Medal Index Card
He was born 8th August 1888, in Sweden. His parents Andrew Ohlsson, ran a boarding house for seamen on Ferry Landing and his mother was Margaret Tate Ohlsson.
Andrew joined Westoe Secondary School in July 1900. However, he went on to be an Assistant Master (possibly also at Westoe). He also was a Sunday School Teacher for Holy Trinity Church in South Shields.
He had a few addresses 1891 Middle Dock Landing, 1901 Point Ferry Landing and in 1911 Ferry Approach.
Andrew went to Armstrong College, where he gained a BSc.
He served as a Private with the 1st/7th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry.
1/7th DLI War Diary:- "Sent overseas and eventually sailed from Gateshead on the 19th of April 1915 as the 1/7th Durham Light Infantry of the 171st Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division, and disembarked on the 20th at Boulogne. The 1/7th began moving in the direction of Ypres in Belgium by train to Bavinchove near Cassel, and a billeting area at Ryveld. On the 22nd they were at Vlamertinghe and then marched through Ypres and camped overnight on the 24th at the Chateau grounds at Potijze. This happened to coincide with a German attack in the area where they were to try out gas as an attacking aid, the 1/7th at Potize would have been able to hear the sound of artillery. At dusk on the 25th the 1/7th were ordered to move nearer the line to Verlorenhoek and at 2pm marched to an area NW of Zonnebeke, they arrived at their destination, dug in, but were not needed and on the 27th were moved to the rear. Although the 1/7th did not engage the enemy directly they nonetheless had casualties, around 60 wounded and 8 men killed presumably from shellfire, whether they experienced the German gas is not known. The Regimental Diary says ‘all ranks behaved splendidly’ Quite an experience it must have been, in Sunderland on the 18th and possibly killed in Belgium 7 days later! The 1/7th were ordered to the rear and spent the next month being moved all around Ypres to various temporary barracks and doing various jobs including trench digging."
"The Germans were having difficulty breaking the line in front of Ypres and on the 23/24th of May an attack again using gas was launched further SW and at 2am 2 Companies of the 1/7th, 'A' and 'B' were ordered into the line between the Roulers railway line and the lake at Bellewarde with the 3rd Battalion Royal Fusiliers During this attack the trench where 'A' and 'B' found themselves was in a poor condition being filled with water and with very little in the way of protection. The trench was overrun and retaken then overrun again by the enemy and the 1/7th were forced to retire The 1/7th, 'A' and 'B' Companies and the Royal Fusiliers were in that trench at the time and had a bad time of it. The Regimental Diary states 'A' and 'B' reported to have behaved in a most valiant manner’ and then states the important phrase ‘such men as were left of A' & 'B' rejoined the Battalion.’ There wouldn’t be many, the casualties for this time were over 60 dead! How many were prisoners and how many were wounded is not known but using the action on the 25th April as a guide it must have been considerable."
Andrew went missing on the 26th May 1915, (Battle of Ypres) and was presumed killed in action.
Andrew Ohlsson is remembered at Harton on H104.03, at South Shields on S86.039, in S86.081 page 2 S86.082, S86.093, Seaburn on S142.06 also at Durham in D47.151 page 73, and at Newcastle in NUT.263
