George Leonard Andrews (1874-1918)
1919 Obituary [1]
Captain GEORGE LEONARD ANDREWS, R.G. A., was born in Calcutta on 12th November 1874.
He was educated at Wesley College, Sheffield, and at the Sheffield Technical School (afterwards the Applied Science Department of the Sheffield University), and in 1895 he became a pupil with the Brush Electrical Engineering Co., Ltd.
He further developed his experience in tramway construction and operation at Kidderminster, Madrid, and Hull, and in 1900 he became resident engineer to the Sunderland Corporation Tramways.
Three years later he was offered the post of engineer to the Lisbon Tramways, which he held until 1905 when he accepted an offer to become general manager and engineer to the Para Electric Railways and Lighting Co., Brazil.
Some years later, after practising for a time as a consulting engineer in Rio de Janeiro and Curityba, he accepted the offer of the important post of general manager and engineer to the Pernambuco Tramways and Power Co. He had begun constructional work when the War broke out, and he returned home to offer his services. After undergoing the necessary special training at an important coast station, he went to France, where he was in several actions.
He then volunteered for service in the East, and passed six months in Egypt and Syria, after which he returned to France and was through the battle of the Somme. Subsequently he became Liaison Officer and Temp. Major to a Portuguese brigade of heavy artillery, and did useful work by lecturing and translating several of the gunnery books into Portuguese.
He was killed in action on 3rd May 1918, at the age of forty-three, near Albert, while proceeding to an observation post.
He became a Member of this Institution in 1911; and was a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and of the Institution of Electrical Engineers, a B.Sc. (Load.) and a B.Eng. (Sheffield).
1918 Obituary [2]
CAPTAIN GEORGE LEONARD ANDREWS, R.G.A., was killed in action in France on the 3rd May, 1918, while proceeding to an observation post. He had been only three weeks in France with his battery, after having acted as Liaison Officer and Temporary Major to a Portuguese brigade of artillery for 12 months previously. During this period he did most valuable work by lecturing and by translating several of the gunnery books into Portuguese. Having successfully despatched the brigade overseas he could have continued his work with other drafts, but, as he remarked to the writer, he did not wish to have a "soft job" at home, and preferred to be doing his share during this year's campaign. With his death in action there ended the life of a very gallant gentleman.
Captain Andrews gave up the important post of General Manager and Engineer to the Pernambuco Tramways and Power Company in 1914 to come home and offer his services to his King and Country. He was a widely experienced engineer and a first-rate mathematician, so that he had no difficulty in obtaining a commission, though he was then over the age limit. After undergoing the necessary special training he spent some time at home at an important coast station, and then applied to go to France, where he was in several actions. Things then became quieter in France, and he volunteered for service in the East and passed the winter six-months of 1915-16 in Egypt and Syria, after which he returned to France and was through the battle of the Somme. He was then appointed to special service with the temporary rank of Major.
He was a B.Sc. (London) and a B.Eng. of Sheffield, and, in addition to being a Member of the Institution, was also a Member of the Institutions of Civil and Mechanical Engineers. He was much travelled, a good sportsman and horseman, and had undertaken two explorations into the undeveloped parts of Brazil.
He served his time with the Brush Electrical Engineering Company, and developed his experience in tramway construction and operation at Kidderminster, Madrid, and Hull. Thence he proceeded to Sunderland to act as chief assistant, first to Mr. (now Sir John) Snell, and afterwards to Mr. H. England. He was then offered the post of Engineer to the Lisbon Tramways, which he held for some years until he was offered, and accepted, the post of General Manager and Engineer to the Para Electric Railways and Lighting Company. This he held for several years, after which he started to practise in Rio de Janeiro. Being again offered the important post at Pernambuco, for which he was so well suited, he decided to take it up and had begun constructional work when the war broke out. A life of much promise has been cut short— fearless and well used to the control of men, of great initiative and resource, he made a splendid soldier and most efficient officer. Had he survived the war, he would have gone far in his profession.
He was elected a Member of the Institution in 1909.