of Veterans' Affairs. World War 2 nominal roll. http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/
Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Debt of Honour Register. <http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/search/>
NAA RecordSearch - Series B883
ACT Electoral Roll - 1941
The Canberra Times - 27 January 1941, 7 September 1942, 2 April 1946 (as Ashton)