Pte Samuel Andrews

[sandymae]

Hello,

My name is Sandra, my husband and I are planning a trip to visit the grave of Pte Samuel Andrews who was killed in action on 28 May 1918. He lies at rest in Chambrecy cemetery, to our knowledge no member of the family has ever been to visit his grave.

He originated from Sutton Coldfield, possibly joined Worcs before outbreak of WWI.

Service No 140564, he was in the 8th Battalion MGC, 4COY, when killed.

We have a newspaper clip which gives a small photograph of him, details of when he was killed, and that his mother lived at West Bromwich. His father was alive, but there is no mention of him!

We would dearly love to know whether Sam had been married, he would have been 31yrs old when he died, having served 3yrs 9months in the Army.

Could anyone tell e where we could find details of next of kin? We would be so very grateful.

Thanks for reading this,

Sandra

[scully]

Hi Sandra,

I have done a little research for you and come up with the following information:

Private Samuel Andrews enlisted in to the Army in Birmingham. He was first with the Devonshire Regiment (army number 30857) he later transferred to the Worcestershire Regiment (army number 14571) and finally was with the Machine Gun Corps (army number 140564) when he was killed in action on the 28th May 1918.

I checked the 1901 Census and found that he was then age 13 working as a Gardener at Green Lanes, Sutton Coldfield. He was still living with his parents. The full family listing is below:

James Andrews - Father - age 41 - occupation Coachman, Domestic Servant - Born Wordsley. Worcestershire.
Maria Andrews - Wife - age 39 - born at Kings Norton, Worcestershire.
Leonard Andrews - Son - age 17 - occupation Groom Domestic - born Sutton Coldfield.
Alfred Andrews - Son - age 14 - occupation Gardener Domestic - born Sutton Coldfield.
Samuel Andrews - Son - age 13 - occupation Gardener Domestic - born Sutton Coldfield.
Frederick Andrews - Son - age 11 - born Sutton Coldfield.
Ellen Andrews (known as Nellie) - Daughter - age 10 - born Sutton Coldfield.
Edward Andrews - Son - age 8
Richard Andrews - Son - age 4
Eva Andrews - Daughter - age 2.

I also check to see if Samuel Andrews was married. The only possible one I found was a Samuel Andrews was married in 1909 and 1913 in the registration district of Aston (the district where the family lived). The marriage in 1913 was Samuel Andrews married Beatrice Berry and they had a son born in 1914 named Samuel K. J. Andrews. (this may be the son of the Samuel Andrews you are looking for relatives for? The only way to be 100% sure would be to get a copy of the full birth certificate of this child - The General Register Office reference details are as follows:
FULL BIRTH CERTIFICATE
Name = Samuel K. J. Andrews
Year = 1914
Quarter = September
District = Aston
Volume = 6d
Page = 1226
You can order a copy of the certificate from the GRO at Southport giving them the reference details above. Their telephone number is 0845 603 7788.
If this is the son of Samuel Andrews then it will give the fathers occupation on the birth certificate which would either of been a Soldier or a Gardener if it was in deed the son of the Samuel Andrews you are looking for.

Best of luck with your reseach.

Regards,

Louis

[sandymae]

Louis

Thank you so much for the information - what a detective!

I have today sent for the birth certificate of Samuel K J - and now look forward with interest as to seeing if it could be 'our' Sam's child.

I had gleaned the information from Ancestry website as to Sam's family history as we are putting together my husbands line, Sam was the brother of my father in law (whom I never met).

Four brothers were in WWI, my F in L was in the Warwickshire's, another in the tank corp, and another out in Salonika in the ASC. Sam was the only one who didn't return.

With thanks for your kindness in researching the marriage etc, 'I'm on the case'.

Sandra

[sandymae]

Louis,
Would you believe it! Samuel's birth certificate arrived this morning - and BINGO!!!!

He is registered as Samuel Kitchener James Andrews, born August 1914.

Son of Samuel Andrews, a Lance Corporal in 5th battalion R Worcs. And Sarah Beatrice (nee'Berry)

Sam and Beatrice (she dropped her first name) were married in the last 1/4 of 1913, in Aston, Birmingham.

Thanks you SO much for your help, much appreciated. Am off to do more research, and perhaps find a banch of the family lost in the last century.

???/?

[scully]

Sandra,

Glad to hear the news and was glad to have been able to help. I think it is the Detective in me!!!

Regards,

Louis