Tragedy of soldier who gave up to dream to be a dad (From The Northern Echo)

Tragedy of soldier who gave up to dream to be a dad

8:10am Saturday 4th September 2010 in

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THE pregnant wife of a soldier killed in a car crash on the A1 has told how he gave up his dream of becoming a pilot to be a father to his seven-month-old daughter.

Air Trooper James Richard Ashdown, 23, of 9 Regiment Army Air Corps (9 AAC), based at Dishforth Airfield, in North Yorkshire, was a veteran of two tours of Afghanistan, where he worked on Apache helicopters at Camp Bastion.

Tpr Ashdown was killed on Thursday when his Suzuki Swift was involved in a collision with a Mercedes Benz Sprinter van on the southbound carriageway, between junctions 48 and 47.

His wife, Siobhan, 21, his daughter Leilani and his brother-in-law, Stephen, were also in the car and received minor injuries.

Tpr Ashdown had always dreamed of being a pilot and was an air cadet while he was a pupil at Wigginton Primary School, Easingwold Secondary School, both North Yorkshire, and later York College, before signing up for the military at 17.

In a statement Mrs Ashdown, who is three months pregnant with their second child, said: “He sacrificed the idea of becoming a pilot to become a dad.

“He was more proud of becoming a dad than anything else he had ever done. All he ever wanted was to be a dad and be there for his family.”

Tpr Ashdown transferred to 9 AAC at Dishforth in February and was married in June.

He was a childhood friend of Haxby soldier Lance Bombardier Matthew Hatton, who died while serving in Afghanistan last year.

Mrs Ashdown, who said her husband had been a bit of a joker, said: “He would always try hard to work his way through things, but he was a very happy and easy going person who just enjoyed life and was very tolerant of other people.”

Pat Boyle, headteacher of Wigginton Primary School, who taught Tpr Ashdown, added his tribute.

He said: “I remember James and his family and this is very tragic news.

“The thing which stands out about him for me is that he always wanted to be in the Armed Forces and to become a pilot, even at a young age, and he was a good pupil to teach.

“We would like to pass on the sympathies of everybody at the school to his family and we are thinking of them at this difficult time.”

■ The driver of the Mercedes van, Portuguese national Joao Paulo Augusto Garcia, 32, appeared at Harrogate Magistrates’ Court yesterday charged with dangerous driving and causing death by dangerous driving. He was remanded in custody to appear at York Crown Court on Friday.