Officers Steward 1st Class FREDERICK GEORGE ANDREWS

Frederick, the son of William and Mary Andrews, was born on 26 January 1894 at Mapledurwell.  His father was a coachman[1].   By 1911, the family had moved to Cemetery Hill, Odiham[2] and the 17 year old Frederick was working as a footman with the Sclater family, Guy’s parents, at The Priory[3].  Between April 1911 and the start of the war Frederick moved to The Close to be Guy Sclater’s valet.  When war was declared he decided to enlist in the Royal Navy, becoming Officer’s Steward 1^st Class, L/5829, on HMS Bulwark, in effect continuing his civilian role with Guy Sclater.   A few weeks later he died with Guy Sclater in the explosion on board HMS Bulwark in the Medway at Sheerness.  Sadly, his body was not recovered and this was ‘a source of great grief’ to his mother, whose health deteriorated and was thought to have contributed to her early death at the age of 46 seven months later[4].