Andrew Moncreif GIVEN
Eyes blue, Hair brown, Complexion medium
Andy Given – A Kiwi Cricketer
The Given Family of Dunedin
Andrew (‘Andy’) Moncrief Given was the first of Andrew Moncrieff Given and Isabella Middleton Robertson’s five children – Andy, Ethel, Mabel, Vera and Irene. Andy was born on 30 Jan 1886 in, Dunedin, New Zealand. Andy’s parents were originally from Edinburgh, Scotland. They married in 1873 and migrated to New Zealand.
His father ran a paper merchant/stationery/printing business, Andrew Given and Co., which was located at 3 Clarke Street in Central Dunedin. The family lived at ‘Moncrieff House’, 16 Maitland Street, a short distance from the family business. Andy completed his schooling at the Otago Boys' High School in the city.
After his education he worked as a stationery salesman in both his father’s business and then worked for Messrs. Orr and Campbell. He was noted as being ‘very popular…and being of a quiet and unassuming nature’
Source: THE SOMME. EVENING STAR, ISSUE 16217, 12 SEPTEMBER 1916, PAGE 6 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19160912.2.52.4
Andy was also a good cricketer, playing at the first-class level:
“It was the last cricket match of the summer.
The lengthening shadows and the chill wind over Easter 1915 showed that autumn had arrived.
The lack of spectators at Carisbrook for the two-day match between Otago and Southland was another indication, though many young men had already left for the war.
The game was in aid of Belgian relief funds and was the last first-class match to be played in Dunedin until the last year of the war, in 1918.
Andrew Moncrief Given would not have minded the lack of spectators or warmth.
He had had a good game, his first and as it turned out, his only first-class match.
When Southland batted a second time and held on for a predictable draw, such was the nature of two-day matches, Given had claimed three wickets for 32 runs.
‘He was bowling very well,'’ the Evening Star noted.
A couple of weeks later, Given said goodbye to father Andrew, mother Isabella and sisters Ethel, Mabel, Vera and Irene and headed for Melbourne where, in early July, he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force.”
(With thanks to Ron Palenski ONZM (31 March 1945 – 22 August 2023) who was a New Zealand journalist and sportsman.)
Off to Australia and Off to War
Andy headed for Melbourne around May 1915 and then enlisted in the Australian Army on 6 July. He was initially assigned to the 21st Battalion, but was then reassigned to the 8th Battalion, 9th Reinforcements. He did his military training at the Seymour Camp, north of Melbourne.
With just a very short period of training, he left Melbourne 15 Sept 1915 aboard the SS Makarini. By the time he arrived in the Middle East from Australia, the Gallipoli campaign was coming to an end. He joined with the 8th Battalion troops at Anzac Cove on 7 December, just a week before they were to be evacuated. The battalion arrived at Alexandria, Egypt on 7 January 1916 and they settled in the large camp at Tel el Kebir. Their next move was to the Serapeum Camp on 3 February.
With the impact of the Gallipoli campaign and the thousands of newly recruited soldiers arriving in Egypt from Australia, reorganization was inevitable. Andy was transferred to the newly created 60th Battalion on 24 February 1916. The battalion was made up of Gallipoli veterans from the 8th Battalion, a predominately Victorian unit, and the new recruits from Victoria. The new battalion began its organization and training at the Tel el Kebir camp.
In mid-March, the 60th were inspected by H.R.H the Prince of Wales.
After a month of training at Tel el Kebir, they had a two+ day, 50 km march in thermometer-bursting heat across the Egyptian sands to the Ferry Post camp, near the Suez Canal. Prior to marching, only ½ pint of water per bottle was available.
Source: AWM4 23/15/1 15th Brigade War Diaries Feb-Mar 1916 p 6
They remained at Ferry Post until 1 June, training and guarding the Suez Canal. Their time in Egypt was not all work, however. A 5th Division Sports Championship was held on 14 June, which was won by Andy’s Brigade. On the 17th June they received orders to begin the move to the Western Front, boarding trains headed for the troopships in Alexandria.
