2/1751 Corporal Alfred Nind Andrews, DCM, (21/12/1894-17/6/1917). "coolness and resourcefulness"

CORPORAL ALFRED ANDREWS. 

Mr George Andrews, of Allandale road, St. Clair, received word this morning that his third son, Alfred, has died of wounds. Deceased was educated at the St. Clair School, and was in the employ of Hogg and Co. when he enlisted in the Fifth Reinforcements. He was at the Suvla Bay landing, and served in a mortar trench battery, without a spell, right up to the day of the Gallipoli evacuation. Only an hour or so before the arriving of the telegram announcing his death the family received a letter from him, in which he said that three weeks before the date of writing he got a bit of shrapnel in the shoulder, but he was then back in the trenches, and thought the shoulder hurt would be right in about a week. The cause of death was a wound in the abdomen. The sincere sympathy of the St. Clair residents, who all knew and met "Alf." will go out to his parents.  -Evening Star, 27/6/1917.

FOR KING AND COUNTRY.

DEATH. 

ANDREWS. — On June 17, 1917 (died from wounds received while in action in France) Alfred Nind Andrews, 5th Reinforcements, third beloved son of George and Elizabeth Andrews, Allandale road, St. Clair; aged 22 years.   -Evening Star, 30/6/1917.

Mentioned in Despatches: London Gazette, 1 June 1917, p5429, Rec No 600: At Bois Grenier on 21st February 1917, this NCO did exceptionally good work during the raid of the 2nd Auckland Battallion. The batteries were heavily shelled throughout and in spite of the heavy fire Bombardier Andrews remained with the mortar, adjusting the mechanism which was causing trouble during the action, and set a splendid example to the men under him. During a previous raid by the enemy, the Corporal in charge of the detachment was killed. Bombardier Andrews took charge although the mortar was out of action, removed same to a dug out, exhibiting coolness and resourcefulness throughout, thus saving his mortar from being captured. 

The raid mentioned above was a big one - more than 500 men going over into enemy territory.  The winter frost had begun to thaw: the hard ground was reverting to mud and the ice was thinning in the old shellholes.  Halfway across no-man's-land, the enemy trenches "burst with a roar into a line of light" as artillery opened up from behind.  Also behind the raiding party, the trenches they had left were bombarded by German artillery.  This bombardment would have taken in the positions of the supporting trench mortars.

The citation for Alfred's Distinguished Conduct Medal, published in the London Gazette on August 17, 1917, reads as follows: "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He showed the greatest coolness and contempt for danger in three separate occasions, when his mortar was put out of action by hostile fire, repairing it himself and getting it back in action. On another occasion, although wounded himself, he assisted to carry one of his comrades back to the dressing station. His cheerful disposition and pluck at all times inspired great confidence in his men. He has since been seriously wounded."

Alfred Andrews is buried in the Trois Arbres Cemetery, Steenwerk, in France.

Southern Cemetery, Dunedin.