Alfred Ernest Andrews

Personal Information
Date of Birth	not known
Place of Birth	Geelong, Victoria
Death	8 Aug 1948, aged 71
Place of Death	Victoria Park, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	38 years, 7 months
Description	5'6" (1.68m) tall; weight 140 lbs (63.5 kg); ruddy complexion, grey eyes, dark brown hair.
Occupation	mill hand
Religion	Church of England
Address	Jarrahdale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife Mrs Annie Elizabeth Andrews nee Callander
Military Information
Reg Number	1090
Date of Enlistment	23 Feb 1916
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	3rd Pioneer Battalion, B Company / 3rd Division
Date of Embarkation	6 Jun 1916 - 26 Jul 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A62 Wandilla
Date of Return	1 Jun 1919 - 8 Jul 1919
Ship Returned On	SS Somali
Fate	Wounded in Action 14 Mar 1918 Returned to Australia
Monument	Jarrahdale
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Electoral Roll entries - 1910 - 1913 mill hand with Annie in Worsley. He legally married Annie in 1916. Annie died 25 Jul 1955, aged 80 in Victoria Park.

War Service

A week after entering Blackboy Hill camp, Alfred is allocated to the Pioneers, and on 15 Apr 1916 to D Company of the 3rd Pioneer Battalion which was being raised at that time.

During the trip to England, Alfred enjoyed 6 hours unauthorised leave on 3 Jul 1916 in cape Town, for which he was awarded an Admonition and the forfeit of 1 day's pay.

On arrival in England the battalion went to Lark Hill training area. At Lark Hill on 18 Nov 1916 he was AWOL from 9:00am until midnight on the 19th, earning him three days Field Punishment No 2, and forfeiture of five days pay.

The battalion entrained in Lark Hill for Amesbury on three trains on the morning of 24 Nov 1916, and at Amesbury they caught three other trains to Southampton where the majority of the battalion boarded the HMT Caeserea, and the rest the HMT Nirvanna. Both ships arrived in Le Havre at 4.30am on 25 Nov 1916. In Le Havre the battalion entrained for Armentiès.

Alfred ran into trouble again in July 1917, when he was charged with, "While on active service a)absenting himself from billets about 9.20pm contrary to the unit's Routine orders, and b)Not wearing a steel helmet contrary to the Divisional Routine Orders". Awarded 5 days confined to barracks and loss of 1 day's pay.

He was absent from the until from 10 to 30 Nov 1917 for a period of leave in England, before on 1 Mar 1918 being detached to the British 184th Tunnelling Company.

In April 1918, the 184th and several other tunnelling companies (171st, 173rd, 183rd, 255th, 258th and 3rd Australian) were forced to move from their camps at Boeschepe, when the enemy broke through the Lys positions during the Spring Offensive. These units were then put on duties that included digging and wiring trenches over a long distance from Reningelst to near Saint-Omer. The operation to construct these fortifications between Reningelst and Saint-Omer was carried out jointly by the British 171st, 173rd, 183rd, 184th, 255th, 258th, 3rd Canadian and 3rd Australian Tunnelling Companies.

While with the 184th, Alfred was Wounded in Action on 14 Mar 1918 (details unknown other than it affected his left leg or knee). Seen by the 1st Australian Field Ambulance he was transferred to the 2nd Field Ambulance on 19 Apr 1918 before rejoining his unit on 12 Apr 1918. He was granted a further period of leave in October 1918, and in Apr 1919 travelled to England to prepare for his return to Australia.

At Codford during this period he was true to form, going AWOL for two days and as a result lost two days pay and was rapped over the knuckles.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries - 1925 - 1948 at 62 Carnarvon street, Victoria Park, timber worker; Annie remained at that address until her death.

External Links

Category 3rd Pioneer Battalion