The Collection of Medals to Great War Casualties formed by Tim Parsons

Three: Captain C. R. Andrews, Cheshire Regiment, who was killed in action at Hooge on 24 May 1915

1914-15 Star (Capt., Ches. R.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Capt.), with related Memorial Plaque (Charles Raymond Andrews), contained within an old glazed display frame, extremely fine (4) £600-700

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals to Great War Casualties formed by Tim Parsons.

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Charles Raymond Andrews was born at Rangoon, Burma in February 1890, the son of a Captain on the Madras Staff Corps, and was educated back home at the Army School, Stratford-on-Avon. Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Cheshire Regiment in May 1912, he was advanced to Lieutenant in April 1914 and proceeded to France and Flanders with the 2nd Battalion in January 1915.

Andrews, who was subsequently advanced to Captain, was reported missing after the fighting at Hooge on 24 May 1915. His Brigadier wrote:

‘Your son was seen by one of my Staff officers just before the night attack in which he led his battalion with great gallantry, and, as far as I can gather ... he was the first into the German trench, where he was seen to fall or stumble. I think he must have been hit ...’

In point of fact, as verified in a statement made by Sergeant H. Bennett, 2nd Cheshires, at Castle Hospital, Dublin on 14 July 1915, it seems certain that Andrews was mortally wounded:

‘Informant was close to Captain Andrews when he was hit. This happened in the charge the Regiment made very early on Whit Tuesday morning (at 3 a.m.). Captain Andrews fell and it was found impossible to move him, the fire of the German machine-guns was too heavy. Informant tried to get him away but Captain Andrews was too badly wounded to be able to help himself. The Regiment was cut to pieces in the charge, mustering only 5 at the first roll call and only 25 next day at Poperinghe.’

Andrews, who was 25 years of age, was posthumously mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 1 January 1916); interestingly, he had been placed in command of the Battalion’s attack in the rank of Captain because all of his senior officers had already become casualties.

He is commemorated on Dover War Memorial and on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres; photographs of the latter panel are included.