Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the step son of George Needham, a stone quarryman born 1859 in Whetstone, Leicestershire and his wife Sarah Jane Needham (nee Kenney, married on the 25th December 1888 in St. Mark’s Church, Leicester), born 1866 in Leicester. Arthur Leonard Andrews Kenney, was born in the 1st quarter of 1884 in Leicester, he had a half blood sibling, Rose Ellen Needham, born 1890 in Glenfield, Leicestershire also residing with the family was Arthur’s widowed paternal step Grandmother, Ann Needham, born 1832 in Ratby, Leicestershire, in April 1891 the family home was at Glenfield. In March 1901 Arthur was employed as a granite quarry labourer and was residing in the family home at Chestnut Road, Glenfield, together with his step father, a bricklayer’s labourer, his mother and half blood siblings, Rose, Wilfred, born 1899 and Gladys, born 1896, the latter two half blood siblings were both born in Glenfield, also residing with the family was Arthur’s widowed paternal step Grandmother, Ann and his maternal Aunt, Rose E. Kenny, born 1873 in Glenfield. In April 1911 Arthur Leonard Andrews was employed as a coal miner and was residing in the family home at 43, Ellis Street, East Kirkby, Nottinghamshire, together with his wife Elizabeth Andrews (nee Brailsford, married on the 18th October 1909 in the Parish Church, Kirkby in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire district), born on the 13th March 1885 in Sutton, Nottinghamshire, and their children, Gladys Ann Andrews Brailsford, born 28th September 1909 in Kirkby in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire and Leonard, born on the 19th October 1910 in East Kirkby. Elizabeth and Arthur had two further children, Rose, born on the 8th April 1913 and Arthur, born on the 22nd September 1914, both children were born in Nottinghamshire. Arthur’s widow married Hezekiah Topley in the 2nd quarter of 1924 in the Basford, Nottinghamshire district, they resided at 71, Allan Street, Hucknall Torkard, Nottinghamshire.
NOTE;
Arthur’s background is somewhat confusing, given the variety of names that he used during his lifetime, but as a means of simplifying Arthur’s progress from birth to his early demise when he fell in action on the 15th September 1915 aged just 32. I have endeavoured to give a time line beginning with his birth in Leicester in 1884 when he was officially recorded with the names Arthur Leonard Andrews Kenney, his mother being Sarah Jane Kenney, a spinster. By the time of the April 1891 census Arthur’s mother had married George Needham and her son was recorded as Arthur A. Kenney on the family census return. In March 1901 the census return for the family recorded him as Arthur L. A. Kenney. After the March 1901 census, it now seems that Arthur had decided to adopt the surname of Andrews as opposed to his birth surname of Kenney, because he enlisted into the Coldstream Guards on the 14th August 1901 under the name of Arthur Andrews, and from this date onwards, as will be seen the surname of Kenney was never used again. By 1909, Arthur had married, and was living in East Kirkby, Nottinghamshire with his wife, Elizabeth and on the officially recorded marriage register he had given the name of Arthur Leonard Andrews. On the April 1911 census return the family were all now using the surname of Andrews, and he had been recorded as Arthur Leonard Andrews.
In essence Arthur had not adopted an alias, but had simply chosen to use the birth name of Andrews as his surname as opposed to his mother’s surname of Kenney under which he was born. So the true family name remains Arthur Leonard Andrews Kenney, and his assumed family name, and the name under which he served in the Regular Army was Arthur Andrews.
The Brigade of Guards service records all exist, but were deposited in 2018 with the Ministry of Defence in Glasgow, the exception being the Scots Guards, whose service records are now in the possession of the Trustees of the Scots Guards Charitable Trust, and are free to access. The remainder of the Foot Guards records are available at the current cost of £30.00 per inquiry (2019).
As a consequence all that is known of Arthur’s military service is taken from the few documents that are currently available in the public domain. He enlisted into the Brigade of Guards on the 14th August 1901 in Leicester, he gave his place of birth as Glenfield, Leicester, age as 18 years 5 months and his trade or calling as labourer. He was allotted service number 4326 and posted to the Guards Depot in Caterham, Surrey for training. Upon the completion of his training was posted from the Guards Depot as a Private to the Coldstream Guards.
Having completed his first period of service with the Colours on the 13th August 1904, he was transferred to the Army Reserve. He was mobilized on the outbreak of war and joined the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards as a Private and it was with this unit that he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 30th August 1914. Nothing further is known of his military service except that he had been admitted as an inpatient on the 22nd October 1915 into the 4th Stationary Hospital suffering from pyrexia, being discharged to duty on the 7th November 1915. Arthur was killed in action on the 15th September 1916. He was awarded the 1914 STAR, British War Medal and Victory Medal. Arthur’s widow was awarded a weekly pension of 28/6 per week payable from the 14th May 1917.
