Dawlish World War One Project

It is not known when Walter Andrews enlisted and became a Private in the Household Cavalry, 20th Hussars.

The Household Cavalry, 20th Hussars regiment was based in Colchester at the start of the First World War and landed in France as part of the 5th Cavalry Brigade in the 2nd Cavalry Division in August 1914. The regiment saw action at the Battle of Mons in August 1914 and both the First Battle of the Marne and the First Battle of the Aisne in September 1914. It went on to fight at the First Battle of Ypres in October 1914, the Battle of Arras in April 1917 and the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917.

It later took part in defending the German Spring Offensive in 1918 when Walter Andrews lost his life.

An extended account of the German Ofensive and extracts from the War Diary of the 20th Hussars appear in the life story - see Documents, below.

Walter Lennox Andrews was the youngest son of William Henry (1847-1896) and Maria (nee Grant) Andrews (1854- ) who, in 1891, lived at 2 Princes Street, Dawlish with nine children from two marriages.

Their father, William Henry Andrews died in early 1896 (GRO ref Newton Abbot, 1896, Jan – Mar, vol 5b, p 86).

In 1901 their mother, Maria Andrews, was working as a laundress at Dawlish Cottage Hospital and the children were in the care of their sister Bessie Florence, now 18, at 24 Chapel Street. Bessie was a general domestic worker and Archibald, 14, was a baker of bread. The younger children, Walter, Lily, Olive and Ethelwyn were still at school.

Walter Andrews became a labourer in the Engineering Dept, Dawlish station. His photo appears in the GWR staff magazine 1918/06/92 and photo in 1918/12/182. He is recorded in the GWR Roll of Honour War Memorial.