Lieutenant Alan Appleby Drew
4th Scottish Rifles
Lived at Lowerhouse
Killed in Action 10th March 1915, aged 31
Buried in Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard, France - IV.H.4.
Burnley Express 17th March 1915 - 20th March 1915 - 3rd April 1915 - 3rd April 1915 - 3rd April 1915 - 7th April 1915

Alan was the second son of Daniel Drew (1850-1914) and his wife Rhoda Appelby (1851-1919). His parents married in December 1878. They lived at Lower House, Burnley

His older sister Margery Rhoda was born on 8th June 1880 and died aged 43 on 2nd March 1923. On 20th January 1912, she married John Oscar Sillem (b. 12/1878).

His eldest brother, my great-grandfather, John Malcom Drew was born on 8th November 1881 and died aged 54 on 2nd May 1935. On 5th August 1909, he married Edith Sylvia Peart-Robinson (b. 13/11/1887), known in my family as ‘The Woman in Black’. They had three daughters – Pamela (b. 11/9/1910), Diana (b. 17/8/1912) and Hermoine (b. 16/2/1916) – and two sons, John Lindsay (9/6/1914 – 19/12/1935) and Anthony Radley (b. 21/8/1918).

Alan was born on 26th (or 29th) June 1884. He was appointed to a commission in the 4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion [Highland Light Infantry?] in August 1914 and was promoted lieutenant that November. He joined the 4th Scottish Rifles at the front on February 13th and witnessed less than four weeks action before he was killed in action at Neuve Chapelle, aged 31, on 10th March 1915. His death was recorded in ‘the Times’ List of Casualties on Thursday March 18th 1915. We have his hairbrush. He was buried in the Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard, France.

(Courtesy of his relative Turtle Bunbury)