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Pte. Norman Andrews
British Army 1st Btn. Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Bradford
(d.22nd December 1916)
Norman Andrews was born on 22nd November 1887 to William and Martha Carlisle Andrew at 17A Ashfield, Horton, Bradford. The ninth of eleven children, nine of which survived childhood. His birth certificate also states that his father was a postman. He first appears on the 1891 census aged 3 and living at 324 Barkerend Road, Bradford, in the parish of St Peters and East Bradford Parliamentary Constituency. His youngest brother, Arthur Edward was yet to be born. Two older siblings, William Ernest and Florence had already passed away. William Ernest died on 3 September 1883 aged 4 from scarlet fever and convulsions which he had endured for three days. Florence died on 22 April 1882 aged 1 from an inflammation of the chest which she had endured for 9 days. Their father was the informant and present at the death of both his children. No record has yet been found for Norman on the 1901 census, but he features on the 1911 census. At this time he is 23 and living at 28 Fitzroy Road, Bradford together with his mother, aged 60 and 5 unmarried siblings. He is recorded as being single, a patternman working in stuffs. He was involved in the manufacture of worsted.
During World War I, Norman played his part for King and Country. He served in both the 8th and 1st Battalions Northumberland Fusiliers, his rank being that of Private. On 21st of September 1915, he disembarked in the Balkans and for his participation in this conflict was entitled to the decoration of the 1914-15 Star.
Norman did not survive the war and was killed in action on the Somme on 22n d of December 1916. The Northumberland Fusiliers Diary for December 1916 records little action for that month, the actual battle of the Somme having ended on 18th of November. In December the battalion comprised working parties repairing trenches and delivering rations to the front lines. The entry for the day on which Norman was killed reads as follows, "22nd of December 1916 Owing to the heavy going and the darkness of the night it was found impossible to carry all rations to front line companies without some parties doing 3 journeys to the ration dump. The enemy shelled the right (X boys) front in the afternoon one shell breaking down the roof of one of the big dug-outs burying 10 men. After working 1.9 hours all but 3 men were got out, one of whom was killed. R.E. assistance did not arrive until 8 hours after the dug-out was blown in. As it was impossible to get at the remaining 3 men, who it was known must be dead, the systematic re-building of the dug-out was begun. It is thought that the breakdown was due to there being some shell holes on the top of the dug-out which had not been filled in."
Norman is buried in Courcelles-au-Bois Communal Cemetery. The entry in the cemetery records reads, Son of William and Martha Andrews, of 27 Silverhill Drive, Thornbury, Bradford, Yorkshire. Remembered with honour. The inscription on his tombstone reads "He sleeps with England's heroes in the watchful care of God."
