Five minutes with Ferris – RAN and footy legend

The Mariners take a break at the National Rugby League championships in Newcastle earlier this month. See "League of their own" story.

Photo: LAC Euan Grant

Ferris Ashton

He presented the jerseys to our Navy Mariners (see also "League of their own"), but who is Ferris Ashton?

Navy News gives you five minutes with Ferris. Born at Darlinghurst August 21 1926, Ferris Ashton followed the famous Eastern Suburbs sides of 1935/6/7 and vowed to would play for Easts one day.

He represented NSW schoolboys in 1938 & again in 1939 as a second rower, when the team toured Qld & played a Test at the Gabba.

His opposite number for Qld was Chic Cowie who became a 1948 Kangaroo from Souths. War broke out during the tour, and he enlisted in the RAN in June 1944 as an O.D.2.

Ferris Ashton joined the Destroyer HMAS Quickmatch in November 1944 as a bridge lookout and served along with HMAS Quiberon with the British Pacific Fleet in all Carrier actions at Sachashima, Gunto, Formosa, Okinawa and Japan until the surrender in August 1945 and on occupation duties until February 1946.

He broke his left patella in an accident on leave, and did a stint of 14 months in the Naval Recruiting Office on G.I. until discharging in November 1947.

Ferris Ashton played cricket & football for G.I. and played junior League for Bondi United. He was called up to Easts in 1949 and played in the Premier winning Reserve Grade side that year.

He played first grade in 1950 and in 1952 played for NSW against QLD in all matches and played for NSW against the Kiwis making the first Test Team which beat the Kiwis in Sydney.

He missed the third Test but made the 1952/3 Kangaroo side that toured England and France playing 41 matches.

Touring NZ in 1953 Ashton played in the first Test but was overlooked for the rest. He played 114 games for Easts and retired in 1956.

.