Andrews, William Percy

From 'Our Local Patriots' published by the Herts Pictorial

William was the eldest son of Henry William and Sarah Lilla (nee Ball) born at Ashwell, Hertfordshire on 3 October 1893. He was a pupil at the Merchant Taylors School in Ashwell.

William enlisted on 5 May 1915 with the Hertfordshire Regiment, Regimental Number 5002. He transferred to the Bedfordshire Regiment in 1917, Regimental Number 266620, and was sent to the Western Front, France and Flanders where he took part in the battles around Ypres and was wounded in the neck and leg for which he spent some time in hospital at Chiselhurst, England. William survived the War.

He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

He is commemorated on the St Mary’s Church Ashwell Roll of Honour and is buried in the St Mary’s Church, Ashwell cemetery.

Before enlisting William was a brewery bottling boy in Ashwell.

He married Vera Rose Desborough in 1935 and it is thought they had two children, Roger W born in 1938, and Richard E born in 1943.

He died on 27 February 1951.