The War Diary records: 15 Sep-16 – GINCHY. The Battalion marched to its assembly trenches just East of GINCHY on the night of the 14th. Arrived in position by 8.45am 15th. No. 3 and 4 Companies in front line in a trench, No. 3 Company on right. The remainder of the Battalion lying out behind in shell holes, and closed up as much as possible to avoid enemy barrage which was usually intense in GINCHY. The night was very dark, and the problem of getting the troops into position a very difficult one, and was greatly assisted by Lieutenant R. S. BAUGH, who went up in the evening to reconnoitre the ground and arrange markers. The new tanks were distributed along the line and they were ordered to attack before the infantry, and had their own barrage which started at 5.30am. The two tanks in front of the Battalion position never arrived at all, and their barrage only served to warn the enemy of what was coming. Enemy barrage started at 6.10am and caused a good many casualties. Our own barrage started at 6.20am and the whole Battalion advanced 30 yards behind it. The 3rd Battalion GRENADIER GUARDS were on the right, and beyond them the 6th Division. On the left were the 1st Brigade consisting of 2nd and 3rd Battalion’s COLDSTREAM GUARDS in front line, so that 3 COLDSTREAM Battalion’s advanced in line. In order to get in touch with 2nd Battalion after starting, the Battalion had to advance half left, and in doing so, got into the end of the 1st Brigade barrage, and suffered a good many casualties. The 1st objective was supposed to be about 1000 yards away, but actually the enemy were holding two lines of trenches strongly not more than 250 yards away. This latter led to some confusion but nothing stopped the advance, and these two trenches were taken, nearly all the enemy being killed in them. The attack was then re-organised as well as possible, and the IRISH and SCOTS GUARDS being by that time up in line, the advance was carried on to the next objective. All the time the 6th Division on our right had failed to make any progress at all, and we were suffering heavy casualties from Machine Gun fire from high ground on our right. In spite of this the advance continued and the second line of enemy trenches was taken, less opposition was met here, as many of the enemy surrendered. By this time nearly all of the Officers of the Battalion had become casualties and the Battalion was very much split up, and having lost direction, some had joined the other Battalions on their left. A party of about 63 COLDSTREAM under the Adjutant (Captain DIGBY) kept their direction, and with the survivors of SCOTS, IRISH and GRENADIERS, now occupied what they took to be the second objective, but which was really the 1st according to the scheme. Here they consolidated, and held on, though under heavy Machine Gun and rifle fire from their right flank and rear. Another party of about 40 1st Battalion under Lieutenant R. J. BAUGH had gone off further to their left and were joined up with 1st Brigade, who had also gained this objective, and still another party of about 30 under Lieutenant KANEEN were now under the command of Lieutenant Colonel J. CAMPBELL, who had pressed on and gained another trench, slightly in advance, and who now contemplated advancing to attack LESBOEUFS, which was the final objective. However they too, had lost their direction, and gone off too much to the left and were not in the second objective as they supposed, but in a trench some 200 yards short of it. As the right flank was completely exposed owing to the failure of the 6th Division, orders were sent to stop the advance and consolidate. It seems probable that if at that moment supports could have been sent up and carried on the advance forward, LESBOEUFS might have been gained as the enemy were disorganised and retreating through the village.. However even if that had been done it is highly improbable that the position could have been held against counter attacks from the right and rear. As it was Major ROCK, IRISH GUARDS formed a different flank on the right, with a mixed detachment of about 150 men which contained some men of the 1st Battalion under Lieutenant MAYNARD who was shortly afterwards killed there. This party was quite isolated, and had both flanks in the air, and after beating off two local counter attacks in which Major ROCK was wounded, was withdrawn. Major HOPWOOD, who with 6 other Officers had been left out of the attack, heard about 2.00pm that the Commanding Officer had been killed, and at once went up with 3 other Officers, and eventually found Captain DIGBY’s party at about 9.30pm. At that time it appeared that Captain DIGBY was the only surviving Officer but late that night we heard that Lieutenant’s BAUGH and KANEEN were alive, but quite separated from us, and from each other. The night was spent in organising and consolidating the position, and all the following day (16th). We were heavily shelled by enemy, who also attempted to make counter attacks which failed from the start. We suffered very slight casualties from the hostile bombardment. During the night of the 15th and early morning of 16th parties of 20th Division came up, and made small bombing attacks against enemy who was still holding out on our right rear, but these attacks were only partially successful.
Casualties;
Lieutenant Colonel Honourable G. V. BARING, killed in action.
Captain B. R. JACKON, killed in action.
Lieutenant R. H. P. PEASE, killed in action.
Lieutenant F. GRISSEL, killed in action.
Lieutenant H. C. MAYNARD, killed in action.
Lieutenant H. H. C. WILLIAMSON, killed in action.
Lieutenant F. THEWLIS, M.C., wounded and missing, believed killed in action.
2nd Lieutenant S. M. SCOTT, wounded and missing, believed killed in action.
Lieutenant R. N. DILBEROGLUE, wounded and missing.
2nd Lieutenant J. R. FLEMING, wounded.
2nd Lieutenant H. WALPOLE, wounded.
Captain E. F. MARTYN, M.C., R.A.M.C., wounded.
Lieutenant R. S. BAUGH, wounded.
Other Ranks. Killed in action, 25. Wounded, 218. Missing, 224.
Total Battalion casualties including Officers and men, 503.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Some information and photograph courtesy of Arthur Andrew's grandson, J Smith, 2015.