Leicestershire's First VC - Thomas Elsdon Ashford 1858 - 1913.

The funeral of local postman Thomas Elsdon Ashford was such an event, the like of which had never before been witnessed in Whitwick. On the day, a firing party of 20 men from the Leicestershire regiment led by Sergeant Gamble paraded in front of his house in Skinners Lane, and in accordance with military practice, presented arms on the body as it was borne from the house to the ambulance carriage. A vast concourse, estimated at 8,000 people, from all over the country had come to pay their last respects, and in the streets leading from Skinners Lane to the cemetery, the crowds were so great that there was barely room for the cortege to pass. The procession made an imposing spectacle as it moved towards the Parish Church of St John the Baptist where it was met by the Reverend Cheverton Shrewsbury, vicar of Thringstone. The Whitwick Holy Cross Band was assembled outside the churchyard gates and headed the procession to the cemetery playing the Dead March. Responses and a hymn were sung by the choir at the graveside. There were a number of magnificent wreaths including one from Charles and Mary Booth (q.v.) of grace Dieu Manor.

Thomas Elsdon Ashford (pictured right wearing the award) was the first man in the old county of Leicestershire to be awarded the Victoria Cross, and England's only postman entitled to wear the award. He won it for bravery during the Afghan Wars whilst serving as a private with the Royal Fusiliers. On 16^th August 1880, a party of British soldiers had come under siege from local tribesman in the small Afghan village of Deh Khoja near Kandahar. Many of the soldiers were quickly killed. One, however, a private Massey, had managed to pull himself into the cover of a building. His desperate situation was noticed by Ashford and an officer named Lieutenant Chase, and together they formed a rescue party. The Regiment's Lieutenant-Colonel later recalled how he had seen Ashford and Chase emerge from the building carrying Massey between them. As they headed towards the main party about two hundred yards away, the Afghans started to fire heavily at them. Several times Ashford and Chase had to stop to get their breath back and at least once it was feared all three were dead. Finally amidst a shower of bullets and to cheers from the men, Massey was brought back to safety. Both Ashford and Chase were awarded the Victoria Cross for their courageous action, and were later presented with their awards in Madras in front of some 20,000 spectators. The award was gazetted on the 14th October 1881.

Thomas Elsdon Ashford and John Elsdon Ashford were born illegitimately at Burrough Green near Newmarket in 1858 to Emma Elsdon and Thomas Ashford. Their parents subsequently married in 1861, having already produced four children another sister was born in 1864. Emma sadly died in 1869 and their father re-married the same year.

On returning to England in 1884 Thomas settled in Whitwick, where he worked as a postman for over twenty years. On January 29^th 1891 he married Betsy Ann Sisson at St Andrews Church in Thringstone. Popular, kind and unassuming, he would rarely talk about his bravery and although he wore his V.C. on Sundays, it was usually concealed under a jacket. He died of Bronchitis on 21^st February 1913 having been confined to his bed since Boxing Day. The Coalville Times of 28th February 1913 quoted his wife as saying that Thomas "died like a soldier." On his death at the age of 54 Thomas left a widow and two daughters. His grave in Whitwick Cemetery remained unmarked until 1992 when the Whitwick Branch of the Royal British Legion arranged for a memorial to be erected. Three Whitwick street names have been named in his honour - Thomas Road, Elsdon Close and Ashford Road and his Victoria Cross is now publicy displayed at the Royal Fusiliers Museum in the Tower of London.

The Victoria Cross was founded in 1856 as Britain's highest award to armed service personnel for acts of conspicuous in the presence of the enemy. Since then over 1,350 people have received the cross, including almost 300 during the Crimean War. The Maltese cross design for the medal was chosen by Queen Victoria, and the crosses are made of bronze from the melted down metal of Russian cannon captured at Sebastopol during the Crimean War.

Picture of Thomas Elsdon Ashford and family details kindly forwarded by Mary Finlow, Great granddaughter of John Elsdon Ashford.