Leslie Wilton Andrew VC

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.
Leslie Wilton Andrew VC
Permission of the Alexander
Turnbull Library, Wellington,
New Zealand, must be obtained
before any re-use of this image.
Leslie Andrew was a lance corporal and just 20 years old when he carried out the actions at La Basseville, then a tiny Belgian village just a few kilometres from Messines, which resulted in the Victoria Cross.

Born at Ashurst between Woodville and Palmerston North in the Manawatu on March 23 1897, Leslie Wilton Andrew grew up in Wanganui, where his father was a headmaster. He attended both Wanganui Boys' High School and Wanganui Collegiate before starting work with the Railways Department as a clerk.

He joined up in October 1915 when, in common with a lot of other young men at the time, he advanced his age to 20 in order to ensure that he could serve overseas. A member of the 12th Reinforcements, he sailed for Egypt in May the following year. After some three months, he was on his way to France to join the Second Wellington Battalion. Just days after his arrival he was wounded in the fighting at The Somme.

Following the success of the June 1917 attack on Messines Ridge and the dislodgement of the Germans from positions that looked down on Allied lines, fighting in the area continued as the Germans attacked and the Allies consolidated their gains. On July 26 1917, some seven weeks after the Battle of Messines, New Zealand forces had taken the tiny village of La Basseville just a few kilometres southwest of Messines. They had suffered serious casualties, however, many resulting from fire from a German machine-gun position in a two-storey inn. This machine-gun post had also stopped the New Zealanders effectively securing the gains they had made. The next day the Germans re-took the village.

Attack at La Basseville 

On July 31 the British launched another attack, which included the Second Wellington and First Auckland battalions at La Basseville. The Wellington men were to take the village and move some 500 metres further to clear an additional area and establish positions there. The Aucklands were to hit German defences.

The artillery barrage began and shortly before 4 am the New Zealanders began advancing behind it. Leslie Andrew was leading two sections with the express task of destroying the machine-gun position in the inn.

However, as they moved forward behind the barrage they noticed another machine-gun emplacement on the nearby railway line which was holding up other New Zealand troops. They diverted, captured it, and then ran to catch up with the creeping barrage. As they approached the inn, they pushed through their own barrage and headed for their objective which was firing continuously.

Leslie Andrew mad a decision to approach the inn from a different route in order to avoid being spotted. This they did, famously crawling their way through thistles. They threw in their Mills bombs and then rushed the position, killing some of the Germans and capturing the gun.

Limits of the barrage

While his men withdrew with the captured gun, Leslie Andrew and a Private L. R. Ritchie moved some 300 metres further forward towards the town of Warneton and to the limits of the barrage in order to scout out the area. At Der Rooster Cabaret they found some of the Germans ensconced in the cellar as well as a machine-gun in a trench. The two men rushed the position, throwing Mills bombs and clearing it before finally returning to their company.

It was for his leadership and bravery during these actions that Leslie Andrew was awarded the Victoria Cross at the age of 20. The citation in the London Gazette was dated September 6, 1917, and reads:

"When in charge of a small party in an attack on the enemy's position at La Basses-Ville, France, on July 31, 1917, his objective was a machine-gun post which had been located in an isolated building.

On leading his men forward he encountered unexpectedly a machine-gun post which was holding up the advance of another company.

He immediately attacked, capturing the machine-gun and killing several of the crew. He then continued the attack on the machine-gun post which had been his original objective.

He displayed great skill and determination in his disposition, finally capturing the post, killing several of the crew and putting the remainder to flight.

Corporal Andrew's conduct throughout was un-exampled for cool daring, initiative and fine leadership, and his magnificent example was a great stimulant to his comrades."

Officer's commission

 
A day later he was promoted to sergeant and by March the next year he was an officer. In October 1918 his service came to an end. Back in New Zealand in 1919 he applied successfully for an officer's commission and served all the way through to and beyond World War Two. It was as officer commanding New Zealand's 22nd Battalion that he, together with a number of other senior officers, became embroiled in the controversy that still surrounds the Battle for Crete.

Leslie Andrew went on from Crete to serve in North Africa but returned to New Zealand in 1942 to command the Wellington Fortress Area and retired in 1952 with the rank of brigadier.

Together with Samuel Frickleton VC, he was in New Zealand's 1937 Coronation Contingent and later commanded the 1946 Victory Contingent in London.

Leslie Wilton Andrew died on January 8 1969 and is buried at the Levin RSA Cemetery. His Victoria Cross is held at the New Zealand Army Museum, Waiouru.

(Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand, must be obtained before any of the image above.)