Guardsman Walter Ascough (2719124) served in 2nd Battalion Irish Guards during World War Two. He was the only son of William Walter Ascough and Olive Ascough of Main Street, Bushmills, Co. Antrim.
Walter’s father William served as a constable in the Royal Ulster Constabulary in Bushmills, Co. Antrim during the Second World War. William and Olive both made the journey to England when they heard of their son’s death.
Guardsman Ascough died as a result of an accident on 4th December 1940 aged 19 years old. He was fatally wounded by an accidental show from a Bren gun while at a base in England. Walter had been playing cards with fellow Guards before sitting down to write a letter home to his parents.
Mr. George Wills-Taylor, Coroner for West Surrey held an inquest at Woking, Surrey on 9th December 1940. The inquiry lasted 2 hours and called 12 witnesses. Corporal John O’Dwyer gave evidence of identification. Platoon Sergeant John George Hall stated it was a mystery how the ammunition came to be in the room. The 6 magazine issues the previous day had all been returned to stores. Unknown to him, 2 extra magazines were drawn for the route march.
Guardsman Edward William Dowding collected 2 magazines for his section, returning them after the march. Guardsman Alfred Frederick Hosford had 2 other magazines and forgot to hand them back in. He stated:
I hung them on the wall with some of my equipment and forgot all about them. When I commenced to clean my equipment I discovered them and, taking them off, put them on the floor. I intended to hand them in after I had cleaned my kit. I should have handed them in straight away.
Guardsman Thomas Alfred Sidney Chalke who fired the fatal shot also gave evidence. He spoke in a low emotional voice:
I did not load it. I did not attach the magazine to the gun. We had been playing cards previously and when the game was finished I picked the gun up and said I was going shooting with it the next day. While holding it, the gun went off. I did not point it at anyone. It was loaded when I picked it up.
No one admitted to loading the ammunition in the Bren gun and the Coroner returned a verdict of accidental death. The matter passed from the military courts to the Surrey police.
Walter Ascough’s grave is in Section 5, Row E, Grave 2 of Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey. His name is also on the war memorial of Dunluce Parish Church, Bushmills, Co. Antrim. His headstone bears the inscription:
Gone from us but not forgotten. Never shall his memory fade.