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 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). Jake Clarke was born on the 4th February 1891 in Ravenstone and was baptised on the 1st March 1891 in the Church of St. Michael and All Angels, Ravenstone, in April 1891 he was residing at Main Street, Ravenstone this being the family home of his widowed maternal grandfather, Thomas Clark, a rope maker, born 1822 in Ravenstone. In March 1901 Jake was residing in the family home at Windmill Lane, Kettering, Northamptonshire, together with his father, a house painter, his mother and siblings, 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, George Thomas, born on the 10th December 1894 in Ravenstone and baptised on the 30th December 1894 in the Church of St. Michael and All Angels, Ravenstone and Leonard, born on the 24th May 1898 in Bedford. In April 1911 Jake was employed as a coal miner and was residing in the family home at Church Lane, Ravenstone, together with his mother and siblings, Agnes, Leonard and Albert Edgar, born in the July quarter of 1902 in Kettering. Jake’s younger brother George fell in action on the 23rd July 1915.
Jacob was a regular soldier and was a master sniper, having won the prestigious gold cup at Aldershot in 1912. In early September 1914 Jake embarked for France with the British Expeditionary Force of one hundred thousand soldiers, and was killed during the Retreat from Mons when he was shot through the head by a German sniper, dying instantly.
Jake’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted on the 17th September 1912 in Bedford into the Bedfordshire Regiment, and was allotted the service number 10124, and posted as a Private to that Regiment’s Depot for training, subsequently being posted to the 1st Battalion. When war was declared he was stationed with his Regiment in Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland and embarking with his Battalion, he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 16th August 1914. It is unknown when he was promoted, but at the time of his death in action on the 7th November 1914 he was recorded as holding the rank of Lance Corporal. His body was never recovered and he is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial in France. Jake was awarded the 1914 Star, Clasp and Rose, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 7 Nov-14 - Enemy broke through line held by Regiment about 200 yards to our left, carrying next Regiment and some of our men with them. Our supports were moved to left by self, Captain JOHN CASELLS MONTEITH and Adjutant, and assisted in driving enemy back. Quartermaster Sergeant 4893 THOMAS WILLIAM BYFORD (awarded Distinguished Conduct Medal) collected about 40 men and captured trench held by 21 Germans, killing or capturing all. Private 8095 WILLIAM FALLA (awarded Distinguished Conduct Medal) ran on in advance, and getting on left of trench enfiladed enemy whilst remainder were rushing the trench. Our casualties about 7 officers and 140 other ranks killed wounded, 7 missing.