Name
Charles Andrews
22 Feb 1886
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/10/1919
33
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
22445
Royal Irish Fusiliers
5th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
MARKYATE (ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST) NEW CHURCHYARD
B. 266.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
SO HE GIVETH HIS BELOVED SLEEP
UK & Other Memorials
Markyate Village Memorial, St John The Baptist Church Memorial, Markyate
Pre War
Charles Andrews was born on 22 Feb 1886 (baptised 15 Jul 1886) in Markyate to William Andrews, farm labourer, and Annie (nee Shephard.
On the 1891 Census the family of parents, William (a farm labourer born 1875), Ellen (born 1880), George (born 1882), Herbert (born 1884), Charles, Arthur (born 1888) and Minnie (born 1890) were living at Twenty Acres, London Road, Flamstead.
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, George & Herbert (both Hay & Straw Carters), Charles ,a farm boy, Arthur, Frederick (born 1893), Horace (born 1897) and Percy (born 1899) were living at cottages London Road , Flamstead.
Charles attested for the Militia on 26 Mar 1903 as Private 4678 in the 3rd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, he was given a free discharge on 20 Jun 1908 on completion of his term.
Charles married Maud Elizabeth Blake on 16 Oct 1908 in Hemel Hempstead.
On the 1911 Census Charles, (a gardener), Maud (a machinist) and son Frederick were ling at 32 George Road, Markyate. Charles’ parents, Frederick. Horace and Percy (schoolboy) were living at Twenty Acres, Flamstead.
Wartime Service
No service record was found for Charles. He volunteered for service with the Bedfordshire Regiment as Private17675 soon after the outbreak of the Great War in Aug 1914 and went of France on 4 Jan 1915.
The report of his funeral in the Luton News 6 Nov 1919 provides some details of his service from Jan 1915. He was wounded and gassed in May 1915 and was treated in hospital in UK. He returned to Landguard (Felixstowe, 3rd (Reserve) Battalion Beds Regt) on 6 Jul 1915.Charles was posted to Salonika for 2 years (This is his probable transfer to Royal Irish Fusiliers as Private 22445 in 10th (Irish) Division, leaving for service in Palestine until 30 April 1918 when the 5th Battalion left the division to go to France in May 1918 joining the 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division in Jul 1918 before transferring to 16th (Irish) Division on 24 Aug 1918 to take part in the Final Advance in Artois, liberating the French coalfields, lens and Douai.
Charles was demobilised in Feb 1919, the effects of his gassing prevented employment. He died on 25 Oct 1919.
Additional Information
Brother Frederick served with 7th (Service) Battalion , Bedfordshire Regiment and was killed in action on 21 Sep 1916. Brother Percy served with 7th (Service Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment and died of wounds on 4 Jun 1918.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, Anne & Gordon Mead
