The son of Thomas and Grace Thomson, Andrew was born in Lesmahagowe, Scotland, in around 1883. By 1901, Andrew’s father had died, and the family had moved to 4 Worcester Place, Wolverhampton. Andrew was living with his widowed mother, and siblings George, Maggie, Thomas and Mary. Andrew was a labourer working for a grain store.
On 22 March 1916, Andrew enlisted in the Durham Light Infantry (service number 4722, later 43821). By this date, his address was 15 Bond Street, Wolverhampton, and he was working as a warehouse man. His service records indicate that there was initially some confusion over Andrew’s fate. On 30 November 1917, the Colonel in Charge of the Infantry Records in York wrote to the War Office in London. Andrew’s sister, Mary, had written to them, requesting information regarding the death of her brother. However, the service number she gave was 43807, which relating to Private M. H. Thompson, also of the Durham Light Infantry, who had been killed in action. The service number was corrected, but unfortunately Andrew, too, had been killed in action on 27 October 1917 in France. Andrew is remembered at the Tyne Cot Memorial.
William Astle was born in 1890, the son of William Charles and Louisa Astle (nee Tonks). By the time of his death, the family were living at 9, Worcester Place, Penn Road, Wolverhampton. According to a small item in the Express & Star on 15 September 1916, Astle had in fact worked for the newspaper concerned prior to the outbreak of war. He was later employed as a manual instructor under the Wolverhampton Education Committee. A report also appeared in the Midland Counties Express on 6 January 1917. This has the additional information that he attended St John’s School for eight years without a single late or absent mark recorded against him. He had worked for the Midland Counties Express as well as for the Express & Star for two years. He then decided to become a teacher and was articled to the Wolverhampton Education Committee, getting a job as assistant master at Walsall Street Council School. A well-known footballer, he was at one time captain of the Old Church Club in Wolverhampton.
Wolverhampton's War 