The next key event in his life further strengthened the Strutt family position within the higher echelons of society, when in March 1904 George Ashton married Winifred Cavendish, a daughter of Lord Waterpark of Doveridge Hall. The wedding, widely accepted as a most suitable pairing, was held at All Saints in Kensington.

The Derby Daily Telegraph reported on the event:
‘The ceremony was witnessed by a distinguished gathering, but was of a quiet character there being no subsequent reception owing to the Lent season. … She wore a dress of white duchesse satin veiled in soft chiffon and trimmed trails of orange blossom and Brussels lace. A tuille veil surmounted a wreath of natural orange blossom, and as ornaments she wore a diamond necklace, a gift from the bridegroom, and a diamond bracelet, a gift from her sisters and brother. Her long court train of satin lined with chiffon was borne by the little brother of the bridegroom, Master Anthony Strutt, attired in a suit of white satin. …Later in the afternoon the newly married couple left town for Paris, enroute to the Riviera, where they intended passing the honeymoon.’

The report of the wedding was accompanied by comprehensive lists of all those attending the wedding and all the gifts presented to the couple, comprising an array of clocks, silverware for the table and from the groom’s father a cheque – leaving readers to speculate at the value. There was also speculation with regard to where the couple would live, with Belper locals excited by the prospect of them living in the area and an article in The Belper News talking of how the Strutt family might accommodate them in either Makeney Hall or Bridge Hill House. In reality it was neither, the couple taking up residence in Rock House, Cromford, overlooking the Cromford Mills site.

From here George Ashton continued to expand his roles, taking a position on the board of the Derby Gas Light & Coke Co. when they acquired Strutt’s Milford Gas Works, and on the Education Committee of Belper’s new Strutt School in 1909. He also pursued his interests in travel and hunting with trips to the USA, game fishing in Florida and hunting in the Rocky Mountains and Alaska – though never with his wife.

His automotive interests are evidenced by reports of participation in local hill climb competitions. Remarkably, he combines this interest with his military role, when in 1908, George Ashton Strutt is awarded a patent for ‘A car for conveying a machine gun and appurtenances’ (GB190808919A).

Towards the end of 1911 George Ashton and Winifred moved from Cromford to Brailsford Hall (acquired by George Herbert Strutt in 1900 and completely rebuilt to a design by local Belper architect, Colonel Maurice Hunter)

The timeline now brings us to WW1 and the exploits of the Derbyshire Yeomanry described in the aforementioned letter. Combined with other local forces to form a mounted brigade, their war was not the attritional trench warfare of the Western Front in France. Initially, their Division was posted to a coastal defence role in Norfolk, before sailing to Egypt in April 1915 and deployment (as a foot brigade) to Gallipoli in August. Landing at Suvla Bay, the Division (some 5,000 men) was involved in the advance across open ground from Lala Baba to Chocolate Hill in an effort to displace a heavily entrenched, well-armed and well-prepared Turkish force. This brings us to George Ashton’s letter recounting details of the ensuing battle.

From a bivouac position on a hillside above the Suvla Bay, they watched the Turkish artillery bombard the landing stage below. Then on the evening of 20th August they received orders to advance, marching through heavy sand to Lala Baba, a hilly promontory forming the Southern horn of Suvla Bay. Ahead lay a flat plain punctuated by a salt marsh and a cluster of low hills, including Chocolate Hill the target of the action. The approach to Chocolate Hill was covered by thick scrub and gorse. After a 5 hour march the men spent a freezing night on open ground, before the next action came on the afternoon of 21st August. After an hour of bombardment by the fleet in the bay and land-batteries, the hills occupied by the Turks “looked as if they were clothed in a multitude of miniature thunderstorms”. This onslaught had little effect, for as soon as it stopped Turkish shells began to fall on the British forces. Despite the signs that the enemy were ready and awaiting, the order was given to advance; a one-and-three-quarter mile column of squadrons of men attempting to move forward through thick undergrowth. Cresting a ridge gave a view of the battlefield, with shrapnel bursting over the leading attackers and the rattle of machine guns filling the air. George Ashton writes of “a nasty sinking feeling” as orders are received, which “goes and quite a comfortable feeling of resignation comes on, and one begins to concentrate all one’s energies in keeping the NCOs and men’s attention on one and in giving them signal for slight changes in direction etc so as to keep their minds occupied” Which worked well until they encountered their first dead soldier, laying flat on his back with a hole in his head, “this gave us all a nasty jar …I don’t think we had realised that one might get hurt – that seemed to be the job of other people”.

