Leslie Andrew VC

A Railways Department clerk and the son of the headmaster of Wanganui East School, Leslie Andrew lied about his age so that he could serve overseas. He arrived in France in September 1916 and fought with the 2nd Wellington Battalion at the Somme before being wounded.

Machine-gun captured by Leslie Andrew

Following the successful attack on Messines in June 1917, the Germans launched a number of counter-attacks, only to lose more ground. On 27 July the New Zealand 1st Brigade captured the tiny village of La Basseville, a few kilometres south-west of Messines, but were driven out soon after. The New Zealanders suffered serious casualties during these actions, many from a German machine-gun post in a two-storey inn.

On 31 July the New Zealanders launched another attack on La Basseville. The 1st Auckland Battalion were to hit the German defences while the 2nd Wellington were to take the village and establish positions there. Shortly before 4 a.m. the New Zealanders began advancing behind an artillery barrage. Leslie Andrew led two sections sent to destroy the machine-gun position in the inn. As they moved forward, they noticed another machine-gun on the nearby railway line, which was holding up other New Zealand troops. They rushed the position, killed the crew and captured the gun before turning back to their original objective. Approaching the inn from the side, the New Zealanders crawled through thistles to within striking distance. They threw in grenades and then stormed the position, killing some of the Germans and capturing a second machine-gun.

While his men carried back the captured guns, Andrew and Private L.R. Ritchie scouted the area and found another machine-gun in a trench. The two men rushed this position too, throwing grenades and clearing it before finally returning to their company.

For his bravery and leadership during the attack, 20-year-old Leslie Andrew was awarded the Victoria Cross. The citation reported that '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.'

Leslie Andrew died in 1969 and is buried at the Levin RSA Cemetery. The complete set of his military medals from both the First and Second World Wars, including his Victoria Cross, is on display at the Army Museum in Waiouru.

See also: Letter about Andrew's Victoria Cross.