Private William Ashley, 1/RWF - Trapped Behind the Lines for more than 4 years

[Hedley Malloch]

Private Ashley had a truly remarkable war. Left behind in the fighting around Ypres in October 1914, he was sheltered by a family in the town of Menin where he was hidden for nearly four years, disguised 'as a Belgian peasant'. Word that he was safe was smuggled back to his family in 1915. He stayed with his unknown protectors until June 1918 when Menin was evacuated by the Germans. He was moved with them to Holzminden, probably to the camp for evacuees. There he maintained his Belgian identity and from there he managed to send a message to his parents telling them that he was alive. By this time he was sick, suffering from malnutrition. But he eventually returned home to Bollington, near Macclesfield, married and settled down. He died in 1964.

 

He appears to be another example of a soldier lost behind the lines for the more or less the entire duration of the war. Cases like his are not unknown but they are very rare. He is only one of two who are known to have remained hidden for a similar length of time. Trooper Fowler of 11 Hussars in Le Cateau is the other – and much better known. I know of a handful of BEF soldiers who were hidden between 1914-1917, including one who got back to unoccupied France but, Fowler apart, of no other who remained secreted (and for much of the time apparently in open sight) for so long.

 

Soldiers like Fowler and Ashley beg a question - were there any soldiers who remained hidden until the British army came calling in November 1918 and who, unlike Fowler and Ashley, did not want to be rescued?

 

Many thanks to Rosie of Macclesfield Remembers, and Keith_history_buff of this parish, for the heads up on this incredible story.

Edited 21 January , 2020 by Hedley Malloch

[helpjpl]

1.  Macclesfield Reflects:

http://macclesfieldreflects.org.uk/1914/10/20/ashley-william/

 

2.  This may be of interest:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trapped-Behind-Enemy-Lines-Protectors/dp/1473838010

 

JP