On reaching the firing zone, with shrapnel bursting overhead and high explosive shells landing close “the men are as steady as rocks and I began to feel quite cheerful, though my head would bob at every whizz, and this turned into an extraordinary feeling of exhilaration”. Suffering their first losses as a shell landed in the middle of the troop, killing Sgt. Bush “who’d said he’d be the first to be killed” and Lce. Cpl. Brown “a first-rate shot who was killed before he ever had the chance to load his rifle”. Pressing on they passed more wounded, who would soon be faced by another challenge, when the scrub and gorse caught fire!

Having completed a ‘splendid’ advance, the squadrons were now faced with hand-to-hand combat against entrenched Turks. With little opportunity for reconnaissance and only vague orders the men moved forward under a hail of bullets from every direction.

Now under darkness the advance turned into chaos, unable to see where they were heading, with minimal cover available and unaware of changes to orders the squadron fell into disarray and heavy loss ensued. Failing to receive the order to retire, George Ashton took his men forward to reinforce a captured Turkish position, only to find themselves pinned down in a ditch full of dead bodies for more than a day, suffering losses to fire from Turkish snipers and British machine gun positions. After more than a day in this unbearable position, with the coming of darkness, the decision was taken to risk a brisk withdrawal from the ditch before walking across the open ground to British trenches (walking so as not to be mistaken for attacking Turks).

The men “reached Lala Baba soon after midnight and slept on the beach. I must say that the next day I felt rather hysterical, I suppose from the relief from responsibility; it is a beastly thing to feel that the men are looking to you for orders, and that you can give them none”. In summarising the experiences of his first fight, George Ashton writes “I don’t suppose we killed one single Turk or did one atom of good”.

Interestingly, the letter is dated in November 1915, some 3 months after the battle, and a note on the front page indicates it was posted from the Giza Hospital in Cairo – the Yeomanry having returned there following Gallipoli and participation in the Senussi campaign in North Africa (against a religious order of Arabic nomads in Libya and Egypt).

In early 1916 the troops were moved to Salonika to fight a guerilla war against pro-Germany Bulgars; facing local infiltrators and very challenging cold, wet weather. During these campaigns, George Ashton was twice mentioned in dispatches.

At some time during the course of WW1 George Ashton returned to Brailsford, as a major family event in 1917 was the birth of a daughter, Norah – some 13 years after he and Winifred had married, with both parents in their late 30s. Shortly after the end of the war, George Ashton, having risen to the rank of Colonel, was commander of the Derbyshire Yeomanry (1919-1922) and then the Derbyshire Armoured Car Company before retirement in 1925. His military commitments did not prevent him further expanding his contributions to the local area, as a magistrate, elected Derbyshire County Councillor and supporter of the Scout movement. Nor did they prevent further trips abroad to hunt and explore remote regions.

All his commitments and time away must have put a strain upon the marriage, for in October 1924 Winifred petitioned for a divorce, citing his cold demeanour towards her, which had raised suspicions. The matter had culminated when on return from a long trip to South Africa George Ashton did not return to his wife, and he subsequently furnished her with a letter, reproduced in the Derby Daily Telegraph report, stating:

“I am sorry to write this, as I never wish to hurt your feelings. I hope however, you are not unprepared for the step I am taking. I think you are fully aware, as I am, that our natures and interests in life are entirely different. …The fact remains that as the years pass there has been no real love between us and year by year the conditions are getting worse. During my eight months abroad, I have thought matters over and decided when I returned I would not continue to live with you. Under these circumstances I have decided to furnish you with evidence of misconduct. I accordingly enclose a hotel bill. I can only add how sorry I am for any unhappiness I have unintentionally caused you in the past.”– a hotel bill showed he had stayed there with another woman.