To the Western Front and the Battle of Fromelles
The majority of the battalion, 30 officers and 948 other ranks, embarked on the transport ship Kinfauns Castle on 18 June 1916. After a stop in Malta, they arrived in Marseilles on 29 June, where they were put on trains to transport them north. July second they arrived in Steenbecque, France.
Five days later they began their move to the Front, arriving in Sailly on the 9th. Just a few kilometres from the front now, their training continued, although with a higher intensity, I’m sure. The move to Fleurbaix continued and Andy was into the trenches for the first time on 14 July.
On 17 July, the 60th were in position for an attack, but it was postponed due to unfavourable weather. There was a gas alarm, but luckily it was just that. By 4.20 PM on 19 July they were back in position in the trenches, readying for their attack. Artillery shelling from both sides was constant. The 60th were given a very difficult position for the battle, with the ‘Sugar Loaf’ salient, a heavily manned position with many machine guns, some 200 yards across from them.
Fire from here could enfilade any troops advancing towards the front lines, giving the Germans a significant advantage. If the Sugar Loaf could not be taken, the Australian advances would also be subjected to counterattacks from that direction.
A fellow soldier, Private Bill Boyce (3022, 58th), summed the situation up well:
‘What have I let myself in for?’
The first of four waves went over the parapet at 5:45 PM, with the last wave going over at 6.00 PM. Casualties were immediate and heavy. The 15th Brigade War Diaries captures the intensity of the early part of the attack – ‘they were enfiladed by machine guns in the Sugar Loaf and melted away.’
It was reported that some got to within 90 yards of the enemy trenches. One soldier stated:
‘believed a few of the battalion entered enemy trenches and that during the night a few stragglers, wounded and unwounded, returned to our trenches.’
A fellow soldier, Private Thomas Kilby (2397) (note name corrected from Killy), said he was with Andy when he was killed:
"He was already wounded and was crawling back like me when a shell killed him.
His body might have been recovered, but was still there when I was picked up after lying out 36 hours.''
Given Thomas’ comments, it is not surprising that Andy remains missing to this day.Fighti ng continued through the night. With known high casualties in the 60th, they were relieved by the 57th Battalion at 7.00 AM. Roll call was held at 9.30 AM. In the ‘Official History of the War’ , Bean said:
‘of the 60th Battalion, which had gone into the fight with 887 men, only one officer and 106 answered the call’.
To get some perspective of the battle, when Charles Bean, Australia’s official war historian, attended the battlefield two and half years later, he observed a large amount of bones, torn uniforms and Australian kit still on the battlefield. The final impact of the battle on the 60th was that 396 soldiers were killed or died of wounds, of which 316 were not able to be identified.
The Family Waits
The family was soon notified that Andy was missing and the news was spread, but given the situation from the battle, no further details were available.
The family were desperate for knowledge - his father and his sister Mabel wrote to the Red Cross and the Army seeking more information, but none was to be had.
Andy was formally declared as Killed in Action by an Enquiry in the Field on 4 August 1917. As late as 1922, the family was still seeking closure. In 1922 Andy’s father wrote to see if there were ANY details about his death:
‘I would, naturally, like to have any particulars.’
The Army’s reply spoke of the widespread efforts that were being undertaken:
"The surface of the whole battlefield area has been searched six times and some places 20 times since the Armistice,'' the officer in charge replied, "but it is possible that bodies will continue to be found for years as the work of the reconstruction progresses.
….In this way, every inch of the ground will be covered.”
Andy was not among those that had been found from these efforts.
Andy was awarded the 1914-15 Star Medal, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal as well as a Memorial Scroll and a Memorial Plaque.
He is commemorated at V.C. Corner (Panel No 20), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France.
The Search Continues.
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