26/10/2021, 8:27 PM | Tom Hilliar
Howdy Men. I hope everyone is well and surviving the pandemic. I have just completed an unbelievable research project which has come to a successful conclusion. It features the tragic demise of a fellow seaman from different parts in one of our ports long ago. I will title it 'A Whaler Tragedy-The Letter'. I was going to ask John post it in one hit on the Personal Accounts page but have decided to do it in instalments on here instead. I hope every one finds it interesting.
Stand by for chapter one.
Regards Tom Hilliar.

28/10/2021, 7:28 AM | Tom Hilliar.
A Whaler Tragedy - The Letter.

The year is 1943. It's December. HMS Patroller visits the Port of Melbourne. The Patroller was an Escort Aircraft Carrier of 16,550 tons with a crew of 650. It is on loan from the USN. (ex Keweenaw). The ship is en route to Ceylon from the USA with a cargo of Aircraft Parts. Whilst in Melbourne 18 yo Ordinary Seaman Edward Ashton from Cheshire in the UK is badly injured in an accident involving one of the ships boats (described as a Whaler). Edward died of his injuries in a Military Hospital in Melbourne on the 26th December 1943. He is buried in the Australian Military Section of the Springvale Botanical Cemetery.

Regards Tom Hilliar.
30/10/2021, 3:49 PM | Tom Hilliar.
A Whaler Tragedy- The Letter.

The year is 2018. I decided to do some family research. I joined Ancestry for 1 month. My sister Judy sent me over some material from Sydney, amongst which was a hand written envelope and a Heart Rending letter. It was from Edward Ashton's mother in Cheshire UK. The letter was addressed to my mother, Mary Morrison (from Kyneton in Victoria), who was an Australian Army Nurse, thanking her for the letter my mother had sent her. In it she had assured Mrs Ashton that Edward had been well looked after before he succumbed to his injuries. I thought after I had finished our family business I might see if any of Edward's relatives were still about.

Regards Tom Hilliar.
2/11/2021, 8:52 AM | Tom Hilliar .
A Whaler Tragedy -The Letter.

The Year is 2018. The search for Edward Ashton's relatives got off to a good start using Ancestry and British Military Records. However by 1985 it came seemingly to a sudden end with the death of Edward's Father. Rather than giving up I contacted the local Historical Society. I received a reply from Tracy, who turned out to be very helpful. Off her own bat she made enquires,. contacted the Local Newspaper and put the Story up on several noticeboards. However despite her best efforts there was nothing. I resigned myself to it being the end of the story.

Regards Tom Hilliar.
4/11/2021, 10:29 AM | Tom Hilliar.
A Whaler Tragedy- The Letter.

The Year is 2021. Mid year I received an E-Mail from Tracy. A man named Alan had seen one the notices she had posted. He is a retired British Army Investigator/Detective and later Magistrate. He offers to help with our search. I contacted him and told him OK. Go ahead. This bloke does not muck about. There follows three weeks of visiting graveyards, knocking on doors, and examining obscure documents. Finally he makes contact with a woman who has a relative who used to be named Ashton. They live in Cheshire, some distance from Edward's home town. Her name is Shirley.

Regards Tom Hilliar.
6/11/2021, 12:25 PM | Tom Hilliar
A Whaler Tragedy- The Letter.

The Year is 2021. Alan makes contact with Shirley. She is indeed a relation of Edward Ashton. He sends me her contact details. Shirley's mother Norma was married to Joseph, who was Edward's younger brother. Joseph is deceased. Norma is 91 years old. She is in the process of moving house to be closer to Shirley and her family. They seem happy to communicate and send me some photos of Edward and his siblings. I asked Tracy (The Historical Society lady) to send them the letter which I had posted to her. A short time later I received a photo of Norma reading 'The Letter'.

Ordinary Seaman Edward Ashton
D/JX565396
Regards Tom Hilliar.