2nd Lieutenant John Forbes Campbell Ashburner

Hi, I'm a newbie to this forum and was wondering if anyone could help me with some information on 2nd Lieutenant Ashburner. I know he served with the Durham Light Infantry (Service No 108203) and was killed when the ship that he boarded at Dunkirk was torpedoed. I was wondering if anyone could shed light on which Battalion he served with. Any details would be very much appreciated.
Casualty

 

Find my Past has him listed as 50 div HQ.

 

The 6th, 8th & 9th Bns Durham Light Infantry, 151st Infantry Brigade, were in 50 Div., 2nd Lt. JFC Ashburner is not listed in any of the 3 Rolls of Honour.

I have done some online research and found mention of his father and one of his two brothers, his eldest brother also being killed during WWII:

The Parish of Owermoigne Church Records

World War II unit histories & officers

You have to scroll down both attachment/pages to find the pertinent details.

I also know that he was born in 1912 and was 28 years old when he died, but nothing further at this stage.

Best,

Steve.

 

The memorial to him can be found here;-
St Michael's Church
Church Lane
Owermoigne
West Dorset
Dorset
DT2 8HS
England

Born 1912 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

St Michael's Church - WW1 and WW2

Kyle

 

UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945
Name: John Ashburner
Given Initials: J F C
Rank: Second Lieutenant
Death Date: May 1940
Number: 108203
Birth Place: Sussex
Residence: Dorset
Branch at Enlistment: Infantry
Theatre of War: France and Belgium Campaign, 1939/40
Regiment at Death: Durham Light Infantry
Branch at Death: Infantry

England, Andrews Newspaper Index Cards, 1790-1976
Name: John Forbes Campbell Ashburner
Father's name: L F Ashburner
Mother's name: Jones
Death Date: 27 May 1940
Death Place: Belgium



John Forbes Campbell Ashburner
Birth: 1912 - India
Death: 28 May 1940 - Belgium
F: Lionel Forbes Ashburner
M: Ethel Hermione Bayley

Interesting last item

Surrey, England, Regimental Rolls, 1914-1947
Name: John Forbes Campbell Ashburner
Event Date: 21 Oct 1939
Regiment Number: 6091980
Regiment: Queen's Royal West Surrey


TD

 

This may back up TD`s last find?


The undermentioned Cadets (ExGentlemen
Cadets, Royal Military College)
from Officer Cadet Training Unit, Sandhurst,
to be 2nd Lts. 22nd Oct. 1939:—
Durham L.I.—John Forbes Campbell
ASHBURNER.
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34719/page/7251/data.pdf

Just to add this reply from Jim/Verrieres @
DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY 1920-46

Kyle

 

Thank you so much everyone, this is brilliant, so much information and very much appreciated. Just a thought, are there any records of who boarded which ships or was it just impossible in all the chaos to try and track battalions or individuals? I only ask because I've seen some records where next of kin seem to have known which ship their family members where on during the evacuation when they were hit or sunk.

 

Casualty

 

I'll check the McGregor DLI Officers archive for you and see if any actual Bn is listed

 

Thank you, that would be fantastic

 

Have checked McGregor Ashburner was posted to GHQ BEF on 29/1/1940 and was reported drowned at Dunkirk on 27/28 May 1940 unfortunately it does not state the DLI Bn he was with .

Regards

Paul