Ashley Claude George Moseley Cordy
From Our Contribution
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| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 3 May 1906 |
| Place of Birth | Jerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, England |
| Death | 21 Aug 2001 |
| Place of Death | Western Australia |
| Age at Enlistment | 34 years, 1 month |
| Description | 5'3" (1.60m) tall ; ; fresh complexion ; grey eyes ; brown hair |
| Occupation | Dairy Farm Manager |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | Armadale, Western Australia |
| Next of Kin | Wife , Mrs Minnie May Cordy (nee Donald) |
| Military Information | |
| Reg Number | WX3801 |
| Date of Enlistment | 1 Jun 1940 |
| Rank | Bombardier |
| Unit/Formation | 2/3rd Australian Anti Tank Regiment |
| Military Movement | |
| 1st Departure from Australia | |
| Journey Dates | 3 Jan 1941 ‒ 12 Jan 1941 |
| Transport Details | HMT Aquitania Fremantle to Colombo |
| Transfers | |
| Journey Dates | 16 Jan 1941 ‒ 2 Feb 1941 |
| Transport Details | HMT Nieuw Zeeland Colombo to Kantara |
| Return to Australia | |
| Journey Dates | 29 Jan 1943 ‒ 19 Feb 1943 |
| Transport Details | SS Île de France Port Tewfik to Fremantle |
| 2nd Departure from Australia | |
| Journey Dates | 9 Aug 1943 ‒ 11 Aug 1943 |
| Transport Details | USS Henry T Allen (APA 15) Cairns to Milne Bay, New Guinea |
| Return to Australia | |
| Journey Dates | 4 May 1944 ‒ 8 May 1944 |
| Transport Details | HMT Duntroon Finschhafen to Townsville |
| Post War Details | |
| Fate | Returned to Australia |
| Medals |
1939-45 Star Africa Star Pacific Star War Medal 1939-45 Australian Service Medal 1939-45 |
Pre War
Seven year old Ashley emigrated to Australia with his parents and older brother Joseph on SS Armadale from London, departing on 28 Oct 1931 and disembarking in Fremantle on 11 Dec 1913. In 1937 he married Minnie May Donald and their son John S Cordy was born 1938, d. 1939. A daughter named Linda. During the war Minnie lived with her Mother in Armadale.
Electoral Roll entries: During 1928 - 1931 he was living in 'Pipe Track' East Cannington, farmer; 1936 - 1943 at Armadale, farm manager
War Service
Ashley elisted on 1 Jun 1940, and on 18 Jun 1940 he was allocated to the training battery at Northam. However, on 12 Aug 1940 he was transferred to the General Reinforcement Pool, and then on 5 Sep 1940 to the 2/28th Australian Infantry Battalion. Perhaps not to his liking as on 9 Sep 1940 he was AWOL from Midnight 8 Sep until Noon on the 9th. Admonished by his Commanding Officer he forfeited a day's pay (5/- or 50 cents). On 15 Oct 1940 Ashley was detached to the 24th Anti-Tank Company, returning to his unit on 19 Nov 1940. Barely back, he was sent on pre-embarkation Leave from 27 Nov until 3 Dec 1940.
Ashley along with the regiment embarked aboard HMT Aquitania on 3 January for Colombo in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) where they disembarked on 12 Jan 1941 and were transferred to the HMT Nieuw Zeeland for the voyage to Kantara on the Suez Canal. Embarked seemingly immediately, Ashley spent from 14 to 18 Jan 1942 in the ship's hospital with Influenza. They departed Colombo on 16 February for Kantara where they disembarked on 2 Feb 1941. A fortnight later on 17 Feb 1941 Ashley was transferred to the 24th Anti-Tank Company's 11th Battery. He remained with them, serving at Tobruk until they were relieved in September 1941. The anti-tank companies then gathered in Palestine before the 24th Anti-Tank Company was absorbed into the 2/3rd Australian Anti Tank Regiment on 16 Oct 1941.
Ashley was appointed Lance Bombadier on 12 Dec 1941 and promoted to Bombadier on 12 Feb 1942. The regiment served at El Alamein between 23 Oct 1942 and 12 Nov 1942. On 29 Jan 1943 Ashley embarked on SS Île de France in Port Tewfik for Fremantle, disembarking on 19 Feb 1943 and he then proceeded on leave. Returned from leave he entrained for Adelaide on 26 Mar 1943, and from there continued north to Queensland. With his battery, the 1th (now attached to the 9th Australian Infnatry Division's Artillery) Ashley embarked on USS Henry T Allen (APA 15) in Cairns on 9 Aug 1943 for Milne Bay in New Guinea where they disembarked on 11 Aug 1943.
On 4 May 1944 Ashley embarked in Finschhafen aboard HMT Duntroon for Townsville, disembarking there on 8 May 1944. On 7 Aug 1944 Ashley was transferred to the Western Command Recruit Reception & General Details Depot for discharge as he was now medically classified as A2 "Ears", arriving back in Western Australia on 27 Aug 1944. On 1 Sep 1944 his Medcal classification was confirmed and he was discharged on 4 Sep 1944.
Post War
Ashley and Minnie appear to have separated after the war. His second marriage to Beatrice Mabel Hanretty (1910 - 1984). Beatrice died on 17 Dec 1984. Electoral Roll entries: 1949 - 1958 at Keysbrook, cartage contractor; 1968 - 1980 Richardson street, Serpentine, driver. Ashley is buried in the Serpentine Cemetery Plot 1093
Notes