Veteran Story: Thomas Leslie Andrews was born at Termeil, NSW, one of six sons of James Andrews and Rachel Claydon, a Budawang woman. Andrews was working as a bullock driver on the Sunshine Coast before he enlisted in Brisbane on 28/3/1916, 23 years 4 months age, 5 feet 8.1/2 inches tall weighing 138 lbs. Andrews trained at Enoggera before embarking from Brisbane on board HMAT Boorara on 16/8/1916, and arriving in Plymouth England on 13/10/1916. Assigned to the 49th Battalion, he left England on 12/12/1916 and travelled overseas to France. He joined his unit and was taken on strength on 23/12/1916. While serving in France he was reported missing in June 1917 and later was thought to have deserted. Andrews was found guilty of being absent without leave (AWOL) and sentenced him to 12 months prison, he was interned at No 2 Military Prison, Rouen, France. After remission of his sentence in May 1918 he was transferred to the 49th Infantry Battalion in France, but was once again found absent without leave and sentenced to 12 years for this crime. When the war ended, Andrews was transferred to Portland Military Prison, England to complete his sentence, which was then suspended and he was returned to Australia in August 1919 on the HMAT Wiltshire. Andrews discharged from the AIF on 14/9/1919 and returned to his family in Cooroy where he married Alice Klinch in 1920. Thomas Andrews brothers Arthur and Walter also enlisted in the First World War - Thomas later served with the Volunteer Defence Corps from January 1942 to August 1944, in Gympie, Maryborough and Townsville during the Second World War.
