Second Lieutenant Andrew Ormerod served with 59 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, and the Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery. He was killed on 13 April 1917.

Andrew was the son of John and Jane Ormerod, of 128 Colne Road, Burnley. He attended St Andrews Church and School, was a choir boy, member of the Boys Brigade, and a local Conservative politician. His brother, Pte Harry Ormerod, RAMC, served in France & Flanders before being invalided out of the Army.

The following article, describing Andrew’s military career, appeared in the Burnley Express on 18 December 1915:

"ARTILLERYMAN'S SPLENDID RISE

As we announced a fortnight ago, Sergt-Major Andrew Ormerod, of the 6th Lancashire Battery, 1/1st East Lancashire Brigade, R.F.A. (T.F.), has been awarded his commission in the Artillery. The new officer is the son of Mrs. Ormerod, of 328, Colne-road, Burnley, and is very well known and liked in the Burnley Lane district. He joined the Burnley Battery as a ranker, and rose step by step until he became the youngest sergeant-major in the Territorial Force. He has always taken a keen and practical interest in his soldiering, and those who know his work are confident that the honour bestowed on him has been well deserved. For a time Second-Lieut. Ormerod was attached to the 59th Battery, but he has now been transferred to the 130th (Howitzer) Battery, and it may not be long before he is on active service again somewhere in the Mediterranean area. He was in the fighting with the Turks at El Kantara."

Whilst serving in Salonika, Andrew transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, and hoped in time to become a pilot.

At the time of his death, Andrew Ormerod was an observer, and on 13 April 1917 he was in R.E.8 A3225, flown by Lt Arthur Horace Tanfield.

On the morning of 13 April 1917, 59 Squadron's ill-fated flight of six R.E.8s was on a photo-reconnaissance mission near Douai when it encountered Jasta 11. All six R.E.8s were shot down within a matter of minutes, one of them becoming Manfred von Richthofen's forty first victory.

Andrew has no known grave, and his name is commemorated on the Arras Flying Services Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.

Paul Ormerod