When war broke out in 1914 Bertram joined the 16th Battalion (Public Schools) Middlesex Regiment as a Private soldier. The Battalion was raised on 1st September 1914 and was sent to France on 17th November 1915. Bertram saw service in the line the following Winter and Spring but by the Summer he was withdrawn from the Front for officer training in Ayr. During his time in Ayr he fell in love with a local girl, Annie Knox. He received his commission on 4th August 1916 and was appointed Second Lieutenant in the Royal Sussex Regiment, 13th Battalion (the South Downs Battalion).
In July 1917 Bertram was attached to the Signal section of his Battalion in the Ypres sector where the Third Battle of Ypres was scheduled to commence in the area of Pilckem Ridge. He was ordered to lead troops close to the initial advance to ensure telephone and other communication links were laid from the forward posts back to the reserve positions and command. The advance began at 03.50 hours on 31st July. Bertram was badly wounded in the early stages of the battle when a shell burst as he was leading his troops across No Man’s Land. Severly wounded in the abdomen and side, he was evacuated to the Casualty Clearing Station where he died shortly afterwards. Bertram was buried in Dozinghem Military Cemetery in Belgium. The cemetery is located to the north-west of Poperinge near Krombeke.
In 2015 the Old Bancroftians Association was contacted by a lady in Scotland who had discovered a book of poems and other memorabilia in the belongings of her deceased aunt, Annie Knox. The poems were written by Bertram Andrews who left them with Annie on his return to the Front. The Old Bancroftians arranged for the poems to be transcribed and we are grateful to have the opportunity to reproduce the poems here. Our thanks go to Gordon Brown for bringing Bertram Andrews to our attention.
Much of the biographical information on this page is reproduced from the Bertram Andrews page on The Bancroftian Network website http://bancroftians.net/cgi-bin/bancms3.pl?dn=centandrewsbjw
Bertram Andrews’ Poem
“Love and War” – Bertram Andrews
A while ago in London town,
I watched the crowds come trooping down
And mark’d the people passing by,
(Such hosts of people passing by)
All speeding on so pensively.
Oblivious of my stare.
Yet all the time I was aware
That one had gone who should be there,
Thus, searching in my memory,
I could not think who it should be
Till, happily,
I saw a soldier home from France
“’Tis he”, I thought, “That merry glance!
“’Tis Cupid who, his bow and dart
“For bomb and bayonet laid apart,
“No longer wars on human heart
“But wages warfare new.
“Yet that,” I ponder’d,” can’t be true.
“The land has lovers still a few.
“Who then can Cupid’s place supply,
“Since still his arrows seem to fly
“unerringly?”
Anon a maiden chanc’d to pass,
A bright and winsome, laughing lass;
Who, as she went, provokingly
Enslav’d mankind and dext’rously
Contrived, their hearts should captive be
To her whom next they view’d.
Now Cupid fights, his ancient feud
Is by his sister still pursued:
But deadlier her artillery
(His bow and quiver idle lie),
Her roguish eye.
Plumstead, August 1916
Sources:
Discover War Poets, Find my Past and
https://thepostil.com/november-11-1918-the-poems-of-bertram-john-william-andrews/https://warpoets.org.uk/worldwar1/resources/unknown-war-poets/unknown-war-poets-bertram-andrews/love-and-war/
https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=8b1f85dc6a574c43&rlz=1C1CHBD_en-GBGB794GB794&sxsrf=APpeQns1_DIfwuifS2WcrMQ8jFPPd6N6sA:1788104088396&udm=2&fbs=ABfTbFVyMZGZf1hfvX9uKjN_-G8c4u0nXx4bEIpwm1lnNH832VstEKsVDqPorK0Gahnm2nrruedQ0d32Et2kDhW_DVrEfmexCwyVncqqJWDU0VvgxX3iEDPybK1uNDy8j8Tqn9NQxi-XK9o_7JRm4NNWR-BtqOns28zH1xsXQXkoq4zH6gqyqebZYsWYdDLTTbJSnHNVJrFLfOXXzh1-vQqUuHsQVLtvFQ&q=Bertram+Andrews+poet&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiCgYro1siWAxXtTEEAHSOnEksQtKgLegQIFRAB&biw=1385&bih=978&dpr=0.9#sv=CAMSURoyKhBlLVBIaVg0SjFoNVFMUy1NMg5QSGlYNEoxaDVRTFMtTToOUG9pcTAwd1UyRFVCZU0gBCoXCgFzEhBlLVBIaVg0SjFoNVFMUy1NGAEwARgHIIriooIOSggQARgBIAEoAQ
