Studio portrait of Lieutenant (Lt) Ronald George Bush Ashcroft, 3rd Australian Tunnelling ...

Studio portrait of Lieutenant (Lt) Ronald George Bush Ashcroft, 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company. Originally of Dunedin, NZ, Lt Ashcroft was a mining engineer from Chatswood, NSW prior to enlistment and embarked with the July Reinforcements from Melbourne on HMAT Armadale on 19 July 1916. Whilst serving with the 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion he was wounded in action. Later joining the 3rd Australian Tunnelling Company in France he was awarded the Military Cross. The citation reads "He commanded an investigation party during the advance from Hulluch and Hill 70 (near Lens) on 1st - 16th October 1918. He set a fine example of gallantry to his men by personally removing the detonators from a large number of ingenious traps which had been laid by the enemy. His party removed over 600 dangerous traps and rendered the area safe for the advancing troops." Lt Ashcroft returned to Australia on 4 July 1919 and later went on to serve as a Flight Lieutenant in the RAAF during the Second World War.