St Michael's: Ernest Lancelot Andrews

The Andrews family of Highgate: (back) Cecil, May, Chris, Rev. John Marshall Andrews; (middle) Archie, Lance, Mrs Lucy Andrews with baby Dorothy; (front); Clem, Harry (with kind permission of Sally Willis, granddaughter of Cecil Andrews)

Ernest Lancelot ANDREWS

Died 25^th August 1918

Date of Birth: 19^th December 1876

Place of Birth: Pancras, London

Ernest Lancelot (Lance) was the fourth son of the late Rev. John Marshall Andrews and of Lucy Anne Andrews of 2 Winchester Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire. He was the elder brother of Captain Christopher B.Andrews RMLI, Plymouth Bn. KIA 11/5/15. On the 1891 census he was a scholar living with his family at The Vicarage (of St Michael's), Hampstead Lane, Highgate. In 1898 Lance left England to serve with the Cape Mounted Rifles until 1902. In 1909, he acquired title to three properties totalling 464 1/2 acres near Margaret River in Western Australia. Lance was joined on the farm by his younger brother, Chris, the following year (Penelope Ransby, Dream of Margaret River). On 22^nd December 1914, age 37, Lance embarked Melbourne, Australia  on HMAT Ceramic A40 as a Sergeant (No. 89) with the 16th Infantry Bn. Australian Imperial Forces. On embarkation, he gave the name of next of kin as his brother, Cecil Andrews, Education Department, Perth, Western Australia.

Service Details: Temporary Captain – Royal Marines [RM], 1st Royal Marine Battalion -

Commissioned Temporary 2^nd Lieutenant RM 21^st August 1915 – Temporary Captain 22^nd February 1916 – Draft for Mediterranean Expeditionary Force [MEF] 25^th October 1915 – joined 2^nd RM Bn. 22^nd November 1915-30 October 1916 Sprained ankle, Invalided to UK 3^rd November 1916 – Draft for British Expeditionary Force [BEF] 7^th February 1917, joined 2^nd RM Battalion 23^rd February 1917-20^th March 1917 VD, rejoined 2^nd RM Battalion – 4^th May 1917-10^th May 1917 Epididymitis, Invalided to UK 13^th May 1917 – Draft for BEF 1^st April 1918, joined 2^nd RM Battalion 8^th April 1918 – transferred to 1^st RM Battalion 28^th April 1918-25^th August 1918

Lance Andrews (with kind permission of Sally Willis)

wearing the uniform of a captain in the Royal Marines (circa 1917 or 1918).

Place of Death: France

Place of Burial: Australian Imperial Forces Burial Ground, Flers, Somme, France; Grave IX. G. 8.

The grave of Lance Andrews in the AIF Burial Ground, Flers, Department of the Somme

Full details of Lance's farming life and wartime experiences can be read in Penelope Ransby's excellent book, Dream of Margaret River: A story of love and loss from the Great War (Centennial, 2008). See http://www.dreamofmargaretriver.com/index.html for further information.