Pte. John Henry Andrews
British Army Royal Engineers
from:Netherfield, Nottingham
John Andrews, known as Jack, was my grandfather. Unfortunately I have no recollection of him. I believe that Jack was in the Royal Engineers and was part of the rear-guard at Dunkirk. He was wounded and missed being evacuated and was taken prisoner. He was repatriated in 1943 by the Germans due to his injuries.
At Stalag XXIA he was an active member of the concert party and produced some of the productions. Apparently when performing he was noted for taking female roles and in the photograph he is the blond on the right.
The picture of the programs shows that Jack, along with Paddy Hooks, produced the Christmas 1942 show, Tulip Time.
In 1943 my father, who had been wounded just before Dunkirk and taken prisoner was repatriated and he asked the taxi driver what the flags were out in Netherfield for, and the driver said "they are for you mate". He was repatriated in an exchange of wounded POWs, he had been loaded up with thousands of cigarettes and other goodies, that was when I learned to smoke.
After the war Jack ran his own furniture shops Jack Andrews Ltd. in Netherfield in Nottingham. He passed away in 1971 at the age of 64. My own father wrote this as part of his life story for his own funeral.
