Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Jacob Andrews, a house painter, born on the 12th September 1865 in Little Shelford, Cambridgeshire and baptised on the 5th November 1865 in the Church of SS. Mary & Andrew, Whittlesford, Cambridgeshire (son of George Frederick Andrews and Emma Thompson) and his wife Mary Elizabeth Andrews (nee Clarke, married on the 25th December 1889 in the Church of St. Michael and All Angels, Ravenstone, Leicestershire), born in the January quarter of 1860 in Nuneaton, Warwickshire (daughter of Thomas Clarke and Ann Rayson). George Thomas was born on the 10th December 1894 in Ravenstone and was baptised on the 30th December 1894 in the Church of St. Michael and All Angels, Ravenstone, his siblings were Jake Clarke, born on the 4th February 1891 in Ravenstone and baptised on the 1st March 1891 in the Church of St. Michael and All Angels, Ravenstone, Agnes Lilian Daisy, born on the 9th December 1892 in Winshill, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire and baptised on the 1st January 1893 in St. Mark’s Church, Winshill and Leonard, born on the 24th May 1898 in Bedford, in March 1901 the family home was at Windmill Lane, Kettering, Northamptonshire. In April 1911 George was absent from the family home at Church Lane, Ravenstone, residing there was his mother and siblings, Jacob, a coal miner, Agnes, Leonard and Albert Edgar, born in the July quarter of 1902 in Kettering, meanwhile George was employed as a farm cowman and was residing as a servant at Berry Hills, Snibston, Leicestershire. George’s older brother Jake, fell in action on the 7th November 1914.
Upon leaving school George was employed as a miner at Ibstock Colliery, he was a member of the Ravenstone Church Sunday School and later the Bible Class. After enlistment he spent nearly two months under canvas on the High Tor of Charnwood Forest, also training at the Drill Hall in Loughborough, and the Institute at Thringstone, Leicestershire. He embarked for France in early 1915 and met his death when the Germans detonated a mine under his front-line trench (number 50), which was close to the famous Hill 60 in the Ypres salient of Belgium. Captain J. L. Griffiths in a letter to his parents wrote: - “It is with much regret that I have to write to tell you of the loss of your son Private George Andrews on Friday night last. The enemy exploded a mine immediately under the trench where your son was standing. Every search has been made for him but unfortunately, we have been unable to find him, and this will always be the case. We shall erect a cross where your son was last seen. George was a very good and cheerful soldier and will be much missed by his officers and comrades. Kindly accept my sincere sympathy and also that of the whole of my company in your sad bereavement.”
George enlisted/attested into the Territorial Force on the 16th September 1914 in Coalville, Leicestershire, and was allotted the service number 2555. He gave his place of birth as Ravenstone, Leicestershire and age as 19 years 285 days. He gave his trade or calling as driller.
His medical examination took place in Coalville on the 11th September 1914 and recorded his apparent age as 19 years 285 days, that he was 5 feet 6¼ inches in height, weighed 132 lbs, had a chest measurement of between 32½ and 34½ inches, his complexion was described as fresh, he had hazel eyes and his hair colour was brown. He gave his religion as Church of England.
He gave his next of kin as his father Jacob Andrews, mother Mary E. Andrews, brother Leonard Andrews and sister Agnes Andrews, Ravenstone, Leicestershire
During his period of military service, the following events of note occurred: -
Joined. Depot Leicestershire Regt. Pte. 14/9/15.
Posted. 5th Bn. Leicestershire Regt. 14/9/14.
Embodied service to commence. 17/9/14.
Embarked. With the 1/5th Bn. Leicestershire Regt. To join the British Expeditionary Force in France. 26/2/15.
Landed. Le Havre, France. 27/2/15.
Missing after a mine explosion. In the Field. 23/7/15.
Reported. Killed in action. 23/7/15.
Summary of Service.
Home Service. 17/6/14 – 27/2/15. 164 days.
British Expeditionary Force, France. 28/2/15 – 23/7/15. 146 days.
Total service 310 days.
He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Georges surviving service record amounts to a total of twelve pages, and these are in very poor condition, the hand written information in some cases is barely legible, damaged or missing entirely, however the content does offer at least a little descriptive insight into some of the events that took place during his period of service.
