Page 86 - WW1 - 1916

Redditch Local History Society Remembering Redditch Residents & WW1

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The Bromsgrove, Droitwich and Redditch Messenger – Saturday 28 October
1916

Redditch “Missing” Soldier Safe – It was officially notified a short time ago that
Private G. F. Andrews, Coldstream Guards, was missing, but his sister who lives at Redditch,
has since had a letter from him saying he is safe. Andrews, who is in the machine-gun
company, stated that the battle in which the Guards were engaged was a most terrible one.
He never saw so many dead Germans before. The enemy tried some “dirty work” in the first
trench. Some held their hands up whilst others threw bombs from behind, which could not
be tolerated. Every officer of the Guards was killed early in the action, but the men did not
lose their heads, and as one fell out another quickly took his place. At one point there were
eight men on his gun and only two escaped the effect of a shell, some being killed and others
wounded. The Guards reached their object, and were highly praised by the General after the
fight. Private Andrews was well-known in football circles at Redditch before the war.

st
Birmingham Daily Post – Tuesday 31 October 1916

Wounded
C GDS
Sealey, 17128, P. T. – Redditch.

Page: 86 © RLHS 2014