Pte 21825 Alfred Andrews

Alfred was born in the March quarter of 1894 probably at the family home 60 Irvine Street, West Derby, the son of George Andrews and his wife Marian Helen (nee Sanderson). George was born in Newbury, Berkshire and was employed as a foreman for a paper gag maker. Marian Helen was born in Liverpool. They married at St Augustine's Church, Everton on 20 May 1877 they then lived in Birkenhead for a few years before returning to Liverpool, moving to West Derby. They had 8 children in their marriage 6 boys and 2 girls sadly three of the children died; William Andrews died aged 1 in 1883 and Fanny Ann died aged 1 in 1887 and Harry died aged 13 in 1905

Alfred was the last born of the 8 children.

 

In 1901 aged 7 and a scholar, Alfred is shown on the Census living with his parents and remaining siblings at 243 Crown Street at his elder married sister's family home.

 

In the 1911 Census at 96 Chatsworth Place, Liverpool, 17 year old, Alfred a gas fitter is living at home with his parents and 2 brothers, also gas fitters

 

On 14 December 1914 aged 20 years 11 months Alfred enlists in Knowsley as Pte. 21825 into the 19th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. His home address is given as 54 Uxbridge Street Edge Hill, Liverpool. He is described as being 5 foot 7 and a half inches in height with a 36 inch chest.

Formed on 07^th September 1914 the 19^th Battalion trained locally at Sefton Park and remained living at home or in rented accommodation until November 1914. They then moved to the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915. 

While in France his elder brother George Jethro Andrews aged 35 died at home in Liverpool. 

Alfred was killed in action on 30th July 1916, aged 22. 

19^th Battalion Diary 30^th July 1916

MALTZ HORN FARM

BATTLE begun. ZERO hour 4:45 am. The Battalion reached its objective, but suffered heavy losses, and had to evacuate its position owing to no reinforcements.

Everard Wyrall gives details of the attack in his book The History of The King’s Regiment; 

"The 2nd Attack on Guillemont- 29th July 1916 the 89th Brigade the 20th King's were to attack on the right and the 19th on the left. During the evening of the 29th the night was dark and foggy when the Battalions moved off and the 19th with Lt Col G Rollo commanding, when passing the South east of the Briqueterie they were heavily shelled first with H E and then with a new kind of asphyxiating Gas shell which had curious results, at first it had no nasty effect but about 8 hrs later men began to fall sick with violent headaches and pains in the stomach. All ranks had to wear gas masks which in the darkness and mist made the going terribly difficult. It was indeed wonderful that they were able to reach their Assembly point at all. But they did and by 2.45 a.m. on the 30th July 1916 the Btn was assembled having suffered about 30 Casualties on the way up ready for the Zero hour at 4.45 a.m.

It is known that the two left Companies of the 19th under Capt. Dodd and Capt. Nicholson advanced in touch with the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on their left although they suffered many casualties from Machine gun Fire did not encounter many Germans and reached their final objective about the time allocated, beginning at once to dig in south of the orchard on the South east corner of Guillemont.  

On the left of the 19th the Scots Fusiliers most gallantly forced their way through Guillemont to the eastern side of the village but were soon overwhelmed by the enemy and few returned. 

At 8 a.m. finding that the village was not held the two left Companies of the 19th received no word from the rear or either flank believed themselves to be totally isolated so were forced to fall back and dig in, their position being untenable.

At midday the effective fighting strength of the 19th Btn was just 7 Officers and 43 other ranks" 

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30^th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55^th Division during the early hours of the 31^st July. 

Casualties in the 19^th Battalion were 11 Officers and 435 Other Ranks 

The events of 30^th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89^th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.      

In August 1916 having just lost their son George Jethro just weeks before, Alfred's parents found it difficult to accept his loss as well just weeks later. They placed an advert in the Liverpool Echo on 31 August 1916 requesting information on the whereabouts of Alfred, they also wrote to his Commanding Officer.  Another "Missing" advert appeared in the Liverpool Daily Post on 18 Sep 1916.

Alfred has no known grave and his name is inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial:

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916. 

On 01^st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.” 

Alfred is also commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance inside Liverpool Town Hall at Panel 16 Left.