The War Diary records: 23 Jul-15 - ZILLEBEKE. At 6.55 pm small mine exploded under enemy’s gallery opposite A.1. At 7.00 pm exploded large mine under enemy’s salient. At 7.01 pm artillery opened fire on crater and enemy supports. The redoubt in salient completely destroyed. Enemy’s casualties estimated at 40. At 9.22 pm enemy exploded large mine in front of trench 5.B destroying portions of parapet and inflicting 40 casualties. Enemy trench mortared the crater, thus hindering work of rescue and of linking crater with line of defences. 2nd Lieutenant’s R. C. LAWTON, E. E. WYNNE and N. C. MARRIOTT having arrived from England have been taken on the strength of the Battalion Officers, N.C.O.’s and men of the 17th Division were attached to the Battalion for instruction during the last tour of duty. This remedied to some extent the wastage in the Battalion which at one time contained only 9 Company officers and 474 trench rifles.
On Friday August 6th 1915 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MORE STORIES BY EYE WITNESSES.” – GRAPHIC DETAILS. A Melton Mowbray Territorial belonging to No.5 Platoon, “B” Company, 5th Battalion Leicestershire Territorials, writes the following interesting letter: - “I hope by now you know that I am quite safe. It was awful, but you know we have to expect anything out here. Our Engineers had just blown up two mines, and we had seen sandbags, men, buckets, and other things go up in the air. We were saying we should have something to tell the people in Melton when we get home again when there was the biggest crash I have ever heard. I was the end man of our trench, and there were F. Linnett, P. Underwood, and Jerry Boulger with me. Before I had time to move, the dirt and other things were dropping on me. I thought it would never stop, but when it did, I jumped up and got my rifle, and I was ready if anyone came. The other three ran up the trench to see what they could do. Well, I cannot describe to you what the trench looked like. If the mine had been about 6 yards further there would not have been many of the Melton men left. While some of our men were firing the others were digging the men out who were buried. Poor Arthur Rogers was the first man to be got out, but he was dead. Then others followed – Arch. Marston, Syd. Newton, J. Atter, H. Plowman, B. Newton - and I think they are getting on all right. (A subsequent letter from the same writer states that Plowman has since died in hospital). Some of the others got out themselves, and either started firing or digging. It was marvellous to see how the men behaved, and it has been noticed and appreciated by the General. We got other men out, poor fellows they were dead, Sgt. Bunn, from Uppingham, leaves six children, and poor Walter Simpson leaves a widow and one child, the others were Cpl. W. Ibbetson, and Ptes. Pennington Foister, Pick, Wilson and Rogers from Melton, and Ptes. Hall, Gray, Buswell, Andrews from Coalville and district. Of course, there were others who had to go out of the trench suffering from shock. It was our Platoon who caught it, and out of about 40 who went to the trenches nine of us marched out again. Aaron Sharp and J. Ruddle got blown up in the air, and dropped in a trench at the back. Aaron says he thinks Jimmy Ruddle started first up in the air, but he doesn't know who dropped first. Jimmy Atter was buried for three hours, and when G. Boulger got him out he said: ‘Hello Jerry! I never remember being buried alive before.’ When they took him away, he said: ‘I should think this means another bar on my medal.’ I think we had sixteen killed this time in, and I don’t know how many wounded. One thing we are still smiling, and looking forward to better times. I am enclosing a copy of a letter which we had sent to us by the Officer Commanding. I want you to keep smiling, and don't get downhearted, for, as you know, it might have been worse. You will hear all about it in the papers. What I am pleased about is that we never left the trench, and what Germans came soon went back who were not shot. Thanks so much for the box you sent. The contents were lovely and they were a treat. I divided them among the chaps who were left in our platoon. I know you will not mind, for you know how the chaps felt. I had a double box of Tangerine oranges, box of tomatoes, one of apples, and fifteen hundred Woodbines, and three pounds of Gold Flake tobacco. Walter came to our place, but I was in the trenches. I expect he will come again. Don't forget to tell everyone I know that I am still smiling. If anyone wants a bit of excitement tell them to join the army. I'm having the time of my life and it will take more than this to upset me.”
On Friday, October 22nd, 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – OTHER LOCAL CASUALTIES. – Private G. T. ANDREWS, of the 1/5th Leicester’s, was killed in action on July 23. He was the younger brother of Lance-Corpl. J. C. Andrews, 1st Bedford’s killed in November, 1914, at Ypres, and son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrews of Ravenstone.
On Saturday, October 30th, 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTER’S WHO HAVE FALLEN.” – (A photograph accompanied the article) – Pte. G. T. ANDREWS, 1st/5th Leicester’s, son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrews, Ravenstone; 20 years.