Richard John Andrews

Richard John Andrews was a British Army officer. After a brief career as a poulterer he enlisted in the 128th Company of the Imperial Yeomanry for service in the Second Boer War (1899–1902), during which he was appointed lance sergeant. Andrews afterwards emigrated to Chile where he worked as a civil engineer for the Antofagasta and Bolivia Railway and claimed to have served as a captain in the Chilean Army. Andrews returned to Britain in 1915 and volunteered to join the British Army for service in the First World War. He enlisted in the 14th Battalion of the London Regiment and reached the rank of sergeant. Andrews reverted to private upon transferring to the 1st Battalion but in July 1915 had reached the rank of corporal by 19 March 1916 when he was selected for a commission and became a second lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion, Devonshire Regiment.