Private David Giles Ayscough

David was born in Ashtead, Surrey to parents John, and Frances Elizabeth (nee Crowdy). His parents had married at the Parish Church in Clapham on 24th April 1881.

By the census of 1891 the family were living at One Oak, Station Road, Ashtead, Surrey with four young children: Walter, Geoffrey, Alice and Ivan. Their father was listed as a Merchant Shipper and the family employed three servants.

David was born the following year on 14th January 1892, followed by Alan in 1893.

In the census of 1901 David’s parents John and Frances were living at Oak View in Ashstead. They were listed with two children, Alan aged 8 and Alice aged 15 and three servants. David was listed as a boarder at Downsend School, Ashtead. Ivan aged 13 was a boarder at Charterhouse in Godalming and Geoffrey was listed as a Military Cadet stationed at Woolwich Common. Their eldest son Walter had left school and joined the army in 1899 and was now out in South Africa.

Sometime during 1905 the family moved to 14 Woodside, Wimbledon. That same year David sat and passed a Junior Entrance Scholarship to Kings College School and studied there from the autumn of 1905 until the summer of 1908.

In 1908 when David was aged 16, he emigrated to Canada, leaving from Liverpool on board the vessel Empress of Ireland. He landed at St. John, New Brunswick and then moved on to Manitou, Manitoba. Whilst in Canada David became a bookkeeper.

In the census of 1911 David’s parents John and Frances were still living at 14 Woodside in Wimbledon. John was now listed as a wine merchant and the couple had been married for 29 years. Of their eight children two had died. Living with them were just two children, Alice aged 25 working as a School Assistant mistress and Alan aged 18 working as a Bank Clerk. The family had just the one servant in their nine room house.

David married Florence Grace Webb in 1913 in Edmonton, East Alberta Canada.

On 1st April 1915 when aged 23, he enlisted in the Canadian Army, Overseas Expeditionary Force. He was described as being 6ft 1 inch tall with fair hair a fair complexion and blue eyes. He was posted to the 1st Battalion Canadian Infantry (Western Ontario Regiment).

In a Canadian census record of 1916 David and Florence were living in Edmonton, Alberta where his occupation was listed as a soldier. No children were mentioned.

David’s Battalion was involved in the fighting around Pozieres in the Battle of the Somme. He died on 7th September 1916 after suffering gunshot wounds to his right thigh and arm and was buried in Wimereux Communal Cemetery, approximately 5km north of Boulogne. He is commemorated on page 49 of Canada’s First World War Book of Remembrance and also at Wimbledon Parish Church.

David also lost his eldest brother Walter in conflict. Walter was posted in East Africa and had obtained the rank of Major. He was killed in action on 20th September 1917 and buried in Tanzania. He too is remembered at Wimbledon Parish Church.

David and Walters parents remained living in the Wimbledon area. Their mother Frances died in 1920 and their father John in 1933 at which time his address was listed as 93 Worple Road, Wimbledon.