WILLIAM EWART ASHBY.
Cadet. Artists’ Rifles O.T.C.
William Ewart Ashby attended the School from 1899 to 1904. He came from Denholme, and entered the School as a County Minor Scholarship holder. He had a most successful career during the five years he was a student with us, and during the latter part of that time his name appears very frequently in the School records of examination successes.
In 1904 he won a County Major Scholarship and entered the Leeds University, completing his course there by passing the B.Sc. examination with Honours in Mathematics.
At the outbreak of war, he was Mathematics Master at Pannal Ash College, Harrogate. It was from there that he enlisted in the Artists’ Rifles O.T.C., at the end of the Michaelmas Term, 1915. His first and only leave from France was in June, 1917. On his return, he went up the line to the Ypres Salient, and was last heard of in the Passchendaele Ridge attack, October 28th to 31st, 1917. It is greatly feared that he was killed whilst fighting in that battle.
William Ashby was an Old Boy of whom the School has always been proud. He was one of our most successful students, and everything gave promise of a brilliant career.
It is deeply regretted that such a promising young life should be so suddenly cut off. At School he was a fine mathematician, and a genuine good fellow. As a teacher, to quote the words of one of his colleagues, ” he was greatly respected by us all, and set a fine example of fidelity to duty and conviction.” The School tenders its sincere sympathy to his relatives.
Obituary from the Keighlian Nov. 1918
Cradled in Freedom and Schooled in Courage,
they gave themselves for the Liberty of their Country and the World.