Andrew was born in 1896 in Ashton Under Lyne. He appeared in the census of 1901 living with his family at 27 Vine Street in Birkenhead. The family at that time had no named  head of household. 35 year old Ellen (wife) was listed as were her children James 5, Andrew 4 and Joseph 2 months. Where was the husband and father?

He was present in the next census of 1911. He was also named Andrew. The family had moved and were  living in Nelson Street Shotton. Andrew Lavin snr was 45 yrs old and a ‘Galvaniser’ who had been born in Birkenhead. His wife of 17 years Ellen was 45, (7 children had been born, 2 had died).   Their children were James 16  a ‘Scrap lad’ Andrew 15 had just left school, Margaret 9 and Bessie 8 were at school and there was baby Winifred aged 1. (Wonder what had happened to Joseph?)

There is no index card for Andrew in the Flintshire Roll of Honour at the County Record Office.

Andrew is mentioned in the book ” Soldiers Died in the Great War  Royal Welsh Fusiliers  Volume 28″  – 14th Bn. Lavin, Andrew, born Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancs.  Enlisted Shotton, Flintshire. 55298 Pte. Died of wounds. France & Flanders. 23rd April 1918.

UK Soldiers who died in The Great War 1914 -19 accessible on www.ancestry.co.uk confirms the regimental details above. It adds that he enlisted in Shotton and that he ‘Died of Wounds’ in France/Flanders.

Andrew was a pupil at St. Ethelwold’s Church School as he remembered on the Roll of Honour, whereabouts unknown.