John Ashcroft

Bank: Commercial Bank of Scotland

Place of work: Edinburgh Portobello branch

Died: 23 March 1918

John Robson Ashcroft was born in 1896, the son of the Reverend Frank Ashcroft, a United Free Church of Scotland minister and missionary, and his wife Agnes Ruston Ashcroft. He was educated at George Watson's College, Edinburgh, and was a member of the Scout movement. In December 1913 Ashcroft went to work for Commercial Bank of Scotland.

Early in the First World War Ashcroft left his job at the bank's Edinburgh Portobello branch to join the army and was commissioned into the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). He was posted to France in May 1915, and was awarded the Military Cross in October 1917. Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) John Robson Ashcroft was killed in action on the Western Front on 23 March 1918. He was 21 years old.

John Ashcroft is commemorated on a bank war memorial at 36 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh.