Luff, Andrew Beaconsfield

3092 Private Andrew Beaconsfield Luff - 44th Battalion AIF & W29134 - Western Command Training Battalion

Andrew Beaconsfield Luff was born in Fremantle WA on 22nd August 1891 to Peter and Mary Luff. He was one of thirteen children, with Jack (1885), Thomas (1886), Ernest (1887), Eva (1890), Alfred (1893), Harold (1894), Alma (1896), Edgar (1898), Maplemore (1900), Amy (1903), Ruby (1905) and Peter (1907).

The family lived in 212 Mary Street Fremantle and Andrew was educated at White Gum Valley Primary School. 

After leaving school Andrew took up work as a Hair Dresser/Barber and was working as such in Fremantle when he enlisted into the AIF.

On the 10th October 1916 Andrew successfully enlisted into the AIF. He was found to be fit for service with the medical examiner recording Andrew's physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 9 & 1/2 inches tall;

Weight - 130lbs;

Chest Measurement - 31-34 inches;

Complexion - Fair;

Eyes - Brown;

Hair - Brown.

After his successful enlistment, Andrew was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to the training depot where he was taken through the basics of soldiering.

On the 14th November 1916 Andrew was assigned to the 7th Reinforcements to the 44th Battalion. He trained with this group in WA for the next several weeks until they received their embarkation orders. On the 29th January 1917 Andrew and his reinforcement group boarded the HMAT Miltiades in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for England.

After the long sea voyage the ship arrived at Devonport England on the 27th March 1917. Andrew and his group were disembarked and were marched into the 11th Training Battalion at Fovant on the Salisbury Plains. He began further training here but in April was sent to Fargo Military Hospital ill, and spent the next few weeks there. On the 17th May 1917 he was returned to the Training Battalion.

Andrew remained in England for the next few months and in August received his orders to join the 44th Battalion on the Western Front. He joined them in Belgium on the 11th September 1917, just in time for the Third Battle of Ypres. The 44th Battalion took part in the advance at Broodseinde on October 4th 1917 and then continued to hold the line in the vicinity of Zonnebeke and Passchendaele through to November 1917.

From December 1917 to March 1918 the 44th Battalion continued to be in the front line but closer to Messines. 

Andrew had come through so far his front line service without being wounded or sick. On the 16th March 1918 Andrew was granted a two week furlough to the UK. While he was on this leave, the Germans had launched a large scale attack and had broken through the Third and Fifth British Armies and were making a quick advance towards Amiens.

The 44th Battalion, as part of the 3rd Australian Division, were sent from the Messines front, south to the Somme to help stop the German advance. When Andrew returned from leave he had some job finding the location of the 44th Battalion as on the 28th March 1917 they came into contact with the Germans at Sailly Laurette on the Somme. Andrew finally located the 44th Battalion's positions and rejoined them on the 4th April 1918.

He served with them for the next few months around Villers Bretonneux and in July 1918 was part of the successful capture of Hamel village. Andrew also took part in the August 8th advance from Villers-Bretonneux and the 44th Battalion successfully captured their objectives.

Andrew continued to serve through the actions at Clery, Peronne and the Hindenburg Line in October 1918, in what was the 44th Battalion last action of the war.

On the 31st October 1918 he was sent to hospital sick, rejoining the 44th Battalion on the 9th November 1918. Two days later he celebrated the Armistice with his unit.

The 44th Battalion were then sent north to what had been German occupied Belgium. They would remain here into the first few months of 1919. On the 30th March 1919 Andrew was granted a period of leave, rejoining his unit in Belgium on the 16th April.

On the 28th April 1919 Andrew left Belgium and returned to England. Upon arrival in the UK he was sent to Codford Camp to await a transport ship back home.

In June 1919 Andrew boarded the transport ship Kongin Louise and set sail home, disembarking in Fremantle on the 3rd August 1919.

Andrew Luff was discharged from the AIF on the 10th January 1920.

He then resumed his pre war career of Hair Dressing and in 1922 he married Catherine Adelaide Hayes in Fremantle. They had a daughter Alma Catherine Luff born in 1923 and then two more daughters Joan and Dulcie.

In the 1930's the family moved to Mundijong.

On the 20th August 1940, the 50 year old Andrew offered his services for World War Two, successfully enlisting at Perth into the Australian Army. Through 1940 and 1945 he served at Northam Army Camp being attached to the Australian Army Training Battalion there.

In 1946 the Luff's left Mundijong and returned to live at East Fremantle.

Andrew Beaconsfield Luff died in Hollywood Hospital on the 6th January 1952 aged 61. He was buried at Fremantle Cemetery Roman Catholic section Mon C4 0362