ASTON, Frank Horace

Frank Aston was the son of Mr and Mrs Walter Aston of Woodbine Villa, 15 Grange Road, Dudley. He volunteered for Warwicks Territorials and joined the 2/5th Battalion in the 61st (2nd South Midland) Division. They crossed to the Western Front in May 1916 and went to Artois. They soon occupied the front line near Neuve Chapelle and remained there for the next six months with alternating duties in the firing line. While the Battle of the Somme was in progress their task was to keep the enemy active with raids. Two such raids suffered heavy losses from German machine guns and on the 10th October a major raid was made on the trenches opposite Port Arthur. Private Frank Aston was seriously wounded and taken to a Casualty Clearing Station where he died on the 19th. He was 19 years of age and is buried in Merville Communal Cemetery (I A 29) and commemorated on the Dudley and St. James' church, Dudley, Memorials.