Leslie Wilton Andrew
Corporal, 2nd Battalion Wellington Infantry Regiment NZEF
- Register No.
- 30 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Corporal all Corporals →
- Unit
- 2nd Battalion Wellington Infantry Regiment NZEF all Wellington Infantry Regiment VCs →
- Date of action
- 31 July 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 6th September 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Born
- 23rd March 1897 at Ashurst, New Zealand
- Died
- 9th January 1969 at Palmerston North, New Zealand
- Memorial / grave
- HQ., Dunedin RSA, New Zealand
- Medal held by
- the Army Museum, Waiouru, New Zealand
Digest of citation
On 31 July 1917 at La Bassee Ville, France, Corporal Andrew was in charge of a small party in an attack on the enemy's position. His objective was a machine-gun post which had been located in an isolated building, but on leading his men forward he encountered another machine-gun post which was holding up the advance of another company. He immediately attacked it , capturing the gun and killing several of the crew. He then continued with his attack on the original objective and finally captured the post, killing a number of the enemy and putting the remainder to flight
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
ANDREW, Leslie Wilton. (Reg. No. 30)
Corporal. 2nd Battalion Wellington Infantry Regiment NZEF.
London Gazetted on 6th September 1917.
VC Medal's Custodian is the Army Museum, Waiouru, New Zealand.
Born on 23rd March 1897 at Ashurst, New Zealand.
Died on 9th January 1969 at Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Memorial at HQ., Dunedin RSA, New Zealand.
Digest of Citation reads: On 31 July 1917 at La Bassee Ville, France, Corporal Andrew was in charge of a small party in an attack on the enemy's position. His objective was a machine-gun post which had been located in an isolated building, but on leading his men forward he encountered another machine-gun post which was holding up the advance of another company. He immediately attacked it , capturing the gun and killing several of the crew. He then continued with his attack on the original objective and finally captured the post, killing a number of the enemy and putting the remainder to flight..
Additional information: He was the son of William Jeffrey and Frances Hannah Andrew of Ahurst, New Zealand, later to be the Headmaster of Wanganui East School. Leslie Wilton Andrew was educated at Wanganui Boys' High School and Collegiate School, Wanganui. He was employed for a while in a lawyer's office before going to work for the Railway Department in Wellington NZ. On the 25th October 1915 he joined the Wellington Infantry Regiment and was sent to Egypt the following June 1916. In August 1916 he was sent to France where he won the VC. The day after the action where he won the medal, August the 1st, 1917 he was promoted to Sergeant. He saw action on the Somme, Messines and La Basse Ville. During this time he was wounded twice and buried in debris, after high explosive attacks, three times. During the Second World War he was in command, as a Brigadier, of a New Zealand Brigade in Crete.
Additional information
He was the son of William Jeffrey and Frances Hannah Andrew of Ahurst, New Zealand, later to be the Headmaster of Wanganui East School. Leslie Wilton Andrew was educated at Wanganui Boys' High School and Collegiate School, Wanganui. He was employed for a while in a lawyer's office before going to work for the Railway Department in Wellington NZ. On the 25th October 1915 he joined the Wellington Infantry Regiment and was sent to Egypt the following June 1916. In August 1916 he was sent to France where he won the VC. The day after the action where he won the medal, August the 1st, 1917 he was promoted to Sergeant. He saw action on the Somme, Messines and La Basse Ville. During this time he was wounded twice and buried in debris, after high explosive attacks, three times. During the Second World War he was in command, as a Brigadier, of a New Zealand Brigade in Crete.
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Alf recorded the memorial as: HQ., Dunedin RSA, New Zealand
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