Andrew Trapp of Moscow, Bedford, Bushmead and Thurleigh

Sue Jarrett

When Lieutenant Andrew Trapp, formerly a cotton agent from Moscow, died on St George’s Day in1918 telegrams were sent by the War Office to Bushmead and Moscow. So why is he commemoratedon a plaque inside Thurleigh church and not on Eaton Socon War Memorial as Bushmead is in EatonSocon Parish? The story of Andrew’s life has proved a fascinating story to research.

Andrew Trapp was born in Moscow, probably in 1895, the third son of Charles John and Olga Trapp.The Bedford Modern School Admission Registers list his date of birth as November 3rd 1895 butdocuments in his service papers bear a date of birth of November 1894. His father Charles John Trappwas born at Thurleigh in Bedfordshire in 1849 and was the son of Benjamin Trapp, the vicar ofThurleigh, and his wife Caroline Sarah. In the 1861 Census Charles John was still at school and wasliving with his parents in the Parsonage House in Thurleigh but he does not appear to be in Englandin the 1871-1911 Censuses. Certainly by 1890 he was in Moscow when his son John was born. It isquite probable that he visited his mother and sister in Thurleigh when possible, and may havebrought over his wife and young sons. His father Rev Benjamin Trapp died in 1900 and by 1901 hismother Caroline Sarah Trapp and younger sister Caroline Edith had moved from Thurleigh to acottage at Bushmead, a few miles west of Eaton Socon. His mother died in 1910 and in the 1915Electoral Register Edith Trapp is listed at Bushmead.

Charles John Trapp settled in Moscow and had three sons educated there and for a short time atBedford Modern School – John, born June 4th 1890 attended from May 1906 to midsummer 1908,George, born June 1st 1891 attended from May 1906 to midsummer 1909, and Andrew attended fromMay 1910 to Christmas 1913. All three boarded at Rev. C Hemsley's boarding house, 97 AshburnhamRoad, Bedford. In the school admission registers for Andrew his father’s occupation was listed as amerchant and his address was given as 242 Sadovaya, Moscow. In another list his father’s addresswas given as 9 Dmitrievka, B. Moscow. At school Andrew was in the Officer Training Corps andbecame a Sergeant. After leaving school Andrew’s older brother John studied to become an engineerand in the 1911 Census he was boarding in Bucklow in Cheshire, listed as a student. His brotherGeorge was not in England and may have returned to his parents in Russia.

After school Andrew worked as a cotton agent in Moscow for a short time before returning toEngland and joining the St John’s Wood Cadet School at St John’s Wood Barracks in North London,where he was a cadet gunner in the Royal Horse Artillery. In the spring of 1916 he was granted acommission in the Royal Field Artillery, and at that time his father’s address was given as 9 Bolshaya,Dmitrovks, Moscow and his father’s occupation as ‘merchant in Moscow’. Later in the year, inAugust, he joined the 17th Battery of the 41st Brigade. Andrew’s officers notes record that he wasable to visit the UK, probably his aunt at Bushmead, when he had leave at Christmas 1916, June 1917and January 1918. After almost two years service, by then a Lieutenant, he died on St George’s Day,Tuesday 23rd April 1918, aged 23. Andrew was killed close to Arras, which was being defended bythe British 3rd Army. The Germans were attempting to push through the front line and they werebeing held back, and in the resulting artillery duel, Andrew lost his life and was buried in Anzin-St.Aubin British Cemetery. He was entitled to the British War and Victory medals.

His Major wrote – ‘His death is a very keen blow to every officer, N.C.O. and man in the battery…he was extremely able and willing, very courageous, and most cheerful under the most tryingcircumstances’. In The Eagle (Bedford Modern School magazine) dated July 1918, page 186, it is notedthat “His Colonel wrote of him: 'He was one of my best officers - cheery, brave, keen, and highlyefficient. He was marked out for advancement, and would have gone far.’'“

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After his death, his effects included a pair of binoculars and case, 2 rings, a wallet with papers andphotos, a stop watch without glass, 2 wrist watches, 1 with guard, 1 with glass deficient, a metalmatch box case, a cigarette case, studs, tiepin and clip, a fountain pen (Waterman), a knife, a nailclipper, a writing case, a leather wallet (new), an address book, a cheque book, a cloth wallet, a motorlicence, a Russian document and his birth certificate. In the officers records it noted that he owedmoney for Mess Bills and for wages to his groom and servant.

When Andrew died it was reported that his parents Charles John and Olga Trapp were of Moscowand Bushmead. Telegrams from the War Office were sent to his father in Moscow (dated 27th April1918) and to his aunt in Bushmead. On July 21st 1918 his father wrote a letter from Bushmead, andit is very likely that when he heard of his son’s death he would have made arrangements to travel toEngland. Although Charles and Olga may have returned briefly to Moscow the couple settled atBushmead after the war.

Andrew’s father Charles died in 1922 aged 72 years, probably at Bushmead and his mother Olga in1926 aged 63 years in the Kensington District. His aunt Caroline Edith Trapp was still listed atBushmead in the 1945 Electoral Register and died at the age of 88 years in late 1945. Andrew’s brotherGeorge died in the Cambridge area in 1977 but research has not yet shown what happened toAndrew’s eldest brother John.

Although Bushmead is in Eaton Socon Parish there is no mention of the young cotton agent in EatonSocon Church or on its war memorial. When a decision came for a memorial plaque the familydecided to place a commemoration plaque in Thurleigh Church under the stained glass window tohis grandfather, Rev Benjamin Trapp, who had been the vicar there for so many years.

The plaque reads –

IN EVER LOVING MEMORYOF

LIEUT. ANDREW TRAPPR.F.A.

WHO, HAVING RESPONDED TOTHE CALL OF HIS COUNTRY WAS

KILLED IN ACTION IN FRANCE23. APRIL 1918, AGED 23 YEARS.

BELOVED OF ALL.

SourcesRichard Wildman, archivist, Bedford Modern SchoolThe National Archives - Officers Records WO339/61318St Neots Advertiser 3rd May 1918

Websites – roll-of-honour.com – transcriptions of many war memorialswww.cwgc.org – Commonwealth War Graves Commissionancestry.co.uk – births, marriages, deaths, censuses, military records, etc.findmypast.co.uk – 1911 Census, military records, etc.

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Andrew Trapp’s plaque.

The plaque in Thurleigh church under stained window in memory to his

grandfather, Rev Benjamin Trapp.

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